Travel

A bold coconut octopus, one of the ocean’s most charismatic cephalopods, captured with careful lighting to reveal texture, color and personality
 

“We will see what we see,” our guide Gardo said with a smile as we slipped beneath the surface in front of Atmosphere Resorts & Spa. It was the sort of comment every diver has heard before. After all, this wasn’t supposed to be the dive; it was simply a check dive to shake off our usual travel fatigue.

Nobody expects to start crossing bucket-list species off before they’ve even unpacked their suitcase. But just minutes after descending, Gardo stopped: A gorgeous coconut octopus strutted past. Clearly on the hunt, it strolled purposefully across the sea floor, raising itself on its arms to glide over the sand with effortless confidence, pausing only briefly to have its portrait taken.

My husband Peter looked at me, eyes wide behind his mask. We both laughed into our regulators. Surely the first dive wasn’t going to peak in the first five minutes? Barely 10 minutes later, another excited signal from Gardo. This time it was a flamboyant cuttlefish—with all the attitude its name suggests.

Before the dive was over, we had photographed a coconut octopus, a flamboyant cuttlefish, a Halimeda ghost pipefish, a wunderpus, and finally, at the 70-minute mark, a tiny blue-ringed octopus—its electric-blue rings pulsing brilliantly as it skipped from rock to rock. Five iconic subjects. First dive. It hadn’t taken us long to understand why Dauin has earned legendary status among macro photographers.
 

Selective lighting using a snoot isolates this tiny predator against its black sandy backdrop, highlighting its remarkable colors
 

Motion blur using a creative slow shutter conveys the graceful, flowing movement of a hunting wunderpus
 

Camouflage at its finest: A Halimeda ghost pipefish shot using a snoot
 

A blue-ringed octopus on the move, its iconic rings glowing

The Guides Who Read Sand

While the volcanic coastline of Dauin has created one of the most extraordinary macro habitats in the world, none of what we saw on the first dive happened by accident. The real magic of diving with Atmosphere isn’t simply the incredible biodiversity; it’s the team that knows how to find it.

Watching their guides was like witnessing master wildlife trackers on safari. They don’t just swim, they observe: A faint depression in the sand suggests an octopus den; a tiny flick of sediment reveals something hidden beneath. What amazed us most wasn’t just how often they found interesting subjects for us to photograph—it was how confidently they knew where those animals would be. Years spent diving the same area has taught them to read the underwater environment, and their excitement underwater was every bit as genuine as ours as they introduced us to the critters in their neighborhood.

Still, after our first few dives, we began asking ourselves, Were we simply getting lucky? Surely no destination could keep delivering this consistently. Yet each dive somehow offered another surprise. A second, third, fourth frogfish. Another wunderpus. Subjects we’d traveled across the world hoping to photograph were appearing day after day.

But this was not luck. It was simply what Dauin delivers. After a few days, we stopped thinking about what we might see next, and instead started thinking more about how we wanted to capture these incredible subjects.
 

Creative use of shallow depth of field alongside some steel cleaning wool in the background produces a soft, colorful bokeh that complements this tiny nudibranch
 

A juvenile painted frogfish takes a brisk stroll along the seafloor
 

One of Dauin’s tiniest inhabitants—the Shaun the Sheep nudibranch (Costasiella kuroshimae)—gets a dreamy portrait

From Finding Critters to Creating Images

As underwater photographers, we often arrive at a destination with a mental checklist. Find the signature species and get the shot before the opportunity disappears. But diving in Dauin quietly dismantled that way of thinking. The reliability of photo subjects meant we were no longer chasing things to shoot. Instead, we started chasing ideas on how best to shoot them.

Another frogfish became an opportunity to play a bit differently with light. A thorny seahorse gave us a chance to play with shallow depth of field and different perspectives. A tiny Costasiella usagi (aka “Rabbit Shaun the Sheep”) encouraged us to slow down even further, creating a series of images to tell a deeper story, rather than simply just documenting the animal itself.
 

Lighting the side of the frogfish helps emphasize the skin texture and cryptic markings of this master of disguise
 

A different perspective to the standard side profile shot of a thorny seahorse
 

Some dives were an exercise in patience. Others became creative playgrounds. Diving with Atmosphere’s team gave us time to experiment, time to fail, and time to try again. As photographers, that’s perhaps the greatest gift any destination can offer.

