Mario's Scuba Diving and Homestay

Staff were very sweet and accommodating! It was really like staying at a bed and breakfast. The food was pretty tasty and convenient, and affordable. You had to pay for drinking water, but it was very cheap and reasonable considering they have to ship it in everyday from the mainland. The staff went out of their way to communicate and answer all my questions before my arrival (I even called them a couple times on WhatsApp), and to provide us with the things we requested while staying. My friend got scraped up from falling on the rocks and they helped her clean and dress her scrapes. They even arranged for a private ferry to Siquijor (instead of the daily route to Malatapay) for our departure (thanks Glyza!), and walked us to the private ferry. The boatman even helped carry my companions bags (by wading through high tide water). The location was dreamy on Apo Island and a super easy walk to some of the best snorkeling and scuba diving in the world! The solar fan in the room was key for hot nights. I also appreciated the solar lights and mosquito net on our bed, as well as their laundry service. Provided sheets and towels were clean. This place is a nice testament to sustainable living in remote locations. I appreciated their efforts to use glass instead of plastic, and their efforts to provide comfort while being sustainable with water and electricity. The owner of the place (Mario) even made an appearance, even though he’s like the mayor of the entire region and super busy. He is OG and super knowledgeable about both scuba diving and sustainability efforts of the region. The dive center and our guide (thanks Lloyd!), boatman, and tank man were excellent. We got our PADI Open Water Scuba Certification while there, and they provided us with everything we needed and worked with our schedule. The price was very reasonable. The room looked just like advertised, and also included a solar fan and lights, and also a lockable cabinet (you provide the lock).

There is no electricity on the entire island besides from 18:00-22:00. Toilets don't flush (must use bucket of water to flush) and there is no aircon there or anywhere on the island. There was a heat wave and it was pretty hot at night. Also the private bathroom could have been a bit more clean and stocked with toilet paper, but you just have to ask and the staff will give it to you. The roosters going off all day and night was quite loud. But all this is to be expected with the remote location on a tiny tropical island. All things considered, it was a comfortable and clean place, and great for the value.

I am just happy to be able to stay in Apo Island. The place is simple and allows you to enjoy the sea breeze. The staff is really kind, as well as the residents of the Island. There are small sari sari shops, hiking trails, and snorkling tours. It has always been my dream to visit this Island , I'm happy to bring my siblings along during my short visit in the Philippines. To those who are visiting, it is a simple Island. The signal is not that stable and electricity has limits. They have a common charging station area, where you can sit and relax while waiting for your gadgets to recharge. Must bring cash. But they also have bank trnasfer. But better bring cash to make transactions easy.

I didn't like that we have to cut our trip short because of the incoming typhoon. Not the home stay's fault, just an unfortunte weater😅😅😅😅😅 Nothing to hate in this homestay;)

L’emplacement, la nourriture proposée excellente, le personnel. On est à Apo Island donc on se contente de peu.

Il y a de l’électricité que 2h par jour mais c’est partout sur l’île, il faut juste le savoir.

Lovely people, good and varied food at the restaurant and a comfortable room.

Because of increased fuel costs they decided to reduce the time for electricity from 4 hours to 2 hours...not enough time to charge everything or read and lights went out at 8:30 pm. If I had known what kind of 'dive boat' they had I would have never booked. It was basically a board with outriggers - very poor, uncomfortable and somewhat dangerous. Other divers made similar comments but said nothing to staff. The ocean water is filthy. Four people I met who were diving there developed ear infections. I dipped my cleaned mask into the water at the dive site resulting in an oily gritty film that affected my vision during the dive and took 3 cleanings with dish detergent to remove. I made the best of it by getting to know people in the village on daily walks. I stayed 5 nights and left 5 days early. Luckily my diving elsewhere in the Philippines more than made up for this poor dive experience.