December 28, 2022-January 10, 2023
Experience the Pure Magic of the Philippines
January 6-20, 2024
The island nation of the Philippines is located in the southwest Pacific. It is bordered on the east by the Philippine Sea and on the west by the South China Sea. Its closest neighbors are China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. The Philippines are famous for their friendly people, beautiful scenery and phenomenal diving.
Watch the video
The destination
The Philippines are composed of 7,107 islands, with a land area roughly the size of Arizona. There are 21,773 miles of coastline, twice that of the USA. There are 60 natural harbors and, most importantly, 13,128 square miles of coral reefs. The climate is near perfect, with water temperatures ranging from 80°-84° F.
The resorts
During your trip, you’ll be spending one week each at two different Magic dive resorts.
- Magic Island Dive Resort is located in the quiet southern part of the Moalboal peninsula. From here you can see the mountains of Cebu. Nestled in between tropical gardens are 16 bungalows with private balconies waiting for you.
- Magic Oceans Dive Resort is located on the fantastic green and quiet island of Bohol, far away from the busy touristic areas.The resort is surrounded by a steep rocky wall, jungle and a tropical fruit nursery. The whole area is lush green, with palm trees, hibiscus, jasmine and other tropical flowers.
Both resorts are located on the sea front facing fantastic house reefs, where you can dive any time, day or night. All cottages are air conditioned, with free WiFi and other amenities. On site you’ll find a gift shop, open air restaurant, dive shop, camera room, swimming pool and a relaxation spa.
The diving
The Magic Resorts have a vast array of marine life. You may see a Thresher Shark hunting the huge school of Sardines that reside at Panagsama Wall. The Sardine bait ball is a spectacle all its own, with literally tons of fish making up the school. Watching them shift and change shapes as the predators swoop in is mesmerizing. In addition to as many as three boat dives a day, the snorkeling and diving on the house reefs are amazing. You can get an excellent feel for all of the amazing things you will see by visiting the Magic Resorts website and watching the many videos posted there. You can also see photos from our 2013 trip.
Trip dates
Our travel schedule is as follows:
- Leave from LAX on January 6, 2024.
- Return to LAX on January 20, 2024.
Bear in mind you will cross the International Date Line going and coming. You will lose as day going out and gain a day coming back.
Book now (before someone else gets your space)
- $1,000 due at signup.
- Price is based on USD/Philippine Peso rate of 50. If the peso drops below 47, a surcharge will apply
Trip and Travel Cancellation Policy
The cancellation policy for this trip is a follows.
- Cancellation before November 1 forfeits $1,000
- Cancellation after November 1 forfeits all monies paid
You may be able to recover some or all of this by purchasing trip insurance.
This list is extensive and all included in the price — including gratuities.
■ Airport transfers in the Philippines
■ 7 nights in a superior cottage at Magic Island in Moalboal Cebu
■ 8 nights in a superior cottage at Magic Oceans Resort in Anda Bohol
■ Ten days of 3-4 guided boat dives a day
■ Limitless shore diving on fabulous house reefs
■ Unlimited Nitrox
■ Marine park fees
■ All standard tips
■ One dive daytrip to Camigiun Island from Magic Island
■ One dive daytrip to Kasawan waterfalls from Cebu
■ One day adventure trip in Bohol
■ One Magical Firefly Tour (evening)
■ One full body massage
■ Free WiFi
■ Three full meals each day
■ Refreshments between dives
■ Coffee
■ Tea and mineral water throughout your stay
■ Bath soap and shampoo
■ Use of pool towels
■ Whale shark experience to Oslob (one dive on scuba and one snorkeling)
■ Diving Cabilao during the boat transfer to Magic Oceans Resort in Bohol
■ On the last evening is a fun Philippine party
Available upgrades include Business or First Class airfare and private cottages, but we need to know well in advance. We strongly recommend letting our travel agent do the air travel booking.
- Travel insurance with COVID coverage is a must
- Airfare
- Dive gear other than tanks/weights
- Meals while in transit
- Alcohol
- Souvenirs
■ Diver/Nitrox certification cards
■ Audible and visual surface signals, reel or spool
■ Dive insurance
■ Signed waiver and Statement of Understanding
■ Valid passport with six months left past date of return and two blank pages
Act now
Learn more or reserve space
Use this form to send us a question about this specific trip. You can also use this form to let us know you are interested in joining us and how many people will be in your group — just be aware that reservations are not considered firm until we receive a deposit.
Don’t leave anything behind
Use our convenient travel checklist to make sure you leave nothing behind
Don’t leave home without DAN
DAN Accident Insurance and DAN Travel Insurance: They’re the two things no intelligent diver would ever dream of traveling without. The good news is, if you don’t have these two pieces of valuable protection, you can sign up right now, on line.