Anilao Philippines Ultimate Photo Workshop April 2028

Anilao Philippines Ultimate Photo Workshop April 2028

Dive into one of the best critter destinations in the world, on the first of Bluewater Travel's two Spring macro photo workshops.

Why Join This Trip

• Attend our most popular 10-night underwater photo trip
• Chance to see every underwater critter, nudibranch, and fish on your bucket list, and then some
• Free intensive macro photography tutorials, training, and workshops
• Diver to Guide ratio is 2:1
• Amazing dive guides, only 4 divers per private boat with 2 guides, most dive sites are just minutes away
• 25% discount on rental photo gear from Bluewater Photo
• Fully refundable deposit until 12 months from departure

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Trip Overview

Bluewater Travel’s Anilao workshops are designed for photographers who want more time, more subjects, and better results. With small guide-to-diver ratios, extended dive times, and top sites just 10–20 minutes from the resort, you’ll spend less time traveling and more time capturing incredible images.

Our trips go beyond standard diving, offering free underwater photography training and support from three experienced macro instructors. Guests can enjoy fun competitions rewarding everything from rare critters and nudibranch species to standout macro, wide-angle, video, and behavior shots. Whether you’re shooting on a compact camera or a full professional setup, our expert team ensures a relaxed, supportive environment where everyone improves and comes home with portfolio-worthy images.

Check out our complete guide to our Anilao Photo Workshops!

Check out this awesome video from one of our previous trips to Anilao:

Read about our latest Anilao Spring Trip.

Anilao is widely regarded as one of the richest macro reefs in the world. From just a few meters below the surface down to deeper slopes, you’ll be surrounded by an astonishing variety of subjects, from rhinopias and blue-ring octopus to hairy frogfish, pipefish, flamboyant cuttlefish, and even bobbit worms.

Images by Craig Wilhelm (L) & Erik Lukas (R)

Often called the nudibranch capital of the world, Anilao delivers an endless stream of unique encounters, meaning your memory cards will fill up fast and every dive offers something new to discover.

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Sample Itinerary

Here's the schedule for this trip:

• Day 1: Arrival at the resort will be between 11am-1pm from Manila hotels. Rooms will be available for check-in between 12pm and 2pm. While waiting for rooms to become available, guests can have lunch (runs from 12-2), unpack their camera gear in the camera room, or relax in the common areas. There are 2 optional afternoon dives the day of arrival, which can take place as soon as 4 guests are ready for a dive (4 divers per boat).
• Day 2-9: Each subsequent day of the trip includes either 3 or 4 dives per day, consisting of 2 in the morning and 1 or 2 in the afternoon (on the 4 dive days, the fourth dive will be a night dive). There will be underwater photo seminars and image reviews in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings.
• Day 10: On the second to last day, there will be no afternoon dives. There will be 2 morning dives, a photo contest and group dinner.
• Day 11: Check-out and departure back to Manila Airport or hotels. Shuttle transfers take approx 3.5 hours between Anilao-Manila so book your departure flight after lunch if you prefer to avoid an early start.

To get a little insight as to what the workshop is like, read the report from our 2023 Anilao Photo Workshop.

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Diving Conditions

Spring time offers the best diving conditions in Anilao, with calm conditions and little rain.

• Water Temperature: 79 - 80F (26 - 27C)
• Visibility: 40 - 50ft
• Depth Range: 5 - 30 m (16 - 100 feet)

Recommended Scuba Gear

Download our full scuba gear guide to Anilao, Bluewater Travel guests receive 10% OFF!

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Trip Type

This is a PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP. Led by one of our photo instructors and will include daily underwater photography tutorials, in-water photography support, and one-to-one advice and guidance as required.

What to Expect From Our Photo Workshops

• Daily photo workshops – Your photo instructor will schedule seminars each day on topics including, but not limited to, equipment type and selection, the concept of underwater photography, lighting and composition techniques, and post-processing.
• In-water support – Where possible, each dive group will spend time underwater with the photo instructor, receiving in-water support and guidance on their shooting techniques.
• Consecutive days of practice & review – Each day you will have the opportunity to practice the techniques and skills learned in the previous day’s tutorials.
• Daily photo image reviews – You are strongly encouraged to bring your laptop, a thumb drive, edit your photos, and submit your shots for review from both the instructor and your peers.
• Quality time with fellow photographers – You will meet like-minded divers or travelers with a passion for underwater photography.
• Suitable for everyone – New and experienced photographers are welcome on all our trips. Gain the necessary skills to start shooting great photos, increase your confidence in finding the best underwater shots, or hone specific skills.

Enjoy free, unlimited access to a wealth of knowledge and advice from your photo instructor.

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Inclusions

• 10 nights of deluxe accommodations in sealed rooms with air-conditioning
• All meals included (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
• Free-flow coffee/drinking water and snacks
• Free WiFi
• Daily photo workshops to help you improve your photography
• 3 or 4 dives per day inc. night dives (32 dives total)
• Diver to guide ratio of 2:1
• Nitrox for EANx certified divers
• All dive ticket (park fee for dive sites)
• Round-trip transfers from/to Manila Airport or hotels in the Metro Manila area on trip arrival/departure days only

Exclusions

• Transfers for early arrival or late departure days ($25 one way)
• Hotel stays/ day rooms before or after the workshop
• Extra dives ($45 per dive, paid on site)
• Private dive spotter ($35 per dive, $45 if you request a specific guide, paid on site)
• Blackwater dive surcharge (in place of night dive) ($45 per dive, paid on site)
• Equipment rental ($100 per stay, paid on site)
• Dive insurance (mandatory)
• Travel Insurance - ask us about our preferred partner plan

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Accommodation

About the Crystal Blue Resort

The resort is on a hill and involves climbing stairs

Crystal Blue offers spectacular diving, amazing macro photography, knowledgeable guides, incredible cuisine, and comfortable ocean-view accommodations. The resort has a bar, restaurant, spa, jacuzzi, awesome food and offers 17 rooms that consist of deluxe rooms, superior rooms, and a large family villa.

