Sangat Island Resort is a true gem that far exceeds the expectations set by its photos. The resort's luxury is understated in its images, and it's a delightful surprise to experience it firsthand.

The dining experience was exceptional, arguably the best I had in the Philippines. The staff went above and beyond to accommodate my gluten and dairy allergies, ensuring I could enjoy every meal without any concerns.

For diving enthusiasts, particularly those who have a passion for wrecks, Sangat Island Resort offers a great experience. The wrecks, which are well-preserved with impressive coral growth, provide great underwater exploration. Although visibility was not optimal during my visit, I could still appreciate the wrecks' allure. Inside, you'll find an array of artifacts like tanks and other remnants, adding to the intrigue; they have Japanese gunboats, sub chasers, cargo vessels, and even a seaplane tender. The resort supports technical diving, with the wrecks ranging from shallow surface dives to depths of 42 meters. The furthest wreck is about 20 minutes away, making for manageable and enjoyable dive excursions.

The house reef is a standout feature, ideal for both snorkeling and diving, and provides a great alternative when you want to stay closer to shore. The resort itself is beautifully set, with the entire beachfront to yourself—no other resorts in sight, ensuring a private and serene environment. Just a friendly warning: there are monkeys around, so keep an eye on your belongings!

While the resort does not offer Wi-Fi (just the restaurant/receptions areas) in the rooms and cell service is limited, these minor inconveniences are outweighed by the resort's charm. A particularly charming feature is the mini island at the front of the resort, which has a bar perfect for sunset drinks.

The resort also has an additional private beach area with its own exclusive villa, providing an even more secluded retreat within the resort. This separate beachfront is perfect for those seeking extra privacy and tranquility, offering a serene escape from the main resort area. With its own villa, this secluded beach ensures an intimate and peaceful stay, making it an ideal choice for guests looking to immerse themselves in a truly private paradise.

The service is warm and welcoming, and the staff are truly lovely. The transfer to the resort is straightforward, with a short private boat ride after a 2.5-hour air/land transfer from Cebu.

Additional activities include a kayak tour through the mangroves to the hot springs, which is a unique and enjoyable experience. The resort can also arrange for a masseuse to visit, enhancing the relaxation of your stay.

Overall, Sangat Island Resort offers a unique blend of luxury, excellent dining, and intriguing diving opportunities. I would certainly return and highly recommend it to those looking for a special getaway in the Philippines.

I loved my stay at Magic Oceans in Anda, Bohol. It’s about 2.5 hours from Panglao airport, and it’s so worth the trip! The vibe is super quiet and relaxed—never saw any other boats on the reef except ours, which was really cool.

The dive center is spacious with plenty of room to gear up. While there’s no dedicated camera room, they’ve set aside some benches specifically for cameras, so that worked just fine. The boats are big with lots of space and shade, plus there’s a toilet onboard, which is always nice. We had fresh fruit with tea, coffee, and water between dives, which made the surface intervals really chill. The entry is a giant stride, and getting back on the boat is super easy with the stairs.

The diving here was awesome! You can choose from walls, muck diving, or coral gardens, and the wall dives were insane—so much color and marine life. One of the dives had a really strong current, which made for an epic drift dive. Most dive sites were just a 10-minute ride from the resort, so you’re in the water pretty quick. Anda has just come into my top 5 sites in the world!

Food was a highlight too! It’s all family-style dining with your dive group, but if you want a private table, you can ask for one. They went above and beyond for my gluten and dairy allergies. I even got crispy fried food and tempura veggies, which almost never happens with my restrictions.

The rooms were super comfy and spacious, with big lounging chairs and a huge bathroom with solid hot water and complimentary toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, body wash). I had an ocean view with lush forest right in front, and it was so peaceful. There’s a sandy oceanfront area with lounge chairs and plenty of shade for chilling when you’re not diving. There are hammocks around the resort too.

Overall, I had an amazing time here and would definitely come back!

I stayed at Atlantis Puerto Galera for a few days and had a lovely time. The staff were incredibly welcoming and knew my name within a day, which made me feel right at home. My room was spacious with a TV, a large balcony, and a shower with great water pressure (and free shampoo and body wash). I had an ocean view suite at the front of the resort, and the sunrises were absolutely stunning! There are a lot of stairs in this resort, so that is something to be mindful of; you can request ground'ish level rooms.

The food was great, with different options for each meal every day. They catered to my gluten and dairy allergies really well, and I never felt like I missed out. I’m now obsessed with their Kalamansi juice too—you have to try it!
The resort also has a large spa with air-conditioned massage rooms—definitely worth it after a day of diving.

Even though the resort has a lot of rooms, it never felt crowded. It’s set back a bit from the main walking road (no cars allowed), so it was nice and quiet at night.

As for the diving, it was some of the best I’ve ever done! The reefs were covered in soft corals, super colorful, and full of life. I saw tons of nudibranchs, frogfish, shrimp, and crabs, which were my favorites. Some sites weren’t as colorful but still nice. The dive staff were super attentive and quickly figured out what I liked to see, so I was never bored. The dive sites are all really close to the resort, just 5-10 minutes away, so we came back between dives to relax with tea and snacks.

The dive center is fantastic—lots of space, rinse tubs, showers, and a very well-equipped camera room. The staff even gave me tips on my underwater photography. They have lots of boats, so there was never any crowding, and the built-in nitrox analyzer setup was super easy to use. Sometimes depending on the tide and the busyness of the boat area, you may have to wade through water to get to the boat, then climb a short ladder.

All in all, I would definitely come back!