Marco Vincent Dive Resort

My wife and I just got back from a one week stay at Marco Vincent Dive Resort. It was without a doubt one of the best dive experiences I have ever had. I am a former Scuba Instructor and have done a considerable amount of dive travel. Even though resort and dive boat are land based the entire operation is run more like a liveaboard. The dive boat is a large 84” outrigger design, that comes complete with a sun deck, dining room, full kitchen and ample dive deck space for up to 20 divers (we only had 5 divers during our stay). Entry was done via giant stride. Despite the boat’s size it had no issue getting to any of the local sites, or drift diving we were doing and was particularly comfortable for the longer transit to Verde island. The schedule would be a morning dive on a reef or wall, followed by a tea service between the first and second dive. After the second dive there would be a three course hot lunch, cooked on board, followed by another hour surface interval, finally the third dive of the day would typically be a “muck dive” in the harbor area. The diving in the Puerto Galera area is interesting. We came in the off season, early January. Water temperature varied between 78-80 degrees, and the visibility was on the low side, about 30-50 ft. However the biodiversity on the reefs is off the charts. The corals are very healthy with very dense patches of soft corals, and large table corals in the shallows. Fish are everywhere, and the area is a macro enthusiasts dream. There are cuttlefish, octopi, sea horses, frogfish, small coral shrimps, and dozens of species of nudibranchs in every color and pattern imaginable. As far as bigger animals go we saw plenty of turtles, sea snakes, clownfish and anemones, giant clams and large schools of fish. The afternoon muck dives were some of the most interesting. These dives would be done almost entirely over the sandy bottom, while the dive guides looked for some of the more unusual and well camouflaged critters. This is more exciting than it sounds. Our dive guide Warren was excellent, and frequently I would need to choose between photographing the ghost pipefish, stargazer, and flamboyant cuttlefish that were all sitting in the sand within 4 ft of each other. Tough choices. The other highlight was diving the coral pinnacle at Verde Island. This was a longer boat ride, about 1.5 hours from the dock, but was definitely worth the trip. Visibility here was the best we had during the trip, closer to 100 ft, and the reef itself was spectacular, with giant sea fans and corals swarmed by schools of Anthias and triggerfish, as well as large schools of Jacks and snappers swimming in the blue. As a word of warning though this is not the place to go if you are looking for large pelagics like shark or rays. The hotel itself was comfortable, but not luxurious. We were happy with the room, and the resort is kept very clean, but some of the furnishings and electronics are getting dated. The resort is not directly on

I don't even know where to begin. The previous three reviews were well written by 3 of the people that I traveled with. Riza and Nathan manage a staff of the most kind and courteous people I've ever met. I wish I could give more than 5 stars. Riza documented our entire trip with her camera and presented a video summary to us at the end of the trip. She also shared the hundreds of photos that she took of our group above and below the water. We barley lifted a finger the entire trip. I highly recommend the massage's. $20 for a one hour massage that was better than any spa I've ever been too. The food was visual and tasteful perfection. The dive team was outstanding. I have to give a special shout out to the dive master, Sherwin. I was the least experienced diver on the boat, with only 8 previous dives. The first day of diving left me unsettled, as I had a hard time getting comfortable due to my lack of experience and time passed since my previous dives. It had crossed my mind to sit out diving. (we still had over 20 dives left on the trip). Sherwin offered to send the rest of the group with Warren and take me on my own to help me get more comfortable without the rest of the group. Had he not taken the time with me, I may not have gotten back in the water. After a few more dives like that, I gained more confidence and by the end of the trip I had done drift dives, a night dive, and hit 100ft! The resort celebrated my accomplishments with a dance and cake! To top it all off, Sherwin dove back down and retrieved my husbands $500 camera lens when it fell off climbing back on the boat, he retrieved his wedding ring that came off during a dive, and he hand delivered our drone that we accidentally left behind after the last day of diving. Sherwin and the rest of the team are truly on of a kind. Best trip ever! Already talking about our return.

Amazing!!!! Excellent food, towels towels towels in the room and the scuba diving was amazing. Saw 6 species of octopus and didn’t even do a night dive. Their boat is a smooth ride. My buddy, who get sea sick had no problem and there was some rough weather. Our guide, Warren was amazing. If you want pampering-that is the place.

