Pintuyan Dive Resort

The friendly and welcoming staff and the location was amazing.

This place is a diamond in the rough! A true hidden gem! In the middle of a village but beautifully secluded. Long stretch of private beach watching the whale sharks from the shore. The owner Ralph is always around and loves what he does. The food is incredible, and a huge selection of food and all drinks. 13 May 26 whale shark tour and we saw a whale shark and manta rays! It is peaceful and serene, and you can still hear the sounds of local village enjoying life through music and beloved karaoke. This is undoubtedly a place to which I would happily return, well worth the complex route to arrive!

Right on the water! As we were having sunset drinks whale sharks came past both nights!

Pintuyan Dive Resort is possibly the best place in the Philippines to spot and swim with Whale Sharks ethically. They take special care to take all the necessary precautions that the Whale Sharks are not disturbed during the interaction. They will also take care of any permits which might be required to swim with the Whale Sharks. Cherry on top is their lovely staff and an amazing variety of food options. You can even get any rental gear that is required to dive or snorkel. Highly recommended. One of the most fun experiences is the dinner time when all the guests at the resort dine together at a big table - easily one of the most admirable social experiences with nationalities from around the world.

The only issue that you might face is that this resort is on a sort of remote location. Reaching and leaving from this location to connect with other major cities like Cebu or Manila is tedious (and expensive). So something to keep in mind.

Great location, amazing food. Joannah is so kind and friendly. All the staffs are so nice, special thanks to Michael and Jonny our captains during the tours.

Nothing.

El alojamiento en si nos gustó mucho, el jardín está muy bien cuidado, las vistas que tiene a la playa y a los atardeceres son de infarto. Inmejorables. El restaurante también bien, tiene mucha variedad de comida. Lo que si que no recomendamos en absoluto es coger carne a la brasa, puesto que te la dan pasadísima y cuesta incluso comerla, pero por lo demás, la comida en general y los desayunos están muy ricos. Si tuviese que destacar algo sería la tranquilidad del lugar.

Lo que claramente nos disgustó fueron las formas del propio gerente del establecimiento, pues casi nos costó discutir con él por preguntarle simplemente información sobre el buceo en el Santuario o la posibilidad de nadar con el tiburón ballena con ellos. Se le olvidó por completo que éramos sus huéspedes y por ese simple motivo no puede hablarnos (mejor dicho, gritarnos) como lo hizo... Ese trato nos hizo estar muy incomodos durante nuestra estancia, y fue lo que nos empujó a hacer la actividad desde el Ayuntamiento de Pintuyan con Edilberto (como nos habían recomendado previamente), que nos ayudó también en traslados para nuestro siguiente destino. Nuestra experiencia con la gente local para buscar al tiburón ballena fue de 10, e incluso mucho más barata que con el propio resort. A mencionar que cuando el gerente dio por hecho que ya no íbamos a hacer con él la actividad, nos ignoró durante toda la estancia.. en fin. A tener en cuenta, tienes la posibilidad de pagar los gastos de la estancia con tarjeta de crédito pero te aplican un 5% adicional.

Wie Ralf es schafft, so individuell und freundlich auf jeden einzelnen Gast einzugehen, ist phänomenal. Das Resort ist traumhaft schön, die Zimmer einfach aber mit Klimaanlage und völlig ausreichend, die Atmosphäre familiär und jeden Abend essen alle Gäste gemeinsam auf der Terrasse. Wir sind wegen der Walhaie gekommen und was soll ich sagen: Beim ersten Schnorchelgang kam einer direkt vor dem Resort dahergeschwommen. Auf den Touren wurden teils 10 gesehen. Aber auch die Tauchgänge mit Ralf und seinem Team: Ein Traum! Danke für alles!

Das Pintuyan Dive Resort ist sehr familiär und eine top Adresse für Taucher oder die, die es werden möchten. Ralph und seine Familie führen das Resort mit viel Leidenschaft und Nähe zu den Gästen. Die Anreise ist eher länger und etwas komplizierter, doch es lohnt sich wirklich! Auch die Walhai Touren sind sehr sorgfältig und mit liebe zur Natur gestaltet. Wir empfehlen es sehr weiter und waren bestimmt nicht das letzte Mal dort.

