Philippines Dive Diary: Four People, Four Setups, One Brilliant Trip
Steve - owner of Mike’s Dive Store
The Philippines does that thing it always does: it makes you forget what “normal” diving is.
In Dauin, you’re hovering over sand, totally absorbed in something the size of a fingernail - nudibranchs that look like jewellery, frogfish pretending to be bits of sponge, flamboyant cuttlefish acting like they’re auditioning for a fashion show. Then Apo Island flips the whole mood: bright reefs, proper colour, turtles cruising past like they’ve got somewhere to be. And Siquijor is the exhale at the end - easy, gorgeous reef diving with enough macro to keep you stopping and staring.
We stayed at Atmosphere Resort in Dauin, which is honestly one of those places that makes you feel like you’ve done diving “properly” - yes it’s top-end budget, but the whole experience is calm, smooth and well run. Then we finished off diving with Bahura Divers in Siquijor, who were brilliant: relaxed but professional, and exactly the kind of people you want around on a dive holiday.
A quick note before the gear: I’m Steve, the owner of Mike’s Dive Store. That doesn’t mean this is a sales pitch - it means when I’m travelling and diving with my family, I’m not taking chances with kit. Dive trips aren’t cheap, and your gear shouldn’t be the weak link.
Also, all the underwater photos from this trip were shot using the SeaLife SportDiver Ultra housing. I love it because it’s the rare piece of photo kit that’s so easy you actually use it on every dive. Dauin macro, Apo reef scenes, Siquijor colour—no drama, just results.
Now the fun part: each person's setup, exactly what we used, and why it made sense for the Philippines.
Steve’s Setup (me) - the “stable, tidy, I’m here for the critters” kit
This is what I dived when the plan was: hover, look closely, take photos, and come up feeling like I’d actually seen the dive rather than just swum through it.
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Scubapro MK25T / S620Ti regulator
The main reason: it stays effortlessly smooth even when you’re doing loads of repetitive diving. That matters more than people realise because when breathing feels easy, everything else feels calmer. And, the Titanium first stage being made of lighter material than the traditional steel makes a bigger difference in terms of weight than you would assume -
XDEEP Zen Ultralight Deluxe Wing
Dauin rewards stillness, and this wing made stillness easy. I wasn’t constantly correcting my trim, which meant less fin movement, less silt, and better photos. -
Garmin MK3i + T2 transmitter
I wanted tank pressure on my wrist, full stop. When you’re shooting macro you don’t want extra faff; air integration keeps awareness tidy and reduces “busy hands” moments. -
Waterproof 1mm Neoskin
A thin layer sounds boring until you’re on dive three of the day and the “warm water” feels less warm. It kept me comfortable and stopped that slow creeping chill. -
Mares Avanti 4X
A fin that actually fits properly makes a bigger difference than any marketing claim. Proper fit means less cramp and better control, which is exactly what you want on slow dives. -
Scubapro D-Mask with prescription lenses
This is the honest truth - being able to see clearly changes the entire Dauin experience. You spot more, you frame photos properly, and you feel safer and more switched on.
Becky’s Setup (my wife) - the “comfortable, dependable, enjoy the holiday” setup
Becky’s kit was chosen so diving felt easy and enjoyable every single day—no fiddling, no discomfort, no little annoyances building up.
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Scubapro Hydros Pro BCD
Becky loves the way it feels: supportive, stable, and comfortable for long dive days. It’s the kind of BCD you forget you’re wearing, which is exactly what you want on holiday. -
Garmin G2 dive computer
Simple to read, simple to live with. On a trip, that matters. You want to glance, know what you need, and go back to enjoying the dive. -
Fourth Element Xenos 3mm wetsuit
Warm enough for repetitive diving without feeling bulky. It’s comfortable on the boat and in the water, and it’s a really good “do everything” tropical thickness. -
Atomic T3 Regulators
A top end set that just gets on with the job - the smoothest breathing avaliable, incredibly reliable, and most importantly no drama. That’s exactly what you want when you’re diving day after day. -
Scubapro Go Sport fins
Lightweight travel fins, but still with proper control. Perfect for a trip where you’re in and out of boats and you want things to feel easy. -
TUSA Serene mask
If a mask isn’t comfortable, a dive trip turns into a week of minor misery. This one sealed well, stayed comfy, and didn’t become “a thing”.
