End of High Season Party!

A happy dive shop crew

After a long and successful high season, the dive shop staff at Exotic Island Dive Resort were treated to a night of fun and games on the beach outside the resort. This season has been one of the most productive in the company's history so it was time to give something back to the staff who have worked tirelessly to make it all possible.

Everyone enjoying themselves except the pig

As is traditional in Malapascua and the Philippines a pig is often guest of honour at any celebration or significant gathering. Unfortunately for the pig, this normally involves being skewered by a long stick and roasted over a fire for a couple of hours before anyone turns up. Despite the inequality, spirits were high and getting higher by the glass as the night kicked off with a much welcomed feast and a wide range of beverages.

Matching leg lengths clearly not an issue

After eating it was time for the games to start! There were five teams in total drawn randomly from a hat who commenced battle over some of the most rediculous  games imaginable. These games included a sack race and a three legged race which brought many a school sports day memory flooding back to the Blog. Some kind of drinking race followed before a game which involved two people running fast towards each other in an attempt to burst a balloon which was tied around the waist of one of them. Utter madness but everyone survived. Sport was the winner.

Ted calls the numbers

To finish the night there was a hotly contested game of bingo which saw many prizes distributed among the staff. PADI Open Water manuals and PADI back packs were among the items won during an entertaining session which ended with everyone taking something valued away. From here the party moved on to and finished at Malapascua's premier Karaoke venue where many a famous song was both bettered and at times completely butchered! All in all, a great night!!

Environmental issues are close to our hearts at Exotic Island Dive Resort

'There's grass in my gin and tonic'

This week Exotic welcomed acclaimed academic from Miri City council, John Paul Mouton who is on a region wide evidence gathering tour. John Paul or JP as he likes to be known can be seen here (left) visually inspecting a sample of Malapascuan water. After asking him exactly what he was looking and testing for, the blog received a detailed answer, developed a migrane and retreated to the sanctity of the bar.

We love sharks

As has been well documented on the Blog in the past, Exotic Island Dive Resort is passionate about the plight of sharks and has hosted many presentations from various charitable organisations who share this passion. This week, two of our latest Instructor graduates delivered a Shark Aware presentation which both informed and caught the imagination of our packed restaurant. Plates of food went untouched for long periods as our guests from all over the world found themselves captivated by Andy and Erika. Hopefully, nights like these can raise awareness and turn the tide in favour of these amazing creatures so that they are not driven to extinction.

We love the Recreational Dive Planner

PADI Instructor Mr. Andy Threapleton isn’t just adept at delivering inspirational talks regarding the challenges faced by the aquatic world. The following day in fact, Andy embarked upon a PADI Open Water Course with Phoebe and Frank. As part of the course our enthusiastic Chinese couple learned much about the theory of diving. Here we see them looking at a large version of the Recreational Dive Planner and learning why computers are such a god send!  

A real Devil Wray

And back by popular demand it’s the game that has taken the diving world by storm! After going viral last month, Hake or Fake returns this week with two pictures of a particular aquatic species. Your job is to study both specimens and work out which is the real one and which is the fraud. This week’s species is the Devil Ray.

A grass Devil Wray

Let’s be honest, this game is complete and utter rubbish so please don’t contact the Blog with your answer or complaint, it’s just for fun!