Tuesday, September 30, 2014

19 reasons to stay and dive with Exotic Island Dive Resort

It can he hard to choose where to go for your holiday nowadays. There are endless choices of destinations and resorts. We have created this 19 points to show you a little teaser of what Exotic Island Dive Resort is all about.

1. We proudly name ourselves as the first Thresher Shark divers on Malapascua island. Exotic was the first dive resort to open on the island back in 1998. We like to say that we have unmatched experiences when it comes to diving with the thresher sharks. We have been taking divers to see these beautiful sharks for a whopping 17 years and counting!

Thresher shark and divers at Monad Shoal
Thresher shark and divers at Monad Shoal

2. Exotic has - without a doubt - the largest fleet of diving boats on the island This means that we can cater to everyone from individual diver to big diving groups and offer trips to several dive sites at the same time. A big boat doesn't mean a crowded boat, it means everybody has enough space and an enjoyable trip.  

Some of Exotics dive boats
Join us on one of our comfortable dive boats!

3. We welcome everybody to stay with us! We got spaces for non-divers to experienced technical rebreather divers. Here there is activites for everybody! With our big resort consisting of 40+ rooms ranging from Super Deluxe rooms overlooking the sea to back packer lodgings, you choose your budget. With us you can dive, snorkel, relax on the beach, do an island cruise or even learn to carve your own shark!


Returning from one of our early morning dives at Kemod Shoal, Hammerheads!
Returning from one of our early morning dives at Kemod Shoal, Hammerheads!


4. Protecting the environment is always important and Exotic promotes responsible diving behavior and environmental protecting practices. We have over the years received international awards from Project Aware. To mention a few of our many projects, we done over the years, includes driving the establishment of a Patrol boats in 2002, to protecting Gato Island, to making sure the famous Dona Marilyn wreck wasn't salvaged. 


Exotic swimming to end finning! Project aware Finathon.
Exotic swimming to end finning!

The beach at Malapascua exotic island dive resort5. Exotic Island Dive Resort is located on the cleanest and most pristine part of the world renowned Bounty Beach. The German non diving magazine Reise & Preise rated this as one of the worlds top 20 beaches! Our guests can expect peace and quiet on the beautiful white sands of a real virgin, tropical beach. We are the only resort on the island with a dedicated "green" team that works solely on taking care of our gardens, the beach and our own ECO recycling area. We also grow our own herbs and vegetables in our ECO garden. 


Fresh herbs and vegetables from our Eco garden
Fresh herbs and vegetables from our Eco garden


6. Our first class restaurant offers the biggest selection of mouth tasting dishes, with influences from all over the world. There is also a well a very well stocked bar including draft beer. You can enjoy your food watching the sea while our friendly and knowledgeable staff takes care of all your dining experience. We have fabric napkins, proper porcelain dishes and glasses. There is no plastic in our restaurant.


The resturant at Exotic
The resturant at Exotic



Artificial reef, our concrete shark!
Say hi to Sharky!
7. Back in 2000, Exotic was the first dive centre to establish and build a house reef on Malapascua. The Famous photographer Scott Tuason called this "One of the best house reefs in the Philippines. This "Exotic House Reef" was approved by the local government as a no fishing area and solely for Exotics use. This ensures a low impact on the reef and promotes coral growth. Not only do we protect the reef but we also invest our time, effort and money in durable artificial structures for marine life to cling on to and seek shelter within.  You can expect to see anything from the most beautiful nudibranchs to schools of batfish. The latest structure we built and sank is our 5 meter concrete shark "Sharky" He weighs an excess of 900kg!


8. Exotic is the only PADI 5 star IDC Resort & PADI Tec-Rec Center on the island. It doesn't matter if you want to take your first breaths underwater, teach people to take their first breath under water or do technical training. We truly offer the whole range including Closed circuit rebreather, trimix training and support.



PADI IDC resort and TEC REC centre


9. You can really say that Exotic is truly "exotic" and original from the beginning. Built with hard work and dedication from the owners from the ground and up. Exotic actually started out with only 2 bungalows and a small kitchen with the tanks and compressor in the back as a small dive shop. Over the years, under the caring eyes of the owners Dik and Cora, Exotic has become the most complete resort on the island offering everything you might wish for during your diving holiday.