Harris’ Setup (my son) - the “minimal kit, big performance” setup
Harris dived like a proper warm-water diver: rash vest, shorts, no fuss. But the actual kit underneath was serious, especially the computer setup.
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Suunto Ocean + Suunto Nautic dive computers
He rotated between them across the trip. Both are clear and confidence-boosting underwater, and it’s been great seeing him actually engage with his dive info properly. Below pictured is me trialling the Suunto Nautic, alongside my MK3i
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Suunto Tank Pods (air integration)
This is the big one for younger divers: tank pressure right there on the wrist. It supports good habits without making things complicated. -
XDEEP Zen BCD
A stable platform that keeps trim tidy, which matters when you’re diving light and moving around a lot. It felt secure but not restrictive. -
Scubapro Synergy Twin mask
His trusted mask for a reason: comfortable, seals well, and doesn’t need constant adjustment. -
Scubapro MK25 with S620Ti
Same logic as mine—consistent, smooth, and “easy breathing” even across lots of dives. The best regs are the ones you don’t notice. -
Rash vest + swim shorts
Perfect for the Philippines when you’re comfortable in the water — maximum freedom, minimal faff.
Belle’s Setup (my daughter) - the “warm, confident, and yes… white” setup
Belle’s kit was the most “holiday perfect” setup of the lot: warm enough, comfortable enough, and easy enough that you just want to dive again.
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White Scubapro MK25 / S620
Yes it looks amazing, but it’s not just pretty. It’s a genuinely high-performance reg set that keeps diving feeling effortless - and that’s what builds confidence. -
Scubapro Bella BCD
Comfortable, supportive, and very easy to dial in. For holiday diving it’s brilliant because it doesn’t feel technical, it just feels right. -
Waterproof W5 wetsuit (3.5mm)
Great thickness for repetitive diving. Warmth makes everything more enjoyable, and it stops that “I’m fine… I’m fine… I’m actually cold” thing. -
TUSA INO mask (with fabric strap)
Comfortable and secure, and the fabric strap is one of those small details that makes a big difference day after day. -
Scubapro Seawing Nova fins
Proper fin power without feeling like hard work. Great for reefs, great for cruising, and great when you just want things to feel smooth.
The SeaLife SportDiver Ultra: the thing that made us actually take photos every day
Most people either travel with a full camera rig or they take two blurry phone shots and give up. The SportDiver Ultra sits in the sweet spot: simple enough that you will use it every dive, but capable enough to take proper photos - especially in Dauin, where macro moments are everything.
If you’re thinking “I’d love to come home with photos,” this is the easiest way I know to actually make that happen.
The point of all this
The Philippines is the kind of place that makes you want to dive more. And when your kit is comfortable, stable, and dependable, you do exactly that - you dive more, you relax more, you see more.
Whether you’re a veteran diver fine-tuning your travel setup, or a new diver (or family) thinking “could this be us?” - it absolutely can. And we’re always happy to help you build a setup that fits your diving, your trip, and your comfort level properly.
If you’ve got a dive trip coming up, or you’re dreaming about one, we’d genuinely love to hear about it. Hearing where people are diving and what they’re planning is one of the best parts of this job. And if your gear could do with a little TLC before the next adventure, or this post has you thinking “right… I want this to be my kind of holiday too” but you’re not quite sure where to start, just give us a shout. We’re always happy to chat diving and help you get properly prepared. You can reach our team anytime via support@mikesdivestore.com email, schedule a video consultation, or just drop by our Chiswick store for a face-to-face advice and a proper dive chat.
