Category Archives: Resort News

Scandi Divers & Campbell’s Beach Resort’s Newsletter

Welcome to The Scandal! Keeping you up to date with all the latest news at Scandi Divers & Campbell’s Beach Resort.
Issue 5

From left to right: Jason, Raymond, Terry, Brett, Peter, Heather & Jen.

Lets Get Wet!
That’s what the Warning-Tan family thought this month so they came down from Hong Kong to get their Open Water certs with us. Thanks to Mum Joy for taking this photo after the groups first ever dive in Big La Laguna Bay.


ET Spotted in Seahorse City!
No not that ET! Esther & Tanya both had big birthdays this year & decided to celebrate in style in the Philippines. They hired the Liki Tiki floating bar for the afternoon & partied away with friends & family. In fact it was a double celebration as Martijn, Noel & Walter had just passed their Open Water courses (check out the boys’ last test further down).


Miles hands over the reins to Edz

Goodbye Miles, Hello Edz!
We were sad to say farewell to our dive secretary Miles this month. Miles has returned to Manila to continue her nursing career & be closer to her family. Whilst with us Miles attained her OW cert, helping in underwater clean-ups & playing the victim on a few rescue courses. We wish you good luck Miles & hope to see you again soon for some more underwater fun.
However we say a HUGE welcome to Edna. Edz (or even Ed to Terry!) has recently become a PADI instructor & has been diving around Puerto Galera over the last five or so years. Read more about Edz in the next edition of The Scandal!

 The Snorkel Test!
            
Martijn’s doing well..                      ..but can Walter beat him?!
Unfortunately the camera ran out of battery for Noel’s test.
Drum roll please…’And the winner is… Walter!!’

Welcome back to..
Instructor Dohna who brought Jeffrey, Marey, Jhobal & Louie with her to enjoy some great diving as well as a few nights out in Sabang.
DM’s Oliver, Joachim & Martin from Denmark also returned once again to dive with us whilst on their summer break.
(Above: Dohna with Terry).

Also diving this month..
Mac from Manila, Urska from Slovenia & Carsten from Denmark enjoyed some dives with David & Walter. And from I Love Diving, Shanghai; Jasper, Perry, Jiachen, Heusen, Zhang, Zijun & Biyu got some excellent dives in with AI Robert
(Above: Urska with Walter & Arman).

Freddie’s waiting to take you diving, want to go?!
Click the link above for
Scandi & Campbell’s website

Congratulations to..

Junior Open Water Diver
Heather, Brett & Raymond (pictured above in the pool with ‘The Dads’) are on the diving ladder after getting their certs with Jen. Well done guys, you all did a great job (maybe even better than The Dads!!).

Open Water Diver
The Dads; Peter & Jason. Who, it’s fair to say, both wondered what they’d gotten themselves into along the way! In the end the hard work paid off & they enjoyed some fantastic diving with the kids & Jen.


Noel, Martijn & Walter also achieved Open Water Diver status this month. The boys from The Netherlands came up with some new ways to hover whilst taking their course with Jen – we just wish we had some photos of that. As it is we’ve a picture of them in/on the rinse tank (above)!


Advanced Open Water:

Anne & Camilla from Denmark took their AOW with Terry & Jen. Choosing Wreck, Night & Drift dives along with Deep & Underwater Nav. to get to the next level in their diving.
The girls also got some extra dives in with Walter before heading home.

Well done to you all, we hope to see you again for more diving adventures!
Click the link above for Scandi Divers Facebook page. And don’t forget to LIKE us!
Super Snaps!
This Unicorn fish was spotted by Mac on a dive to Sinandigan Wall.
Don’t forget to send in your photos – they don’t have to be underwater shots – to get in the next issue.
The view from Muelle Pier, Puerto Galera. It’s a stuning place to be for a relaxing lunch.

Welcome to The Scandal! Keeping you up to date with all the latest news at Scandi Divers & Campbell’s Beach Resort.
Issue 5

From left to right: Jason, Raymond, Terry, Brett, Peter, Heather & Jen.