The Marco Vincent Dive Resort is serious about service and comfort. In my diving experience, this is the most pampering I've encountered. They offer so many 'extras' - complementary massages, hot towels, and ginger tea when you get out of the water, to the great dive master-to-diver ratio. The staff and management try to think of everything to make sure you get the most out of your dive trip. We appreciated the large catamaran for our dives and staying on board between the 2nd and 3rd dives to have a freshly prepared lunch instead of returning to shore. Dinner and breakfast were delicious and the almost nightly dance performances a tickle. The entire staff is caring and knew our names from the time we arrived! That said, it's far from a budget dive service (available elsewhere on the island,) but it's worth it when you come for the unique critters that live here, and having this level of care guarantees you leave satisfied.

This is my second time staying with Marco Vincent, and they remain at the top of my list for hospitality, quality, and professionalism. I went with a group of friends for a 9-day dive package. While the resort would not meet the US standard of "luxury," everything is neat, in good repair, and of generous size. The food is truly outstanding however, and is always calculated to provide the diner with examples of Filipino cuisine that are delicious and familiar enough to the average Western palate so as to be very enjoyable. The dive experience that Marco Vincent offers is world-class. After setting my gear outside my door the first evening, everything was managed by MV's dive team. Big Beth is a spectacular vessel to dive from, offering a smooth ride, very roomy decks, sun or shaded areas as you prefer, and freshly prepared lunch and snacks. The on-board dive team (Coco is amazing, but Marvel & Eman do wonderfully also) set up my gear exactly as I prefer, changed my tanks, hung up my wetsuit between each dive, and offered a fresh towel, a hot wash cloth, and the BEST ginger-calamansi hot tea after each dive. They assisted with Nitrox testing, gearing up, gearing down, putting fins on, handling camera gear, and making sure we all got into and out of the water easily and safely. The dive guides (HUGE shout out to Sherwin) were amazing. They know their dive sites intimately, and all you have to do is tell them what you're hoping to see, and they'll do their best to find it and let you see it. They are amazing at picking out all the most difficult-to-spot sea creatures, like Blue Ringed Octopus, Scorpion Leaf Fish, Ghost & Ornate Pipe Fish, Pygmy and standard sea-horses, Frog Fish, etc etc etc etc. And finally, a giant Kudos to Captain Teddy, who does an amazing job of making sure Big Beth gets to and from the dive sites, and maneuvers through tricky crowded waters to pick up the divers (this is a much-appreciated and very overlooked job that I was super grateful to be on the receiving end of). Finally, back to hospitality & professionalism. Every member of the MV staff was almost painfully polite and professional, and knew my name from the time we got on site. Any requests or problems were rapidly seen to. The staff very graciously encouraged, put up with, and supported my attempts to learn very basic Tagalog (Thanks El, Nathan, Gen, and Rose!). I have never felt more welcome and at home anywhere in the world, and to be quite honest, leaving was hard. I felt like I was leaving good friends behind. I will absolutely be returning to MV for a third (and probably more than that) time, if for no other reason than to see friends again! Even if you aren't a diver, MV has plenty to offer (snorkeling, land tours, being just a couple hundred yards from the beautiful White Beach).