The beach at Malapascua Exotic island Dive Resort
The beach is just as white today as it was then :)


One of the distributions together with the Red cross
One of the distributions together with the Red cross
10. Exotic has always worked very closely with the local community.  Not only has the discovery of the thresher sharks as a dive destination had a huge effect on the islands economy improving peoples lifestyle. Exotic has also over the years driven several projects to improve the welfare of all people on the island and especially after the super-typhoon Yolanda, Exotic worked closely with the Red Cross for many distribution with all personal and boats participating in getting supplies to all the people of Malapascua. Exotic is currently supporting the elementary school situated north on Malapascua. Working for the community is something that never stops and you are welcome to come and participate!


                                          
Do you IDC in comfort!
Exotics main classroom.

11. For our students, Exotic has the best classroom on the island with ocean view, plus 2 smaller classrooms. We make sure that if you are taking a course at Exotic you are doing it in comfort. Aircon, tv, projector, whiteboards which ensures you can focus on your studying even in the hottest months!



12. Exotic is independent. With this statement we mean that at Exotic we operate our own generators. We have 3 generators of 150Kw, 125KW and 60KW which ensures we always have enough power for all our needs and also maximum reliability. You wont wake up in the middle of the night because the AC turned off. Even when a super-typhoon as Yolanda, which unfortunately passed right over Malapascua in November 2013, our generators stayed operational.


13. Technical Center: Exotic was the first technical diving facility on Malapascua. Already in 2004, 10 years ago we offered Technical diving and Trimix. Then it was under IANTD and today we offer PADI and TDI technical courses. You can read one of our trip reports here

The world war 2 wreck presumed to be the Oakita maru, just north of Malapascua and frequently dived by Exotic
Technical divers at the Oakita Maru north of Malapascua

14. Exotic supports the local populations with employment opportunities. All  our Divemasters are locals, and this is not only for recreational diving but also for Technical, Trimix and rebreather diving.


Local DM Paul white the white arrow Closed Circuit Rebreather (CCR)
Paul with the White arrow CCR


15. On the top floor of Exotic we got a In-house spa. You can lay down in comfort and get a massage from one of our lovely and skilled masseuses. Choose from thai massage, shiatsu to reflexology and more.


Malapascua Exotic Island Dive Resorts Spa
Exotics spa


16. Safety comes first at Exotic. On all diving boats we have VHF radios, life vests, emergency Oxygen units, first aid box and a fire extinguisher. At the dive center we have the only Automated External Defibrillator "AED" on Malapascua Island. The next closest one is several hours away in Bogo or Cebu City. We also have a well stocked first aid cupboard.


Exotic has invested in an AED to ensure our divers safety
The Only Aed on the island.


17. At Exotic we have 8 Bauer compressors as well as a 8000Liter air bank. This overcapacity ensures that the tanks are always filled and ready.


Exotic has enough air for all your diving needs!
8 compressors and a 8000L air bank, Yes we have enough.


18. Exotic was the first dive centre to create a Distinctive PADI Thresher Shark Specialty course.


Thresher shark at Monad Shoal
Thresher shark at Monad Shoal


19. We are still pioneers! We continue to explore the waters around Malapascua and Samar region. When Exotic opened back in the days, it was because Dik and Cora saw the huge potential for diving here on the island. Today, 2014, our second Exotic resort is opening in the province of Samar, and for the same reason: the owners see the same potential over there, and are planning to grow this area as a new exciting dive destination. The area is still very much unexplored and we are constantly looking for new sites to visit and explore!


Kerikite offer some truly amazing scenery and diving!
Kerikite offer some truly amazing scenery and diving!


This might sound like allot of chest pounding going on and yes in some ways it  might look like it. What we are trying to  point out is that Exotic has been here for many years offering premium diving with quality services that all started with an idea from two people sleeping under a palm tree only meters away from our resort today. It's amazing to see what can be achieved when people put their mind into things and how this dream has changed a whole island. The staff, the location on the beach, the diving, it all makes for a holiday you won't forget.