Lets Get Wet!
That’s what the Warning-Tan family thought this month so they came down from Hong Kong to get their Open Water certs with us. Thanks to Mum Joy for taking this photo after the groups first ever dive in Big La Laguna Bay.


ET Spotted in Seahorse City!
No not that ET! Esther & Tanya both had big birthdays this year & decided to celebrate in style in the Philippines. They hired the Liki Tiki floating bar for the afternoon & partied away with friends & family. In fact it was a double celebration as Martijn, Noel & Walter had just passed their Open Water courses (check out the boys’ last test further down).


Miles hands over the reins to Edz

Goodbye Miles, Hello Edz!
We were sad to say farewell to our dive secretary Miles this month. Miles has returned to Manila to continue her nursing career & be closer to her family. Whilst with us Miles attained her OW cert, helping in underwater clean-ups & playing the victim on a few rescue courses. We wish you good luck Miles & hope to see you again soon for some more underwater fun.
However we say a HUGE welcome to Edna. Edz (or even Ed to Terry!) has recently become a PADI instructor & has been diving around Puerto Galera over the last five or so years. Read more about Edz in the next edition of The Scandal!

 The Snorkel Test!
            
Martijn’s doing well..                      ..but can Walter beat him?!
Unfortunately the camera ran out of battery for Noel’s test.
Drum roll please…’And the winner is… Walter!!’

Welcome back to..
Instructor Dohna who brought Jeffrey, Marey, Jhobal & Louie with her to enjoy some great diving as well as a few nights out in Sabang.
DM’s Oliver, Joachim & Martin from Denmark also returned once again to dive with us whilst on their summer break.
(Above: Dohna with Terry).

Also diving this month..
Mac from Manila, Urska from Slovenia & Carsten from Denmark enjoyed some dives with David & Walter. And from I Love Diving, Shanghai; Jasper, Perry, Jiachen, Heusen, Zhang, Zijun & Biyu got some excellent dives in with AI Robert
(Above: Urska with Walter & Arman).

Freddie’s waiting to take you diving, want to go?!
Click the link above for
Scandi & Campbell’s website

Congratulations to..

Junior Open Water Diver
Heather, Brett & Raymond (pictured above in the pool with ‘The Dads’) are on the diving ladder after getting their certs with Jen. Well done guys, you all did a great job (maybe even better than The Dads!!).

Open Water Diver
The Dads; Peter & Jason. Who, it’s fair to say, both wondered what they’d gotten themselves into along the way! In the end the hard work paid off & they enjoyed some fantastic diving with the kids & Jen.


Noel, Martijn & Walter also achieved Open Water Diver status this month. The boys from The Netherlands came up with some new ways to hover whilst taking their course with Jen – we just wish we had some photos of that. As it is we’ve a picture of them in/on the rinse tank (above)!


Advanced Open Water:

Anne & Camilla from Denmark took their AOW with Terry & Jen. Choosing Wreck, Night & Drift dives along with Deep & Underwater Nav. to get to the next level in their diving.
The girls also got some extra dives in with Walter before heading home.

Well done to you all, we hope to see you again for more diving adventures!
Click the link above for Scandi Divers Facebook page. And don’t forget to LIKE us!
Super Snaps!
This Unicorn fish was spotted by Mac on a dive to Sinandigan Wall.
Don’t forget to send in your photos – they don’t have to be underwater shots – to get in the next issue.
The view from Muelle Pier, Puerto Galera. It’s a stuning place to be for a relaxing lunch.

There’s more to do than dive in Puerto Galera!