Das wir nicht länger bleiben konnten…

Schönes Resort mit eigenem Haus Riff freundliche Personal hat uns eine Walhai Tour in Oslob organisiert wir wurden vom Resort dort hin gebrach alles wurde erledigt so das wir nicht sehr lange warten mussten das eigene Restaurant Frühstück und Essen war Ok. Leihmopeds zur Erkundung der Umgebung standen zur täglich Verfügung

Der Pool wurde durch einen Taifun der kurz vor unserer Ankunft wütete zerstört wir aber gerade wieder hergerichtet

Gives you direct access to the boats for diving or whale shark watching. Still decent for such a remote location. Friendly staff.

Not that clean. Shower was not very nice. No door on the bathroom. Mosquitoes in the room. Food in the restaurant is very mediocre.

Such comfortable and spacious room and outdoor area was so nice, really relaxing stay. Staff were so kind and accommodating too

Sehr nettes Personal, gutes Essen, man kann Schnorchelausrüstung ausleihen und die Walhaitour ist privat - der Guide war sehr nett und ist darauf bedacht, dass man viel Zeit mit dem Walhai verbringt

Die Essensportionen könnten ein wenig größer sein

Definitely the nicest place to stay in the area. They have communal dinners every night, which was really so lovely and a great way to know your neighbors. Away from some of the light pollution so you can see the beautiful night sky

Two things: 1. Somewhere in area someone blasts music until midnight and you can hear it clear as day through the walls. I think it would be a good idea for the staff or owner to chat with whoever is doing that because it’s kinda crazy. 2. The resort is pretty removed from the town and you won’t interact with the amazing community unless you make the effort yourself. I highly encourage all to go and connect with the townspeople. They’re incredible.

The staff were so friendly and kind. They did a great job of making you feel welcome.

Amazing resort with really nice staff. Everything looks really clean. I love the fact that you share dinner with other guests and everyday there are specials on the menu. The whale shark are crossing just in font of the beach, so what else do you want? And if you are here, make sure that you try there pina colada: amazing😉

Aktivitetstilbudene, området var nydelig, personalet var fantastisk og maten var god!

Litt dårlig air-condition på rommet, ellers helt perfekt

I love the experience with the whale shark watching. The crew is amazing. Big thank to Mario !!!

Not really flexible for the dinner time & options.

Ralph und sei Team geben Alles um Walhaie zu finden, es war ein großartiges Erlebnis! Die Anlage ist sehr schön, die Bungalows gut ausgestattet.

Incredible spot, best place to stay in the area. Their whale shark tours are amazing, very personal and we saw whale sharks each time we went out (we did go in season though) The staff are friendly and accommodating, and the food is great. Loved the pool as well.

La ubicación frente al mar, el sitio es espectacular. La comida está muy bien, y la gestión de los transportes por parte del personal nos ayudó mucho.

Íbamos con la idea de hacer el whale watching con la asociación local que se encarga de hacerlo de forma responsable. Cuando llegamos al alojamiento el propietario asumió que íbamos a hacer la actividad con ellos, y solo nos pusieron trabas cuando insistimos en ir a preguntar al municipal hall. Cuando decidimos finalmente hacerlo con la gente local, el dueño no volvió a dirigirnos la palabra. Lo peor para nosotros fue encontrarnos con los otros huéspedes que sí hicieron la actividad con el hotel: los únicos que no respetaban las normas de la interacción con el tiburon ballena eran ellos. Uno de los huéspedes hizo free diving, acercándose demasiado al tiburón, cosa que estaba terminantemente prohibido. Las personas del barco no controlaban la interacción en absoluto. Por último, aunque después de esto nos parece menos importante, en la habitación había cucarachas (no solo pequeñas, tambien grandes).

El sitio es precioso, y está en una ciudad no tan turística, por lo que se siente más auténtico. El personal de diez! Nos ayudó en todo momento a llegar hasta allí y arregló todo para que pudiéramos ver el tiburón ballena, aún llegando tarde por culpa de los ferrys. Estuvimos muy poco tiempo allí y aún así nos cuidaron como a nadie. Muy contentos con la atención!

