FAQ – Pre-arrival information

The Philippines is a Southeast Asian country in the Western Pacific, just above the equator, which consists of more than 7000 islands with more than 120 languages and dialects. It is famous for its friendly people and the great hospitality of Filipinos is known worldwide. Due to the history of many different ethnical groups settling in the Philippine islands and the colonization of the Spanish and the Americans the Philippines are very diverse and unique in their culture and more than 80 percent of the population is Roman Catholic. Most people speak excellent English, which makes getting around easy.

The Climate of the Philippines is tropical with relatively warm temperature, high humidity and abundant rainfall. Atmosphere´s location in the central/southern part of the Philippines and just beside a mountain range, has led to a much weaker and shorter monsoon period than Manila. The period December to April is the driest and coolest, with more onshore wind. May to June is usually hot and humid with little wind and fair weather. From July to November, we see a little more rain. The temperature year round stays between 25 – 33 degrees Celsius (77 – 91 Fahrenheit) in the air and 25 – 30 degrees Celsius (77 – 86 Fahrenheit) in the water.

It is never cold at Atmosphere, but on a windy night with rainfall, we would suggest a thin windbreaker and something with long sleeves. There are mosquitoes at dusk, which is why longer garments can also come in handy if you are sensitive or don´t use mosquito repellent. We have no dress code at Atmosphere, but we appreciate if you are dressed properly for meals (no swim wear, towels or wet garments). Ladies can wear sleeveless tops, the Philippines has no restrictions in terms of showing your skin, but being topless by the pool will attract some attention! Sandals are enough for your feet but if you are keen to try any of the excursions we offer, bringing a pair of trainers or sports shoes is always useful. Our gardens are extensive and manicured, but we do not have concrete walkways, hence narrow heels may present some difficulty.

The Philippine Peso is the official currency of the Philippines. At Atmosphere we accept payment in USD, EUR, GBP and AUD next to the Philippine Peso. Other payment options include credit cards via a payment link, bank transfers, Wise, G-cash and WeChat Pay. While we add an additional service charge for remote international payments with credit cards (3%) before arrival, we will not charge any additional fee for Visa and MasterCard when you pay at the resort. Payments with Amex, Union Pay or JCB are however subject to a 5% service charge both before and during your stay. Please be aware that any remaining payments of pre-booked products/services/items have to be settled upon arrival at Atmosphere. The closest ATMs for withdrawing cash is located in Dauin, which is about 5km (3 miles) from Atmosphere Resorts & Spa.

Atmosphere Resorts & Spa is located on Negros island in the central Philippines, an area known as the Visayas. The Visayas region is known for its excellent scuba diving and its large sugar production. Negros is a mountainous island of volcanic origin, with many waterfalls, hot springs, lakes, rivers and stunning views. Combined with its beaches and lush jungle, it´s a great destination for both adventure and serenity.

Atmosphere is located in Maayong Tubig, Dauin, which is approximately 20 km south of Dumaguete City. If you arrive by plane, you will arrive at Dumaguete/Sibulan airport (DGT), located just north of Dumaguete city and about one hour from Atmosphere Resorts & Spa. If you arrive by boat, there are a couple of ferry terminals, both located 45-60 minutes away.

You can book a private van to take you to and from the Dumaguete/Sibulan airport, pier or Dumaguete ferry terminal to Atmosphere. Make sure to enquire about the current rate and book it latest the day before your arrival. There are also vans for rent, jeepneys or tricycles (local buses or motorcycle transport) outside all airports and ferry terminals, if you want to try it the local way, but there are no taxis on Negros Oriental.

We can advise you on domestic flights and hotel bookings but we ask that you or a travel agent completes the booking. If you fly via Manila, we can offer a “Meet & Greet” service for help with transfers to and from Manila hotels, or transfer between terminals. Manila airport (NAIA) has 5 terminals and some of them are quite far from each other, so please leave adequate time between flight connections.

Porters are common in the Philippines, and you will be asked for 30-50 pesos per piece of luggage if you are being assisted.

If you are traveling via Cebu City, you can either choose to fly to Dumaguete or hire a private car, which we are happy to arrange for you. The trip can take anywhere between 5 and 7 hours including a 30 min ferry ride to Negros Oriental. Private plane or helicopter transfers can also be arranged.

Atmosphere’s three pools are all stunning infinity pools of varying depth and size, from a 24 meters long lap pool, to a pool system with various shallow pools to suit children, to a deeper pool with the occasional scuba class.

We enjoy a 150 meters long brown volcanic beach with plenty of space for sand castles, lounging on sunbeds and for playing the occasional game of beach tennis or Frisbee. The gardens are extensive and also suitable for play, with the hidden Sanctuary Spa and our Fitness center at its borders.

Most nationalities, with a few exceptions, will receive a 1 month’s tourist visa upon arrival in the Philippines. Passports have to be valid for at least another 6 months prior to departure. Visa extensions after 1 month can usually easily be processed in Dumaguete City if you stay long enough for your initial visa to run out.

All rooms have air conditioning, flat screen TV, minibar, complimentary wireless internet, California King size beds, complimentary eco-friendly amenities, complimentary coffee and tea, in-room safety box and filtered drinking water. All room rates include breakfast and rooms can be set up as twins or doubles, with baby cots available upon request.

