Despite its name, the resort lies close to the seaside village of Sabang, an irregular peninsula poking into the Verde Island Passage on the north side of the island of Mindoro.

 

How to get there:  Fly into Manila direct from Brunei or Miri. It is wise for the inexperienced to arrange transport to the resort. You'll be met at the airport (there is an alphabetically arranged meeting area outside the arrivals hall and down one level). The essence of the Philippines is immediately apparent, crowds, crowds and more crowds in a melting pot where testosterone overcomes driving courtesy or even basic safety. Nevertheless, the air-conditioned (and very comfortable) minibus will fight through the seething Manila traffic to the motorway and thence to Batangas some 100 km or two to three hours away depending on the traffic. A 45 minute banca trip takes you straight to the resort where, at high tide, the water laps the resort's walls. All in all, about nine hours door to door and relatively painless since you're not driving!

 

Costs:  At La Laguna, a room costs US$ 45/night in an air-conditioned room for one or two people including breakfast. Other meals are a la carte, excellent quality and vary from US$ 4 - 7. Beer is cheap at US$ 1 per bottle or 50 cents during happy hour. The dives run at US$ 24 per trip plus supplements of US$ 8 for nitrox or night dives. For a single diver the overall cost (including the airport transfers) is 10 - 20% less than Kapalai; for two people sharing a room, the savings are more.

 

Meals and beer are ever cheaper in Sabang, however, we felt it wasn't worth the 15 minute walk and prefered the slightly isolated tranquility of La Luguna with the bar over-looking the sea.

Richard Hills and Paul Turton enjoy Happy Hour after a strenuous day's drift diving.

 

La Laguna Dive Centre and Resort in Big La Laguna, a tranquil bay west of Sabang.

 

 

Diving is very different from our Brunei diving! The Verde Island passage is hundreds of metres deep and is one of the water courses that drains and fills the South China Sea. This makes for some powerful currents both vertical and horizontal. We dived the 'Canyons' on a Spring ebb where the current was so strong that holding onto rocks was very difficult. Spat out of the canyons at the end of the dive our leader was blown upwards whilst we were dragged downwards requiring dexterous use of the BCD whilst computers bleeped in anguish all around us. The underwater scenery is dominated by sweeping vistas down into the channel punctuated by canyons and rocks all festooned with crinoids.

 

 

Several wrecks have been sunk including fishing boats, a small dry-dock and a much larger inter island ferry, the 'Alma Jane'. This triple-screw vessel has been thoroughly stripped to its shell, however, it still makes for an excellent nitrox dive lying in the 23 - 29 metre range. In fact we dived nitrox for one dive every day to give us a good bottom time on the 'Alma Jane' or in the Canyons (30 metres). Our dive guides Oying and Robert were excellent, friendly and very knowledgeable.

     

Views of the 'Alma Jane'

The Sabang Bay wrecks are far smaller, lying in 14 - 20 metres but make for an excellent night dive.

Dangers:  The blue urchin (right) was very common on the seabed in the Sabang area and gives an irritating sting if touched. Trigger fish are very common here and the dive shop carried a warning about the aggressive behaviour of the Titan Triggerfish in May and June. They weren't kidding; I got bitten really hard by one and carried the bruise for days! All the wrecks and rocks are home to scorpionfish that are very well disguised. When hanging on in a current, be careful what you're about to touch!