Zo mooi! Van al onze verblijven in onze reis van 2,5 maand, was dit het fijnst. Wat een rust. Hadden we maar langer geboekt! Zo leuk om savonds aan een lange tafel met alle gasten en eigenaren te dineren. Prachtig gesnorkeld en gedoken en dat op een tijdstip naar wens

We had an excellent stay, would highly recommend! The staff were all professional and friendly, and the food was very good.

Our stay at Pintuyan Dive Resort was truly wonderful! Its prime location made it perfect for diving and whale shark watching. While the room was simple, it was spotlessly clean and well-maintained. What really set this resort apart was the extraordinary atmosphere; we enjoyed fantastic, tasty dinners at the communal table and had engaging conversations with the host and other guests. This unique experience far surpassed the luxury of any 5-star resorts we visited on the same trip.

Very friendly, comfortable resort. Excellent diving. Food was great & varied. Good swimming off the beach - though it’s a stony beach. Excellent internet. Very relaxing holiday.

Although we did not get to see any whale sharks due to environmental factors beyond the resorts control. We were met by the staff with smiles and checked into our room immediately. once we settled in our room we went to sit and enjoy the ocean side and were met by Ralf the owner. he along with all the staff were very welcoming and informative as to the diving activities and gave us a personal tour of the resort, I noticed he does this for all guests. the food was excellent and we enjoyed the group meals together. It was a nice way to meet the other guests. the dive guides were excellent and dive boats were a nice change from the usual Philippine dive boats. The kitchen staff were all so friendly and helpful, and caring. When we left they all came out to say bye. Pintuyan Dive resort is a very personal experience. We didn't feel like we were just a customer, more like a house guest with friends. We will definitely be recommending Pintuyan Dive resort to Friends and Colleagues.

Community atmosphere and very engaged owners

Sehr gut ausgerüstetes und organisiertes Tauchresort in dem sich Gäste wohl fühlen. Walhai Touren ohne Anfütterung mit Respekt vor den prächtigen Fischen.

The owners and staff were great! All of the guests were friendly. The room and food was great and affordable! The staff really couldn’t be any more helpful! Unfortunately we didn’t see the whale sharks on our 4 tours but hey that’s fishing! They did see them a day or 2 before but we are told this part of the season (December) is not so good any more due to the lack of food sauce for the whale sharks. We will try again a different month.

We were so pleased we came across Pintuyan in our search. The whale watching experience in ethical, natural conditions was perfect and we saw a number of turtles from the boat too. The facility had everything you needed, clean and comfortable and the restaurant/bar offered lots of food options. We are not generally very social but enjoyed the social breakfast and dinner (which you do not have to join but it nay appear strange if you don’t) the other guests were very nice and relaxed which is an indication of the type of people drawn to the area. You can walk along the beach or road for a walk around the local town, other than that the location is simply for the whales from what we experienced. My only negative comments would be the music played quite loud in the restaurant early one morning which woke me up after arriving at 2am was not ideal. This only happened once though. Secondly the boat guide got in the way a lot whilst swimming with the whale shark to take his own video and made me unable to keep up with it at one point. Guests should be the priority and he should stay back ensuring the guests have the best experience.

The location, service, food, and amenities were excellent! I highly recommend this play to anyone looking to stay in the Southern Leyte. They have beautiful ocean views, diving, swimming, and the food and staff were exceptional!!!!

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L'etablissement est incroyabement bien tenu, en front de mer sur une plage de galets, les requins balaine sont dans la baie juste devant. Le restaurant de l'hotel est pas cher et vraiment bon. Tout est vraiment parfait, le cadre est idyllique. Sachez juste que les paiements par carte sont soumis à une charge de 5%. Prévoyez des de l'espece car la facture en fin de séjour oeut etre salée entre les excursions, le snorckeling, le scuba diving, le resto etc...

The owners of the resort are very accomodating Ralph and Annalyn.They allowed us early check in and allowed us to use their boat to go to Limasawa Island for a minimal fee.Love their dog.Parking was far.The resort sign was not easily visible to travelers.The location is tranquil and beautiful.It is a diver's paradise.The pool should have a sign how deep is the pool for visitors safety.

The location and beach was beautiful, the food and drinks are delicious, clean and comfortable accommodation, and the swimming pool is great

From Siargao it is a long-ish journey but it’s worth it, especially if you’re staying for a while. We didn’t get to see the whale sharks but only had one full day.

