We arrived in Panglao via Cebu (from Malapascua), hopping on the fast ferry from Cebu to Tagbilaran. From there, it was a short drive to Amorita Resort, perched on a hill overlooking Alona Beach—and immediately, it felt like we’d made the right call.

Amorita is one of those places that quietly impresses. The kind of luxury that doesn’t shout, but unfolds as you settle in. Two swimming pools, three restaurants, expansive grounds, and sweeping ocean views that make you want to stop whatever you’re doing and just stare. We checked in, grabbed lunch on property at the Lost Cow, and spent the evening easing into island time—sunset drinks, golden light over the water, and that deep exhale that only comes once you’ve truly arrived.

The next two days revolved around diving, which is exactly how we wanted it. We dove with Valm Divers, a SSI dive shop on the beach, a few minutes away from the hotel.

Diving Days: Napaling & Balicasag

Our first dive day was shore diving at Napaling Reef. I was excited for the sardine shoal—Napaling is known for it—but while we only saw a small number of sardines, what we did get instead was incredible: massive swirling schools of jackfish. We dropped deeper and found ourselves literally swimming into the vortex of them, silver bodies flashing and changing direction in perfect unison. It was one of those moments that reminds you why you dive. The wall itself was beautiful too—dramatic, healthy, and full of macro.

Post-dives, the afternoon turned social. We hung out with Monica, Matt, and Joseph—an excellent dive crew—and the vibe was exactly what you hope for on a dive trip: relaxed, fun, and full of shared stories. That evening, it was back to Amorita for sunset pool time followed by dinner on the property. Rinse, relax, repeat.

The following day was Balicasag, hands down the best dive site in the area. It’s a marine protected sanctuary with limited daily permits, which shows the second you hit the water. Visibility was great, marine life abundant, and the dives felt special in that “this is why protections matter” way.

That said, the day wasn’t without a little drama. On the first dive, I had a significant leak between my regulator and tank—bad enough that I had to abort and come up to switch it out. On the second dive, Adam’s BCD started self-inflating, which is about as annoying (and potentially dangerous) as it sounds. We disconnected the inflator hose to keep him from floating up, managed the situation calmly, and continued—but it was one of those reminders that even on beautiful dives, gear issues happen.

After Balicasag, we squeezed in one local dive that was mellow and pretty, then headed back for lunch at Pyramid with our fellow divers. From there, it was back to our now-familiar routine: sunset in the Amorita pool, ocean views, and another relaxed evening on property.

Choosing Stillness

Our final day was intentionally unscheduled. We briefly ventured into town, but quickly realized there wasn’t much pulling us away—and honestly, we didn’t want to be pulled. We skipped the ATV rides and the tarsier tour and instead chose what felt right: a full, unhurried day at Amorita.

Swimming, lingering meals, long looks out over the water. No agenda, no rush. Just letting the trip land.

Summary

Panglao itself wasn’t an exciting destination but between the excellent diving, and a great resort, it was the perfect end to our Philippines trip. Amorita was the perfect base, Napaling delivered unexpected magic, Balicasag lived up to its reputation, and the downtime was just as memorable as the dives.