Lucas and Henry dove into scuba diving in Panglao. Diving is why we chose to spend a month on the island. They completed two try dives in Cham Islands, Vietnam, in September. That introduction was all they needed to get hooked on diving. After that, they completed their scuba certification in Koh Tao, Thailand, in November. Michael did too.
In Panglao, Lucas completed his Advanced Open Water Diver certification, and Henry completed his Junior Adventure Diver certification (when Henry turns 12, he only needs to complete a deep dive to earn his Advanced Open Water Diver certification). Their friend Jake got his Advanced Open Water Diver certification too. There was an online learning component for the advanced certifications too. The sky is the limit when kids are motivated. It is amazing what they can accomplish.
As a family, we also did several fun dives. We did all of our diving at Sierra Madre Dive Shop. It is a professional and friendly dive shop on Alona Beach. Under the guidance of experienced instructors, Lucas and Henry, along with their friend Jake, honed their scuba skills and learned about marine wildlife and conservation practices.
We did a boat trip to Balicasag Island. The snorkeling and scuba in Panglao is incredible. There is a dramatic coral reef wall not far from shore. Michael and I also saw thousands of sardines on a two-hour self-guided snorkel adventure.
Having the Advanced Scuba diving certification means Lucas can dive to greater depths. Lucas and Henry are both qualified now to explore more challenging dive sites, opening up a whole new world of underwater adventures.
We enjoyed spending time in the underwater world, seeing colorful coral reefs teeming with fish, turtles, sea snakes, and more. There is a dramatic coral wall just off the coast of Alona Beach, which is great for scuba divers.
In addition to diving, Lucas, Henry, and Jake spent a few days a week hanging out in the dive shop, learning how to clean and organize gear before and after their dives. They even got to help clean algae off the bottom of the dive boat.
We plan to include diving in our future travel plans. Henry wants to do his deep dive as soon as he turns 12. He is also keen to do shipwreck dives. Diving in Panglao was a great experience. I wonder where we will dive next.
