스칸디 다이버(Scandi Divers)

疫情三年沒來菲律賓了，這一次開放了就迫不及待地來了，酒店還是那個酒店。菲律賓人民還是那麼樂觀，幸福感十足。

The staff were all incredibly helpful and friendly. The rooms are air conditioned and the wifi is good. The muck diving was amazing and we went diving twice a day or more every day. The trip to Verde Island included a catered lunch prepared on a barbecue that lasted over 2 hours. They have spa services available at very cheap prices and I got a massage nearly every other day. I recommend getting the resort package which includes hotel, 3 meals a day and up to 3 dives a day. If you haven't traveled to the Philippines before, be aware that the tap water is not potable. But they have drinking water readily available.

Scandi is fantastic. This resort is an incredible value for the area. I don’t need to comment much on diving, as the reviews here and other sites like Scubaboard speak for themselves. The dive masters, dive shop staff and boat staff are patient and great. We booked a daylong trip to Verde island and were provided a freshly cooked lunch on a scenic shelter off the island beach. It was refreshing to see the crew hanging out and not counting down the seconds until they could pack us on the boat again. The people here genuinely seem to enjoy each other’s company. Scandi feels like a family. One thing that surprised me was the quality of the food. Food wasn't the reason we came here - but it could have been. My wife and I agreed that we had some outstanding soups and other dishes there. There’s a lot of creativity on display. I’m not kidding about the soups; they tasted so real and pure. These were some of the best soups I've had in my life. The setting is gorgeous, with a tropical paradise vibe (more below), and within a taxi ride or short walk to towns. If you have a traveling companion who does not dive, they’ll be Ok here. A few more details if you want to read on: GETTING THERE. The weak link in getting to Puerto Galera - not just Scandi - is a water taxi service called Hap & Go. Bear in mind folks, they serve all Puerto Galera, so this is not unique to Scandi, ok? Don’t hold them against an individual resort. Just read on and be ready. Arrival: You can book a water taxi to the resort, and pay through the resort - but at the cement slab port at Batangas, someone with their face covered may demand a couple hundred pesos in an ‘admission fee. I had most of my money packed away, which was dumb of me. I asked our car driver, who fortunately was still there, to call the resort and find out if this charge was legit. It turns out the website of Hap & Go says you should pay a 50 peso port fee per person regardless of whatever fee you paid for transportation. So if I had known the name of the taxi company in advance and done the research, I should have expected a port charge. Scandi picked up on my consternation and covered the port fee. The moral of this story is, always be ready in the Philippines to have your hands on money to pay the nice people when you need to. It’s not that much money for most travelers; I just want to alert you to have cash ready. The ride is super fast, but super bumpy and damp. After the shakedown at the port, my wife and I were seated opposite each other to balance the boat. We couldn't whisper so we locked eyes and both wondered through looks if we had done the right thing here. Well, once we arrived, all was well. I don't want you to hold the whole thing against Scandi, just be prepared so you can be more ready to arrive and get into the tropical paradise mood. If Hap & Go had a Tripadvisor page, I'd be leaving a longer review than even this one :) In terms of departure, I suggest you ask to leave about 30-60

They have got pretty much everything right here. Really really friendly and helpful staff, great food (and I'm a fussy foodie from London), top notch dive school. I've just spent 11 days here and TBH could happily spend another 11. Thanks to all staff and Dr David

we had a wonderful experience. thank you for your exceptional customer service. very accommodating staff and serves delicious food. the divemasters and dive instructors are also helpful. PROS: EVERYTHING ABOUT THE RESORT AND STAFF CONS: NOTHING

Was at the Philippine for work, but decided to make a short trip to Puerto Galera for Scuba Diving on the long weekend. Emailed a few resorts to ask for the process needed to travel to PG. Anie from Scadi Divers replied with clear instructions and information. Anie’s help for the whole trip was impeccable. She was so helpful and even providing options on the transportation and arrangements. What makes me decide on Scandi is her help and explanation on the SPass that is required during this pandemic season. (Which is very confusing to me). She even help to check with the LGU on my SPass status and assured me all will be alright when my status was pending till the day of my travel. On my first trip, we had some issue with the payment as the credit card machine isn’t working. But she handled it so well. Same for my second trip back(mostly due to her), again she helped to make sure everything goes smooth and well. I rented a bike to white beach, and she called me a few times just to check if I get there safely. Not forgetting the other staffs in Scandi, from the restoring staff, GP and Mavi, they’re so friendly and just nice to chat with. As for my dive, Rex and Larry were both amazing. I mostly dive with Larry, he has great eye and understanding the marine life. Was shown plenty of amazing sea life and that made my dives memorable. Angel was also very friendly and helping me arranging few things I needed during my stay. Her son and daughter were also very friendly! Just nice to see them around the resort. Scandi is a nice place for diving and for a weekend of relaxation.