Small dive groups meant nobody felt rushed, and as photographers we were given the time we needed without feeling like we were delaying everyone else. Our guide Gardo quickly tuned in to what we were looking for and tailored our dives to maximize our opportunities. Whether your passion is cephalopods, nudibranchs or behavioral photography, the experience feels personal rather than procedural.

For anyone planning an underwater photography workshop, Atmosphere has the facilities to make it easy. Alongside reliable photo subjects and a great camera room (amongst the best we’ve used), there are a number of comfortable facilities to undertake presentations, image critiques, and post-processing sessions.
 

Careful creative lighting using color filters separates this beautifully camouflaged pipefish from its background

Beyond Black Sand

After several days immersed in black sand and macro photography, we boarded the resort’s gorgeous bangka “Victoria” bound for Apo Island. Here, black sandy slopes are replaced with healthy coral gardens, dramatic reef walls, and swirling schools of fish. Turtles are an almost constant companion, cruising effortlessly along the reef, while jacks, anthias and fusiliers fill the water column. For wide-angle photographers, Apo Island is an opportunity to capture the color and energy of a thriving reef. Together, Apo Island and the volcanic sands of Dauin create a rare combination: two completely different underwater experiences within easy reach of the resort.
 

The color and diversity of one of Apo Island’s iconic dive sites—Apo Coconut Point
 

One of the many local resident green sea turtles that call Apo Island home

Soaking in the Atmosphere

It would be easy to describe Atmostphere Resort simply as luxurious—after all, it is. Beautiful tropical gardens wind through the property, creating a peaceful oasis that is relaxing and feels removed from the outside world. Spacious suites and private villas are thoughtfully designed to enjoy the slower pace that inevitably settles in after a few days.

Two inviting “adult only” swimming pools overlooked by an open-air bar provided us the perfect place to unwind during surface intervals, while the award-winning spa had a remarkable way of preparing us for the area’s fabulous diving—beginning with the resort’s stunning house reef with its numerous green turtles, diverse reef fish, and abundant macro life.
 

An aerial perspective of Atmosphere reveals its tropical setting and its close connection to the sea
 

The Sanctuary Spa: The perfect place to unwind at the end of a long diving day
 

Excellent diving also deserves even more excellent food. We could choose between the oceanfront restaurant, casual meals at the poolside bar, or the open-air all-day dining room, depending on our mood and time of day. All meals are served à la carte, with a menu that combines Filipino flavors and international favorites alongside fresh local seafood and seasonal ingredients.

Whether it’s a leisurely breakfast before the first dive, lunch between boat trips, or dinner overlooking the sea as the sun sets, each setting offers a slightly different atmosphere. For a special treat, a private dinner on the beach or in the Treehouse can be booked a day ahead.
 

The hardest decision of the day: left pool or right pool?
 

Offering a number of different suite and villa options, all accomodations at Atmosphere boast comfort, space and clever design to enjoy a slower pace

A Place for Everyone

Although Atmosphere is best known for its diving, you don’t have to be a diver to enjoy everything the resort and Dauin have to offer. You can take a day trip to snorkel with the famous whale sharks of Oslob, Cebu, visit the lush Casaroro Falls or go canyoning at Kawasan Falls. Soak in natural hot springs, explore local markets and nearby towns, or hike up the mighty Mt. Talinis to take in the scenery around the island. Boat trips to nearby islands, mountain biking, cultural and birding tours, and other guided excursions provide a chance to experience the area far beyond the sea.

Back at the resort, there’s plenty of space to slow down, whether that’s joining a yoga class, unwinding at the spa, or simply finding a quiet spot by the pool. It’s one of those destinations that works just as well for couples where only one person dives, or for anyone wanting to balance time underwater with a few days exploring on land. The resort is also family friendly, with a dedicated pool for kids; and with a number of children’s activities also on offer, you won’t feel guilty dragging your non-diving family members along on your dive trip.
 

Casaroro Falls is one of Negros Oriental’s most picturesque waterfalls

A Place to Keep Learning

One of the things that surprised us most about Atmosphere was the depth of expertise beyond simply recreational diving. Many people visit and never realize they’re staying at one of the region’s premier diver training facilities, where you can gain certifications across all levels of diving.

