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I scheduled the trip to Dumaguete-Apo Island-Dauin in December of 2012 to graciously cap off the year. Ling and I were with my original dive buddy, Gemmie Choa.
As we took the first flight out going to Dumaguete, we were able to explore the city upon our early arrival. We walked going to the historical Dumaguete Belfry Tower which is the oldest bell tower in Visayas serving as the town's watchtower during the World Wars; walked along Rizal Boulevard named after our national hero as he is said to have strolled this stretch before going to Dapitan; visited the Silliman University Campus, which is the first and oldest American university in the country. And of course, we tried the mouth-watering goodies of Sylvanas! Don't miss this place for anything! Haha
After lunch, we rode a bus going to Malatapay Market which took us around 45 minutes. We then rode a boat going to Apo Island. We stayed in Apo Island Beach Resort and were warmly welcomed by the staff, including our dive master, Keken. Room rates start at P2,700 to P3,400/night. There are cheaper accommodation in the island but what we're after was the amazing beachfront view.
The first thing we did in the island was snorkel as we were all excited to see the turtles/pawikans! And just as promised by Keken, we saw tons!
The island, by the way, has limited electricity from 6-10 pm only. So another thing we managed to do during our 4 days-3 nights stay was to immerse with the locals. Through Keken, we were able to meet locals who he asked to cook dinner for us. For a fee, of course, but cheaper compared to the pricey meals served in the resort. We were able to eat in their homes and chat away the overly peaceful nights. See also Apo Island, Negros Oriental: Turtle Sanctuary and Apo Island, Negros Oriental: World Of Wonder.
Certified as a PADI rescue diver. Got my first compact camera in 2011. I was simply content then to just capture a glimpse of what I see during my dives. It was only last February 2014 that I fully maximized the use of manual macro settings.
My camera skills and knowledge are still a work in progress. Enjoy browsin’!