There’s a whole host of activities to choose from in Puerto Galera.

activities-puerto galera
Banana boat at White Beach

You can go paint balling & go-karting at extremesportsphilippines.com. Play a round of golf at the stunning Ponderosa golf club. Take a trip to Tamaraw waterfalls or ride in the caribou cart to the Hidden Paradise. Spend an afternoon on the idyllic, unspoilt Bulabud beach where you can rinse off from the sea in the fresh water stream. Learn to sail on ‘Wet Wednesdays’ with Puerto Galera Yacht Club. Ride the banana boats at White beach & get your souvenir shopping done afterwards or pop up to the shooting range for some target practice.

activities puerto galera
Bulabod Beach

Back in Sabang you could blast some videoke Red Horse style in Charlies Bar or have a proper Sunday roast at Jack Daniels Resort or get down to Campbell’s Beach Resort for the Sausage Sizzle. Watch sport in the Friendship bar, eat Dynamite Lumpia from Small Shot Resto. Have a fantastic pizza/pasta from Bella Napoli, or Versuvio’s. Play some Killer Pool in The Big Apple. Drink with Martin Duggan and play the Joker Jackpot every Monday at Marti’s Bar. Go on the Hash Run every Saturday from Capt’n Gregg’s, stuff yourself full of steak at Hemingway’s Bistro or Pappa Fred’s Steakhouse & then dance it all off The Venue nightclub!

activities-puerto galera
The Venue
birthday-party-event-puerto galera-diving-yacht club
View from Muelle Pier, Puerto Galera 
activities-puerto galera
Go off-road with X-treme Sports

But of course the diving IS fantastic here and if you’re into that particular activity Scandi Divers is the place to stay!

Book now to receive some amazing low season discounts.

活动丰富多彩,尽在波多格尼拉

You can go paint balling & go-karting at extremesportsphilippines.com. Play a round of golf at the stunning Ponderosa golf club. Take a trip to Tamaraw waterfalls or ride in the caribou cart to the Hidden Paradise. Spend an afternoon on the idyllic, unspoilt Bulabud beach where you can rinse off from the sea in the fresh water stream. Learn to sail on ‘Wet Wednesdays’ with Puerto Galera Yacht Club. Ride the banana boats at White beach & get your souvenir shopping done afterwards or pop up to the shooting range for some target practice.

activities puerto galera
Bulabod Beach

Back in Sabang you could blast some videoke Red Horse style in Charlies Bar or have a proper Sunday roast at Jack Daniels Resort or get down to Campbell’s Beach Resort for the Sausage Sizzle. Watch sport in the Friendship bar, eat Dynamite Lumpia from Small Shot Resto. Have a fantastic pizza/pasta from Bella Napoli, or Versuvio’s. Play some Killer Pool in The Big Apple. Drink with Martin Duggan and play the Joker Jackpot every Monday at Marti’s Bar. Go on the Hash Run every Saturday from Capt’n Gregg’s, stuff yourself full of steak at Hemingway’s Bistro or Pappa Fred’s Steakhouse & then dance it all off The Venue nightclub!

activities-puerto galera
The Venue
birthday-party-event-puerto galera-diving-yacht club
View from Muelle Pier, Puerto Galera 
activities-puerto galera
Go off-road with X-treme Sports

But of course the diving IS fantastic here and if you’re into that particular activity Scandi Divers is the place to stay!

Book now to receive some amazing low season discounts.

Puerto Galera Restaurants – Eat Like a King at Scandi Divers

When you stay here, you’ll probably be surprised by the amount of Puerto Galera restaurants. There is everything – from super-cheap “turo turos” where the locals eat, all the way to fine-dining restaurants with professional chefs and delightful dishes. After scuba diving, enjoy a tasty meal!

If you stay at Scandi Divers, you will get to experience our food, which is popular among locals and tourists alike. While we are near the end of Big La Laguna beach, people often come all the way from Sabang to taste our food.

Why would they do that?

First, because it’s tasty. In the Philippines, it can be hard to get tasty food, especially when you’re traveling. But at Scandi Divers, we try to make the tastiest food in the area because we know how much our guests enjoy it. That’s why many think we have one of the best Puerto Galera restaurants.

The second reason why people love it is the variety. At most Puerto Galera restaurants, there is very little variety. Your choices are limited to Filipino food and a small selection of common Western dishes. Like finding tasty food, it can be very hard to find a wide variety of food. That’s why Scandi endeavours to make the most tasty, delightful food in the area.

