Dive resorts don't publish day rates or detailed maps

Thinking it's time to take a day off somewhere local, I start panning through websites for resorts south of town - and there's just no f-ing info about day rates or detailed maps on how to get there...!

I don't know what kind of business savvy that is, but I'll be damned if I am going to take the time to email them all.

Just pathetic

 

...When you do go to a resort Mon-Friday many times there are no walk in day users there. Resorts are typically empty.

So what's the big secret about day rates and some photos of where you turn/landmarks?

 

I know you can walk in just about anywhere, but I'd rather know before I get there how much the entrance/pool use fees are

I won't go back to Mike's; day trippers can't use the pool at El Dorado.

The lack of info on the resort websites is a glaring ommision

 

Many of the primary resorts do not readily welcome walk ins. Some have been overwhelmed by large numbers including a few heavy drinkers, all of which can have an impact on their guests wanting to relax after a dive or shopping.
One that seems to work is Bahura Resort on Sundays. They have a huge clean pool area. Their fee is of 500p which includes a lunch. My wife thinks they may have open that daily now, not sure.

 

As for us we typically don't allow day use. That has to do with the capacity of the resort. The kitchen is dimensioned to feed 20 guests. The pool and other amenities too. If we were to have 20 day users in addition to being fully booked, the guests might get disappointed.
Walk-in restaurant visitors we do allow, if the kitchen staff approve it. It's up to them to decide if we can take on more guests. But, they have to ensure they can serve all.
No matter how sad it is be to say no to guests, it's better than giving bad service.
The dive shop is operated by Easy Diving, and they can take on as many divers as they can handle, wether they stay with Eden or not. Not all Eden guests dive either.

 

An alternative is to book a local weekend getaway at a resort. You can choose an affordable 3-star resort with good food and bar and use the pool for nearly two days. For example, Liquid Resort offers nice cottages (they have a web site with a map, as do most of the resorts). Our favourite is Mike's.

 

Just reading your reply now. We went to Bahura last Sunday since we hadn't been there in maybe 6yrs or more, way back when we rented a jet ski there from their now-gone scuba shop. As it turns out on Sundays you get a buffet for your consumable, running noon - 3pm I believe. You're supposed to eat it up near where they have it set up though I saw a few take their's to poolside near the restaurant. There was chicken, beef, and chop suey with iced tea. Food was actually good, don't know if was great but good none the less. SMG light beer was something like p80 PLUS the 10% service charge.

I asked for some brewed coffee later which cost about the same as the beer and when she handed me a cup that was half full I told her to keep it.

We had to pay p50 ea to swim in the ocean bcz it's a marine preserve..

Bahura was "okay" but somehow I didn't perceive a good value there.

:shrug:


- Last time we were there (6 yrs or more) I did manage to swim the long north south length of their big pool underwater after pushing off the side (not diving in). It was an effort then; I'd probably need my speedo on to do it again rather than the non-hydrodynamic baggies I was wearing Sunday. - Or my dive skin

Cory has some property along the way to Bahura, if I can get hold of him in MNL? I'll see if his invite to use it anytime is still valid. If not we know some Filipinos who have beach property across from the place that sells the tall huts along south hwy. They're next to Salaya resort which I'm told is p30T a night (!)