Technical diving, sidemount, rebreather programs, instructor and advanced recreational courses all form part of the resort’s identity. That in itself creates an interesting atmosphere at the resort. Over breakfast, you might overhear divers discussing trimix planning. In the camera room, someone is sharing lighting techniques, another guest is reviewing images with one of the guides, while others are preparing for a technical certification.

Learning appears to be taking place at many places around the resort. Whether you’ve logged 50 dives or thousands, it’s likely you’ll leave with new knowledge. It gives the resort a feeling that’s difficult to define. It is a melting pot of diverse divers and people from across the globe—creating the atmosphere that is uniquely Atmosphere.
 

Atmosphere’s dedicated technical dive training centre in action
 

Why Dauin Will Keep Calling Us Back

By the end of the week, we understood why so many divers return to here year after year. It isn’t because they’ve seen everything. It’s because it is constantly evolving. Seasonal critters arrive and disappear. Tiny juveniles replace adults. Behavior changes from one week to the next. The same dive site can reveal completely different subjects only days apart. Every dive day ends with another reason to come back.

Reflecting on our stay and looking back through our photographs, we realized our favorite images weren’t necessarily the rarest animals. They were the photographs that showed we’d slowed down: the motion-blur wunderpus disappearing into the sand, and the creative lighting experiment that only became possible because we knew tomorrow would offer us another chance. And while it was Dauin that gave us the photo subjects, it was Atmosphere that made it effortless.
 

The lush Atmosphere house reef showcasing the healthy coral and seagrass meadows that sustain its resident green sea turtles
 

Finding different ways to capture the quirky expressions of Dauin’s beloved frogfish never gets old

Planning Your Trip to Dauin

Getting There: Atmosphere Resorts & Spa is located 30 minutes south of the city of Dumaguete on Negros Island in the central Philippines. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific fly to Dumaguete from Manila, with the flight taking just over an hour. From Cebu City, Negros Island can be reached via a 5–6 hour car ride followed by a 30-minute ferry crossing. You can also fly to Dumaguete from Cebu City, and there are ferries from Cebu and Bohol as well.

When to Go: One of the biggest draw cards of diving around Dauin and Apo Island is that there’s no bad time to visit. Green turtles are reliable residents at the resort’s house reef and around Apo Island, while seahorses, flamboyant cuttlefish and an ever-changing variety of nudibranchs can be found throughout the year. Certain highlights are limited to particular seasons:

• February to May—A season for new life: As the water begins to warm, the reefs come alive with breeding activity. Cuttlefish lay their eggs, male cardinalfish can often be seen carrying eggs in their mouths, pipefish brood their young, and tiny Costasiella nudibranchs—better known as “Shaun the Sheep” nudibranchs—appear in their numbers.

• February to June—Frogfish and ghost pipefish at their best: This is one of the best times of year for frogfish enthusiasts, with Dauin’s famous populations at their most abundant. Hairy frogfish in a vast range of colors can be found blending seamlessly into sponges, while ornate ghost pipefish are commonly seen drifting beside feather stars.

• October to January—Cephalopods: Slightly cooler water brings an increase in octopus activity. Blue-ringed, mimic, algae, mototi and wunderpus octopuses are all regularly encountered. It’s very possible to find several species on a single dive.

Visibility and Water Temperature: Visibility is generally at its best between April and June, when viz can reach around 100 feet. That said, slightly lower visibility later in the year often creates ideal muck-diving conditions, with many of the rarer critters becoming more active during daylight hours. Water temperatures remain pleasantly warm throughout the year, typically between 27–29°C, making a 3mm wetsuit comfortable for most divers doing three or four dives a day.

Information: Visit www.atmosphereresorts.com for bookings and further information.
 

A wide-angle close-focus perspective places this large frogfish within its reef environment for a greater sense of scale
 

About the Authors: Based in Melbourne, Australia, Anita Verde and Peter Marshall have a passion for the planet’s wild places, and through their images and narratives hope to inspire better appreciation and protection of the natural world. When not underwater, you’ll find them on a mountain somewhere. To see more of their work, please check out their Instagram page or visit their website, www.summitstoseasphotography.com.