To show you what we meen, here’s a quick snapshot of just a few things on our menu:

Puerto Galera Restaurant Food

  • American Breakfast: toasted bread, ham or bacon, eggs, butter and jam, coffee or tea, orange juice
  • Poached egg on toast: toasted bread topped w/ poached egg, coffee or tea, orange juice
  • Ham, egg, baked beans on toast: toasted bread w/ ham, egg and baked beans, coffee or tea, orange juice
  • Onion rings: sliced onion ring in beer butter
  • Calamares: sliced calamares, choices in Japanese breadcrumbs or beet butter
  • Garlic bread: minced garlic in rolled bread
  • Caesar salad: lettuce, tomato, cucumber, croutons, onion and bacon, w/caesar dressing
  • Beef caldereta: sauted beef, w/ tomato sauce, peanut butter, pickles, bell pepper and spice with rice
  • Vegetable curry: mixed vegetables w/curry powder in coconut milk
  • Pork cordon bleu: with buttered vegetables and fries
  • Pork Parmiagaina: pork gently pan fried in tomato, onion, garlic and parmesan
  • Frikadeller: with potato chips and salad
  • Grilled prawns: served w/garlic rice or steamed vegetables
  • Scandinavian burger: with bacon, egg and cheese
  • Bratwurst sausage: served w/ french fries and salad
  • Aussie sausage: with fried onion o top, served w/ cub potato and vegetables

Puerto Galera Nightlife, Restaurants and Bars – Something for Everyone

Throughout the Philippines, the Puerto Galera nightlife is famous… and somewhat infamous…

The great thing about the nightlife here is that there is something for everyone. If your idea of a good night out is a relaxing night out with a nice bottle of red, you’ll find a number of perfect places in Puerto Galera. In fact, you can enjoy a calm night out in Scandi’s rooftop bar, overlooking the magnificent Big La Laguna Bay. It’s one of the best places to watch the sunset… and… we have a pool table!

Along Big La Laguna beach, there are a number of restaurants and bars where you can spend the evening hours with the Puerto Galera nightlife. There are often events held of various days each week, from Sunday’s BBQs at Campbell’s Beach Resort and parties at the beach club for special sporting events. These things are one of the fun Puerto Galera activities.

If you feel inclined, you can walk into the main town of Sabang, where you’ll find a range of other Puerto Galera nightlife options. This is the place to be if a relaxing night out is NOT your favorite thing to do.

Sure… there are places where you can relax, but Sabang itself caters mainly to the party-all-night customer, with bars, clubs and discos (including a couple of girly bars) that keep their doors open all night long. And the cool thing is that you’ll hear all the latest dance hits in most of the bars, so you’ll be dancing to up-to-date stuff.

One thing people love about the Puerto Galera nightlife is that it can be super cheap or slightly expensive, depending upon your tastes. While dinner at a nice restaurant might cost $30 all-in, you can also get ice cold beers for around $1, making a big night out a very cheap affair if you want it to be.

Some areas of the Puerto Galera nightlife can get a little wild, particularly in the center of the main nightlife area. You’ll find people wandering the streets all night long, and there is even a 24 hour bar where you can avoid worrying about sleeping all together.

Wherever you go, the Puerto Galera night caters to families, couples and singles. There really is something for everyone. Many of the divers enjoying the amazing diving will fill the bars at night, and there is a large retired army vet’s that live in Puerto Galera. With a range of options for every taste, you’ll have a wonderful time in Puerto Galera.

Scuba Diving for kids

Keep the kids entertained on holiday & let them experience another world!

Scuba diving’s not just for grown-ups! Your kids can gain confidence in themselves whilst they learn about the amazing underwater environment.

The Bubblemaker:  Under direct supervision from a PADI professional they’ll learn how to use equipment, how to equalise and how to clear a regulator scuba diving for kidsand mask. Then the real FUN begins as the kids swim around & play underwater games. (Typically a 1 hour pool session. Min age 8 yrs. Max depth 2 meters).

