Salaya Beach Resort Trip Recap
Salaya Beach Resort – Dumaguete, Philippines
Dumaguete is an easy airport to access after arrival in Manila. There are numerous flights each day and several airlines. I chose Philippine Air and was ultimately happy with my choice as several other travelers in my group were delayed due to last minute cancellations by their airlines. After the 1 1/2-hour flight between Manila and Dumaguete you’ll have a 20-minute car transfer to the resort. You’ll be met with a cold drink and a/c for your orientation to acquaint you with all the resort and dive operation procedures.
All rooms are very spacious, it is a former condo property, with a safe, ample storage closet with cubbies for foldables and hanging space, a full-size mirror, living area with seating and TV. Bathrooms provide a hair dryer, shampoo, conditioner and body wash with a lighted magnifying mirror. The 1 and 2-bedroom units have a spacious main living area with a full-sized fridge, hot pot for instant tea or coffee and on your porch or balcony you’ll find a table and chairs, an oversized lounge chair and a drying rack.
The resort offers a gym with free weights and machines, although not air conditioned, and a yoga studio with a view. A full-service spa is open 11:30AM – 9PM, with the last treatment scheduled for 8PM. The spa menu ranges from mani/pedi to facials and massages plus they have a master masseuse on staff. A pool with a bar and seating for lounging and eating makes for an enjoyable afternoon of relaxing.
The restaurant opens at 7AM (usually a bit earlier actually) and closes at 10PM with the last order taken at 9:30PM. The menu is several pages long and has a huge variety of dishes. Lunch is 2-course plus non-alcohol drink and dinner is 3-course with non-alcoholic drink. A great deal of pride is placed in their desserts so be sure to give them a try too!
Dive boats are the traditional Philippine Bangka style boat. They have a Comfort room (marine head), storage space, plenty of shade and they supply water, tea, coffee and light snacks during surface intervals. Their 3 tank diving days offer morning 2-tanks local dives with your surface interval spent on the boat with snacks. Return to the resort for lunch before a 2:30PM dive boat. Night dives are from the shore.
Apo Island is an extra fee but a worthy upgrade, at least once during your stay. Those diving days spend the 3-tanks at Apo Island with a snack between dive 1 and 2 and buffet lunch between dive 2 and 3 with a return to the resort about 4PM. Our group saw Blue spotted stingrays, an orange frog fish only seen with a magnifier, sweet lips, candy crab, pipefish, pair of posing robust ghost pipefish, fat black and green nudibranchs, two seahorses, artificial reef (starting during covid) juvenile razor fish, hairy frogfish, devil scorpion, zebra crab, 50 + in a squid school, blue spotted stingray, turtles galore, smallest frogfish ever, purple dragon nudibranchs (a personal favorite) and even a Nudibranch with a passenger emperor shrimp, skeleton shrimp, a floating Persian flat worm, peacock and tiger mantis shrimp and so much more that was impressive but isn’t mentioned.
Salaya Beach Resort was very enjoyable with great diving, excellent service and amazing food. I would highly recommend it for those that enjoy or want to try muck diving!