Read the reviews of Crystal Blue Resort here.

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Connectivity

At Crystal Blue Resort in Anilao, complimentary Wi-Fi is available for guests throughout the property, including in common areas and most rooms. The connection is generally reliable for everyday use such as email, messaging and light browsing, but it can be slower or less stable when the resort is busy or during peak evening hours, so heavy streaming or large downloads may be limited.

If you need faster or more consistent connectivity, local Philippine SIM cards are a good option: major providers like Globe and Smart both offer prepaid data plans with 4G/LTE coverage in the Anilao area. You can purchase a SIM and data package at Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) kiosks or convenience stores as soon as you arrive. Just ensure your phone is unlocked before travel.

Most major US mobile phone providers offer international “bolt-on” or add-on packages that let you use your phone abroad without changing SIMs. The details vary by carrier and plan.

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Anilao Trip Extensions

Want to extend your trip? We can help with that! See more of the Philippines before or after your workshop in Anilao with Bluewater. Here are some examples of packages we can add on to your reservation.

Read More.

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Trip Leaders

Erik Lukas

Erik Lukas is an active diver and photographer based in Los Angeles, CA. He is a volunteer scuba diver at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA. You can expect to find Erik diving many of the amazing Pacific Ocean sites of Southern California, camera in hand, at any chance he can get.

See more of Erik’s photography at www.seeundersea.com or on Instagram @seeundersea.

"I am passionate about underwater photography in general and have a special love for macro subjects. For me the things that are hardest to spot hold the most interest. Documenting the commensal and symbiotic relationships is for me the most interesting…the smaller and more bizarre the better. I also have a passion for sharing my knowledge with others. My goal with all of my workshops is to ensure each guest leaves with a group of images that they are proud to share."

Current Camera Systems:
Erik shoots with a Canon 5D Mark III in a Sea & Sea housing using Zen 100mm and 230mm dome ports. The lenses he uses are the Canon 8-15mm f/4L, Canon 16-35mm f/4L, and Canon 100mm f/2.8L.

Read more about Erik Lukas.

Henrique Pedroso

Henry (Henrique) first found the ocean through a surfboard, and later through a camera pointed at waves. He grew up in southern Brazil, photographing, surfing, and chasing swells along the coast. Eventually, the ocean pulled him below the surface, where he fell in love with scuba diving and later freediving — moving from waves to reefs, shipwrecks, and long quiet moments underwater.

Henry worked as a dive instructor across Indonesia, Australia, South America, and Central America — teaching, guiding, and learning from the ocean, locals and the culture in each place.

Now based in Portugal, he continues to dive and explore the colder, wilder side of the Atlantic — especially the Azores, Madeira, and the rugged Portuguese coastline.

When he's not diving, Henry can usually be found surfing, running coastal trails, hiking cliffs, or planning his next trip.

Read more about Henrique Pedroso.

Mike Bartick

Mike is a highly published, award-winning photographer, writer, international speaker, and Photo pro at Crystal Blue Resort, Anilao, Philippines. He is passionate about connecting people with marine life through photos and video. His love for critters has led him across the globe, landing him in Anilao more than a decade ago where he conducts a variety of different workshops each year.

He has pioneered blackwater diving in Anilao and other locations globally and is a dedicated dive professional who guides and consults on wildlife projects, scuba gear, camera gear, and lighting equipment.

At the end of the day, Mike considers himself just a guy with a camera that is lucky enough to do what he loves. "Do it for the love, Not the likes"

You can check out more of Mike's work at www.Saltwaterphoto.com

Read more about Mike Bartick.

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How To Get There

ARRIVAL

We recommend guests plan to arrive in Manila (MNL) one day before the workshop begins (April 18th) and stay overnight in a hotel near the airport. Our transfer will pick you up from your hotel the following morning. We have 3 hotel recommendations for guests;

• Manila Marriott
• Holiday Inn Express Manila Newport City
• The Belmont Hotel

Alternatively, you can arrive at Manila Airport on the morning of the first day of the workshop (April 19th) any time before 10 am and the shuttle will pick you up directly from the airport.

DEPARTURE

Guests will be transferred back to the airport or their next hotel on the last day of the workshop (April 29th). The transfer time is around 3 hours, and we recommend arriving at the airport 3 hours before your flight. Transfers will depart throughout the day, based on flight times. Booking an afternoon/evening flight would be advised for those who do not want an early start.

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Flight Package

Our group trips attract guests from all over the globe and many of our customers prefer to book their own flights to take advantage of mileage points or credit card discounts. For these reasons, flights are not included in our group trip packages.

However, we are more than happy to work with you to find the best travel itinerary for your trip and will gladly give suggestions and advice, even if you make the final booking. We will check through your travel reservations at any time to ensure they fit with the trip schedule and can give recommendations on transit hotels and day tours where needed.

If you would like us to book flights and transit hotels for domestic and/or international travel on your behalf, we are also happy to arrange this. Contact Us for more information.

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Payment Schedule

• Deposit: $500 to book your spot
• Payment 2: $800 due 1 July 2027
• Balance: due 1 December 2027

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