Follow-up ocean dive: After the pool session lets go ‘say hello to Nemo’ & experience the wonders of the underwater world. Again with an instructor’s direct supervision and to a depth no deeper than 2 meters your children can enjoy the freedom of the ocean.

 

PADI Seal Team: Become a member of PADI’s elite & join the Seal Team.

This structured program is in 2 parts. Part 1 is pool based & teaches kids the basics of diving. In AquaMissions 1-5 they will hone their skills (regulator recovery & clearing, mask clearing, buoyancy etc). After that students can become Master Seam Team members by moving on to part 2 and completing 10 additional specialty AquaMissions. These specialties are an introduction to other areas of diving. From Creature ID to Search & Recovery to Snapshot Specialist. (Normally a 2 hour pool session for AquaMissions 1-5 + 1 hour for each specialty. Min age 8 yrs. Max depth 4 meters).

Junior Open Water Diver: For young people aged 10 – 14 yrs the Junior Open water course is exactly the same as the standard Open Water course. The only differences are certain age/depth limitations:

  • Junior Open Water Divers ages 10-11 years old must dive with a PADI Professional or certified parent/guardian. Dives must not exceed 12 metres /40 feet.
  • Junior Open Water Divers ages 12-14 years old must dive with a certified adult. (13+ years old can take the Open Water Diver course online).

The PADI Open Water course concentrates on the fundamental aspects of diving, such as diving equipment and diving technique. There are 3 components to the course: Independent study & review, confined water skills training & 4 open water dives.

 

padi elearningMake the most out of your holiday time & get the study done before you get on the plane! Click on the picture to see what courses are available online.

For further info on all our courses and prices click                         http://www.dive-resort-philippines.com/diving/diving-courses-puerto-galera/or https://scandidivers.com/scuba-dive-course-prices/

How To Become A Certified Scuba Diver

PADI Open WaterAt 18 meters beneath the surface, we swam towards the ancient shipwreck. The hull, covered with a myriad of sea creatures, looked like something out of a movie. We floated with the current to the opposite end and spotted two black frog fish hanging out. They were remarkably still; they didn’t try and swim away, and they even stayed still for a few photos!

I was doing my PADI Open Water course and we were visiting Sabang Wrecks, one of the nearby Puerto Galera dive sites.

My first foray into diving began with the Discover Scuba Diving, or DSD for short. I wrote about my experience a month ago here. I was amazed by scuba diving, and all I could think was “why hadn’t I started sooner?”.

So it was with a great deal of excitement that I signed up to continue the adventure. Terry and the team at Scandi Divers were fantastic for the Discover Scuba Diving course, so I signed up straightaway with them.

The PADI Open Water course is made up of a few different components. Each component has a video and a chapter in the textbook, explaining various things relating to diving. You learn about essential safety skills, plus how to preserve the amazing beauty that lies beneath the water.

At the end of each chapter, you jump in the pool with your gear and practice skills. You’ll learn interesting stuff too! Ever wondered what to do if your mask fills with water when you’re under 20 meters of water? You can’t go to the surface… so what do you do? Or how about if your air runs out? What if you want to go to the surface – can you go straight up or do you need to go slowly? How does the pressure of water affect the air you breathe? How long can you stay underwater for, and can you go diving twice with little or no time in between dives?

These are things I learned on the PADI Open Water Course with Scandi. For some components, I studied with Terry. For others, I worked with Jenny, one of the other friendly dive instructors.

In between dives, I relaxed in the restaurant and enjoyed plenty of cups of their fantastic Starbucks coffee.

We visited a number of the best scuba diving sites in Puerto Galera, including Sabang Wrecks, Hole in the Wall and Monkey Beach. I had an absolute blast… I think I’ve caught the diving “bug”… I’m up to 10 dives now and I feel like the adventure is just beginning…

So if you’re looking for a fantastic place to go diving, check out Puerto Galera. Scandi Divers, one of the Puerto Galera resorts on Big La Laguna Beach can set you up with everything you need. You’ll have a fantastic time. Diving is, hands-down, one of the best Puerto Galera activities.