My wife and I traveled to Puerto Galera with another couple last weekend and spent 3 nights at Scandi Divers. The nonsensical national and local travel requirements made it difficult to travel to Puerto Galera, even as travel restrictions are being eased and Puerto Galera was promoting opening up to tourism. This is the first part of where Scandi Divers shined. I contacted Scandi via email and requested rates. I received detailed emails back from Anie Marquez with not only rates but also hints for compliance of travel requirements and transportation options from the National Capital Region. Anie was amazing. She answered every question I had clearly and with detail. For those not familiar with the Philippines, this is atypical. We had over 60 emails back and forth, and not because she didn't respond with clarity... She did, it was because of the mostly wishy washy schedule changes by the ferry and water taxi companies that she helped us overcome. She anticipated what we would need and not only gave us suggestions, but she also took care of obtaining some of the government required online travel permits and local QR codes when they started getting complicated. She guided us to the different transportation options even as they kept changing. The ferry companies and water taxis to Puerto Galera from Batangas are typically unreliable and unprofessional. This made it difficult to plan with any certainty that we would be able to proceed with our trip until only two days before departure. However, Anie persisted and even personally contacted the ferry companies on our behalf when they repeatedly messed up our tickets. She gave us alternatives for transfers to the resort from Baletero port and met us at the pier with a private jeepney. She accompanied us back to the port when we departed and even acted as a tour guide when we visited the Mangyan village in PG. Socializing in the 3rd floor dining area, the other guests we spoke to told us that they too would not have been able to come to PG had it not been for Anie's help. She is a valuable asset to Scandi Divers. Arriving at the resort, it became evident that Anie's attitude was typical of the resort staff. Truly a family resort staff that includes husbands and wives working at the resort. Everyone pitched in to do different jobs... The dive instructor would help out in the dining room for example. We were told, but didn't even feel that the resort was running a skeleton crew! No complaints in this department, just praise. The rooms were clean and while not luxurious, they were spacious, clean and the bathrooms were up to date. Everything worked. The A/C, showers, hot water, internet, the refrigerator, etc. all worked and were mostly new and well maintained. There was an abundance of outlets for charging our tech gear too. We could leave diving gear outside on our beachfront patio with no fear of losing anything. Our only possible complaint was that the water pressure was too high! Imagine that!

The staff at the resort are very professional, friendly and helpful. In our case, they helped us to prepare all necessary documentation allowing entry to the island (COVID-19 restrictions) and arranged transportation there and back at favorable rates. In all matters, we could count on their factual information, advice and support. Thank you Anie, Angel and Rex for looking after us. Big La Laguna Beach, where Scandi Divers is located, is the best beach in the Sabang area. It is picturesque and unlike Sabang and Small La lagoon it is suitable for swimming. The rooms are large and well equipped. The choice of accommodation options is vast, especially as Scandi Divers also owns Cambell's Resort, located next door. They have great diving school. I watched in awe as Rex taught my son to dive. These were the first steps, and after 2 days he would go underwater as he would have been doing it for years. I can recommend such a teacher to anyone with a clear conscience. Thank you Rex! IWe have really great time at Scandi Divers and I know we will be coming back to this place. We are already planning another visit :-)

My husband and I were part of a dive group of 20 divers . Scandi Dive Resort was very capable of handling the needs of all of us. The dive shop was top notch with very qualified dive masters and boat/equipment helpers. Everything runs like clockwork to ensure all of a great diving experience. The food is very good and the staff are there to cater to every need. Amazing how the staff knows the name of every guest by the end of the first day. The massages at the spa are not to be missed! My husband celebrated his 91st birthday here and dove every day. They made him king of the island for a day complete with a pig roast dinner and fire dancers! Our whole vacation there was wonderful and memorable! Thank you, Scandi Dive Resort!