AivyMaes Divers Paradise Dauin - Hostel

Jeffey was an amazing local dive guide, experienced and safety-conscious, and he knew the dive sites inside out. If you want good dives and tiny muck creatures, I’d recommend going with him. The rooms and facilities were clean enough, and the Filipina staff were lovely and very friendly. The owner talks up the communal kitchen, but be aware that he may threaten an extra charge for basics like oil, salt, and pepper. His attitude felt directed at young women. Apart from that, it’s a nice place within walking distance of a few local restaurants and cafes.

I left and asked for my deposit back after the owner got defensive and spoke to me in a sarcastic, condescending way, saying, “I’m trying to help you.” Earlier, a staff member had denied what I’d been told and made dismissive comments when I raised the issue. The promises from sign-up weren’t kept. I’d signed up the day before and been given specific details about the group size and who would be in it. But when I arrived at 8:30am as instructed, nobody was there and nothing was ready. The group listed on the board was completely different from what we’d agreed. The negative reviews about this shop are accurate. Avoid.

The Australian owner spent quite a while insisting we were wrong to use the sunbeds. He said we might scare away customers who wanted to sit there, then added, “No offense, it’s just business.” It was exhausting, so I said I wanted to swim and my mom and I left right away. His unpleasant attitude spoiled our mood, and I had to translate what he’d said for my mom, then say it all again. We hadn’t realized sitting on the sunbeds was strictly prohibited. We put our things there by mistake, thinking it was a nice place where we’d spend the day and order food and drinks. He came over a few minutes later and told us, in effect, that we were putting off other customers. I was looking for a scuba diving center, and we could have ordered something too. People can draw others in, especially when a place is so empty. We might have brought the business good money, but instead he was unpleasant and mean. Apparently everyone in Dauin knows his reputation. If he wants to run a successful business, he should change that nasty attitude.

The boat ride to Apo island was a bit rough, which made the trip feel even more adventurous. We lucked out with a small crew and nearly had the water to ourselves. The sun was shining and the water was clear that day. The AivyMaes Divers crew guided us really well and were very accommodating. Definitely recommend booking with them.