Blue Rock Dive Center in Subic Bay - Philippines

Location

You can reach Subic Bay by air through either the Manila International Airport (NAIA) or the Clark International Airport. For travel by land, you can request Blue Rock Dive Centers air-conditioned van service. The Subic diving and snorkeling center is 2-3 hours northwest of Manila by land, 1-2 hours away from Angeles City, at a cost of P3,400 and P400 respectively (pricy, yes). Its dive sites are all around Subic Bay and Olongapo City.

Languages offered

Diver courses are available in a number of foreign languages and local dialects including: English, German, Korean and Thai.

Special courses

Blue Rock Diving Center offers diving activities for both leisure and serious education. Complete scuba training, snorkeling for beginners, diving, rescue, nitrox and instructor certification are available. You can get SSI, PDI and TDI diver education.

Tourists and vacationers who love to explore dive sites have numerous World War II shipwrecks to choose from. Some of the notable wrecks include the USS New York, an old armor cruiser older than the Spanish-American War; the Sean Maru, a Japanese freighter; the Oriyoko Maru, a Japanese transport ship for prisoners; and of course, the El Capitan. Other sites include cargo ships, submarines, barges, old steam ships and even airplanes.

A Philippine dive site has more or less restricted access depending on the type of dive you make, based on your experience. An experienced wreck diver will, of course, be allowed to explore the site more closely than a novice. Also the diving choices may not be available for all sites: some are used for training, some have wreck penetration while others do not, and with most, night-diving is impossible. Photography lovers will be informed if picture-taking is allowed or not.

Cost

These Subic diving and snorkeling courses start at as low as P500 or $10. Rates for specific courses are available upon inquiry.

Other information

A major plus for this Phillippine diving service is that it has a fine beach resort along Baloy Beach, Subic Bay. The resort has 37 standard, deluxe and superior rooms and a 24-hour bar and restaurant. The restaurant offers Thai, local and other dishes. For added convenience, there is also a diving equipment shop within its grounds. You can also join their Subic snorkeling and diving club.

Photo processing, first aid kit, oxygen, decompression room, kids diving, and other services are available. Equipment for rent include: computers, cameras, nitrox and rebreather.

Blue Rock Diving Center is owned by Diver Down International. Its official website is www.divebluerock.net and not www.divebluerock.com. The latter is being kept by the past owner of the resort, but is no longer connected with it. All inquiries should be made at the new site.