We had a very pleasant, although short, stay at Pintuyan Dive Resort. We are not divers, but wanted to try to see whale sharks in a more natural and ethical setting. After researching several other resorts, I chose here based on its proximity to where the whale sharks are often found, the ability to go on a whale shark watch any day of the week (was told by some other places it only possible on certain days), and due to the ability to go with just my husband and I if needed (some places required minimum number of people- or allowed for very large groups, which we also wanted to avoid), as well as the good reviews for the resort. They were responsive by email ahead of time to answer all of my questions. We were very happy with the decision to stay here. It was such a beautiful area, and very quiet and peaceful. The room was spacious and had everything we needed. The food was very good, and there was a large menu of items to choose from. The owner, Ralf, was very friendly and welcoming, as was the rest of the staff. We were able to enjoy snorkeling right in front of the resort. And we were fortunate enough to get to swim with a whale shark on the watch we took, which was such an exciting start to our time in the Philippines. Even without, however, we would have enjoyed our stay here. Highly recommend!

An absolutely superb dive resort. I thoroughly recommend it to divers and non divers alike. The staff were attentive and professional. The location, amazing. The food was better than anything I could have imagined, and I’m fussy! As a dive professional who has experienced a fair amount - I would say this is the best place I have ever been. Thanks to Ralph and the crew. Looking forward to seeing you again.

Beautiful location with amazing sunsets. The host makes sure everyone gets to know eachother by having dinner together at a big table. This really adds to the experience. Meeting new people and having fun conversations about the dives and travelling. Good menu with a lot of options for breakfast/lunch/dinner. They have offer daily diving and whale shark tours for their guests. The groups are always small, so thats really nice.

It’s definitely a long journey to get there, but worth it! No restaurants in the area, so eating outside of the resort is not really possible, nor recommended.

Diving was excellent and I was very well looked after by the guides. Whale watch and swimming was an awesome experience. Food and accommodation first rate. Ralf runs a good business

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Ihanan idyllinen paikka, jossa vieraat otetaan lämpimästi vastaan. Valashait kruunaavat paikaikan. Turvalista sukeltamista.

Fantastic dive resort! Ralph and the crew were so extremely nice and welcoming. They really went the extra mile to make our stay and dives amazing. Rooms were clean and comfortable, restaurant was excellent, and the whale shark spotting tour was unforgettable (we swam with them 5x in one tour!). We highly recommend this resort to anyone looking to swim with the whale sharks in Sogod Bay and/or dive in the area.

Everything is perfect here. Such a nice place

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Great room in a lovely setting and location, the food and staff were amazing and very helpful which meant we had a fantastic time at the resort. A unique experience.

El resort es magnífico en un emplazamiento muy bonito, la playa de cantos rodados espectacular, con muy pocas habitaciones que lo hace muy familiar. Destacaría lo bien organizado que están las zonas comunes y la limpieza del lugar. Las habitaciones son amplias y se echa en falta un minibar. El aire acondicionado tiene un contador y el consumo lo pagas aparte. Se bucea, pero también, como en nuestro caso, se realizan expediciones para avistar el tiburón ballena para quienes practican esnórquel. Pero incluso si no quieres hacer nada enfrente del resort hay un esnórquel muy bueno. La cocina es de las mejores que hemos probado durante un mes y medio en Filipinas. La gerencia y el personal es excepcional. Las cenas son en una mesa comunal para decidir lo que se hace al día siguiente y cómo, y esto, quizá, puede ser un inconveniente para quien no sepa inglés, o alemán, pero nada insoslayable si te gusta interactuar con la gente. Un pero que le pondría al lugar, que se tiene por respetuoso con el medio ambiente, es que no hay depósitos donde rellenar las botellas de agua viéndote obligado a comprar varias al día con el plástico que eso comporta. Se nos hizo corta la estancia de cinco noches. Echamos de menos a Rocky. Volveremos.

Stayed for 4 nights and enjoyed every minute of it . You could snorkel 30 m from your bungalow. The whale shark trips were a succes, saw them on both trips. Fantastic experience. Breakfast and dinner both very good and the owner couple made me feel very welcome. Not much to do or see outside the resort, but if you snorkel or dive, you won't be disappointed.