Customer care is priority at this resort. Diving is a huge part, and they definitely cater to divers. There are a few amazing things about staying here. The chef makes tasty and fresh food for you. So yummy and kept us fed the whole week we were there. The crew and the staff were so sweetly, gracious and accommodating. I don’t think I’ve ever taken so many pictures on a dive trip. Their divemasters were literally showing me things every two seconds, and I couldn’t keep up! Marco Vincent has a big boat that you literally go and spend all day on until about 3 PM. It’s three tank dives and you relax on the boat during your surface intervals, as well as eat lunch. You are greeted after surfacing by a hot towel and hot ginger honey tea. So good and comforting. The resort will shuttle you to and from the boat every day because the resort itself is in town, kind of in a square off of a side road. You are not on the water or near the marina. You are pretty close and can walk to the beach and the boardwalk there. I’m going to preface the next part because travelers need to be aware before they arrive with expectations. Unfortunately, the resort itself is outdated. I know they have plans to build a new resort, but I’m not sure of the timeline or the expected grand opening. There are rooms on three levels. All stairs. As of right now , the rooms are dark and the bathrooms are pretty crowded. No fans in the rooms. Basic rooms, but clean and comfortable. We had one electrical outlet we had access to in order to charge our phones or our camera equipment. They did provide a power converter, which was very helpful. Not much to do in the evenings, unless you walk to the boardwalk on the beach. Staff is entertainment oriented, and tried to provide a presentation each night after dinner. Sometimes appreciated, sometimes we really just wanted to leave the dinner table and go to bed. I know the staff is going to beat themselves up over this part, but the resort itself is nothing they can change. The staff itself is amazing, and they deserve five stars. But the real gem of this resort is the dive boat itself and the crew. The dive crew are so amazing. It was long days, but never were we greeted with tired faces even once. They were so positive, and the attitude was just as excited as we were. It was a relaxed atmosphere, which I totally appreciate.

This visit was my second to Marco Vincent. I had a wonderful time! The diving is spectacular along with the food (thanks Ronald!) service and diving support. The dive boat amenities cannot be beat!! The resort staff - Rose, Nica, El, Nathan, Maricel, Genova and many others made every day special. And thanks to the entire boat crew - Coco, Emmanuel, Marvel, Captain Ted, Joseph, Warren and Sherwin. You are the best!!! I will be back!!

This review is a bit late, but every bit heartfelt! We have been to Marco Vincent Dive Resort in the Philippines 4 or 5 times now, and every time we leave we can’t wait to go back! The staff at Marco has us feeling like they are our family and we couldn’t be in better hands. From the time we land in Manila their staff has us feeling safe and completely cared for. We usually spend the first night near the airport due to late flights, but they still pick us up and escort us to a top hotel where we can rest for the journey to the resort the next day. We are spoiled with a welcome cocktail on arrival at the resort as well as an offer for a relaxing massage to help recover from the long journey. The staff already has our names memorized before we arrive and our rooms are prepared and ready. They take care of EVERYTHING including our luggage and dive gear which we simply leave outside our door after unpacking. The food is WONDERFUL! It is fresh, even lunch is cooked and served onboard the dive boat each day, and every dietary need is considered. You won’t go hungry but you might add a pound or two… There is NOTHING like diving off the Big Beth. It is arguably the best dive boat you will ever experience. The deck is spacious with plenty of room for every diver. Your gear, including your wetsuit will be cared for each dive, and cleaned and dried every evening. The dive staff are excellent and they know how to find all the best critters!!! (My absolute favorite is the Flamboyant Cuttlefish) You will be treated to a hot towel after each dive and a cup of hot ginger tea to soothe your throat. I want to close by telling you that the staff at Marco Vince has a surprise around every corner and you, too, will be anxious to return. If you are considering a dive trip for a single person or a group, you will be so glad you chose Marco Vincent!!!

I LOVE Marco Vincent Dive Resort! I am so thankful they were able to accommodate my family and I last second during Holy Week! I booked myself at Casalay Boutique Resort and was so disappointed that I left within two hours of checking in. I gave Marco Vincent Dive Resort a call and we were so lucky to get their very LAST room! I’m so thankful for the entire team especially the manager who just was so incredibly kind and made sure we had everything we needed. They even greeted us with welcome drinks even though we had just booked moments before showing up. The pool is super clean and fantastic, the plants and lounging area are so relaxing from the hustle and bustle of white beach. And… when you’re ready to join the party at white beach it’s only just a short walk down the street! Really it’s not a problem since most hotels are on a hill and an even further walk! Their rooms are clean and linens are comfortable. Totally sufficient place to sleep after a day of excursions! They have tooth brushes and hygiene kits available and hot water and of course, air conditioning! The free breakfast is delicious and they have fantastic deals for sunset cruises on their personal dive boat. My kids are already begging to go back to Marco Vincent Dive Resort and we hope to see you all in May! Thank you for making such a memorable stay and for memorizing our names and just being such an incredible team!