ANILAO – The Macrofauna Paradise For Underwater Photography Workshops

FEATURE AND PHOTOGRAPHY MARWA EL-AGROUDY

When I first visited the Philippines in 2018, I wasn’t an experienced diver yet! I had recently been certified a PADI Advanced Open Water diver, and I only had a GoPro. I had no idea what nudibranchs or squat lobsters were. I still enjoyed the diving though so when my husband and I had the opportunity to go and dive in the Philippines, we simply jumped at it.

I knew how amazing diving in Anilao was, and how it is considered a haven for macro photography and muck diving, so I added it to my never-ending diving destinations wish list. When my husband and I had our minds set on the Philippines, Anilao specifically, we started weighing our options regarding where to go and where to stay. As this was a first for us, we ended up deciding on an underwater photography trip with a travel agency. It was our first time to go on such a trip and we were quite thrilled about the idea.

We had ourselves booked with Bluewater Photography & Travel for their annual Anilao photography trip and their choice of accommodation/dive centre, was none other than the Crystal Blue Dive Resort which had come highly recommended by my Filipino diving friends.

The resort is nestled on a hill slope that overlooks the Balayan Bay offering incredible views of the bay and the surrounding islands. It has a dedicated camera room for photographers which makes it a lot easier for divers and their cameras. The rooms face the bay, and they come equipped with an AC and a ceiling fan so there is no compromise on comfort. There is also a spa and relaxation area for whenever you feel like kicking back to do just that.

Did I mention the sunsets already? The most beautiful ones I have ever seen. Additionally, you won’t need to worry about food and beverages as it is all covered. Believe me when I say that you won’t want to miss a meal during your stay at the resort. And on top of all of that, the staff are the kindest and friendliest you could ever meet.

Diving in Anilao was unlike anything I experienced before. There are a lot of sites within the vicinity of the resort, and the number of different species one can see was mind-blowing. I ticked off quite a few of my list of species to see and photograph during that trip, and that included the hairy frogfish. Woohoo! And if you are a nudibranch fan, then Anilao is the place to go as nearly 500 species have been identified there alone. Now if that’s not exciting enough, then you might need to know that the resort holds an annual nudibranch festival where you can go and learn more about them and maybe document new finds. No wonder Anilao is called the nudibranch capital of the world.

Besides that, you can go muck diving which was a first for me. During my first muck dive, I asked myself what on earth were we doing on that sandy bottom dive site, what could we possibly see there? Let me tell you, there was a lot to see. I was totally taken by surprise at what the divemaster was able to spot in such terrain.

Another thing that the resort offers is blackwater diving where you get to see all those alien-looking creatures that only come out at night. For the dive, a rope is attached to a buoy where strong lights are hung along the rope every couple of metres and dropped into the water. Despite that it is easy to get disoriented because of the lack of reference points. You will be thoroughly briefed though, so there is no need to worry. I have to admit that taking photos and video was quite a challenge with my TG-6, but what was around me was amazing so I simply enjoyed it even if I couldn’t photograph it. I felt I was swimming in space. It was magical!

What I also love about Crystal Blue Resort and diving with them, is their 4 divers per boat policy which is great for photography because the dives are not rushed. What makes it even sweeter, is that their divemasters are spotters, which means they are trained to look for the tiniest critters for you. How about that?

As this trip was an underwater photography trip, there were workshops and photo review sessions to be done between the dives. As tiring as that was, especially with having 4 dives a day, it was rewarding. The review sessions allow your photos to be critiqued offering constructive feedback regarding what is good, and what can be improved.

The workshops on the other hand, introduced you to lighting and photography techniques so there was always something new to learn, and I loved that. We had Helen Brierley as our trip leader, and she was amazing with her advice in photography and photo editing. Besides Helen, we also had Mike Bartick, the resort’s photography pro, and he was such a great help as well in many regards. I had not had any expectations about this trip really since I hadn’t been on one before, but I can honestly say that it was both beneficial and enjoyable. So for divers who wish to up their game in underwater photography, a similar kind of a trip may not be such a bad idea.

In conclusion, whether you are looking to only dive, you want to concentrate on underwater photography, you want to try something new, or you just want to relax, Crystal Blue Resort has it all.

My husband and I had a wonderful time. I loved everything about the resort, and even when we weren’t diving, there was always something else to do. I know I will be back Anilao, and I can hardly wait.

Crystal Blue Resort

For more information regarding the Crystal Blue Resort’s diving packages and workshops, visit their website: www.divecbr.com