All rooms have a garden view and – with the exception of the Penthouse – are on ground floor level. If you travel with friends and would like rooms that are near each other, please let us know before your arrival.

A full name and ID is required of all guests staying in Atmosphere, and we ask all guests to fill in a health declaration and a check-in form. Check in time is 2 pm and check out time is 12 noon. An early check in or late check out can be requested but is subject to availability of the room. If you arrive early or wish to leave late, we can always hold your luggage for you and you are free to enjoy the facilities while you wait.

Wireless internet connection is available free of charge throughout the resort in your room and public spaces. We have the best internet we can get in our area, but please be advised that it may not be at the speed you are used to from home. We have phone signal but in some areas of the resort, we lack network and regular phone calls may be difficult to make or receive. Ask us upon arrival where the best connection is or call via the internet, which has better connection.

The tap water in your room and the communal bathrooms is not recommended for drinking, but we provide filtered drinking water in large jugs in all our rooms, in the restaurants, bars and dive center. The water you see coming out of our bar and restaurant taps is filtered drinking water and safe to drink. Atmosphere tries to reduce the environmental impact of the operations, and therefore we do not provide plastic water bottles. Please use our reusable water bottles or bring your own bottle with you. Brushing your teeth or rinsing your bottle or glass/mug in tap water is generally considered safe.

For the courtesy of all guests we do not allow any pets inside the resort.

Breakfast is included in the room rate, and there are full board and half board meal packages available for pre-booking, as well as soft drink packages and children’s menus at all venues.

Atmosphere places the utmost importance on the quality of the food and beverage experience. Our aim is to create a flexible approach to dining throughout our dining venues. Whether guests wish for a romantic dinner on the beach, a delicious pizza from our brick oven in Breeze restaurant, a juicy steak from Ocean fine dining restaurant or simply relaxing with a snack at the bar, the choice is theirs.

Healthy eating is an integral part of Atmosphere dining and all menus and venues are showcasing delicious vegetarian, vegan and gluten free dishes. If you have an allergy, an intolerance or a preference, we would love it if we heard from you in advance. Our executive chefs will be more than happy to cater to any special dietary needs. Are you celebrating something special? We love to make that happen with a cake, a special dinner on the beach or in the tree house with candles and flowers. Just let us know!

We do not allow guests to bring their own food into the resort. The minibar is for our items only. If you wish to bring something out of the ordinary, just enquire with us beforehand and we can make exceptions for cakes, wines or lechon – but there will be a corkage fee.

Our bars serve delicious Italian coffees, local craft beers, international cocktails and a wide array of shakes, smoothies, fresh juices, beers and mixed drinks. At Atmosphere, we believe that a great wine complements our food and we are proud to have around 80 wines on our wine list. Our wine tasting room is a popular venue for wine tastings with our wine connoisseur, and our wine flights are a fantastic way to try several wines throughout your meal.

Power in the Philippines is at 220V, but we also have 110V sockets located in our camera room for charging flashlights and camera. If you need a transformer for your room, please let us know. International type sockets are provided in each room and international adapters are available at the front desk, but we also recommend bringing your own. Fluctuations of currents are not unusual in the Philippines and if there are any power cuts, please allow a few minutes and our back-up generator will start. Every room is fitted with a flashlight if needed.

Are you a scuba diver or do you wish to try diving? Atmosphere is a PADI 5 Star Career Development Centre and we teach all courses from beginner up to professional level, as well as specialty courses and photo workshops. We also conduct “Discover Scubas” and Bubblemakers for both children and adults who want to try diving without getting certified.

If you are already certified but wish to go deeper, try different gases and equipment configurations, we have technical diving available. We offer courses from Intro to Tech and Sidemount, through to Trimix with TDI. We also cater for rebreathers and guiding for rebreather divers.

We recommend that you let us know if you wish to take a scuba diving course during your stay with us, so that we can prepare the schedule and materials. Many courses are now offering their theory online, which will save you classroom time and leave you with more time for diving, Let us know and we can sign you up and send you the link so that you can complete it before your arrival. Languages currently available at the Dive Centre are English, German, Dutch, French, Russian, Visayan and Tagalog. If you need instruction in another language than English or Filipino, please let us know in advance so that we have an instructor available for you during your stay.

We have modern facilities with private dive equipment storage spaces, complimentary nitrox, a camera/video room with private work space for each diver, a retail boutique, a classroom with flat screen TV, full equipment rental and a spacious briefing lobby.

If you are already certified, please bring your certification cards (physical or digital) and your log book. All scuba divers are asked to sign a PADI standard Liability Release for scuba diving on arrival. Please ensure that any diving medical concerns are addressed before you travel. If you plan to take a course, please ask us to send you the medical form in advance, as any concerns can delay the start of your course.

• You can dive up to 5 times per day, with the option to do boat dives along the coast, shore dives on our house reef and half day trips to Apo island. We have Unlimited Dive Packages available for pre-booking, as well as 10-, 15- and 20-dive packages.
• Dive groups reach a maximum of 4 with one dive guide unless there are special requests, however there maybe more than one group on a boat at a time.
• Private boats and dive guides, and photography guided dives are available at additional cost.
• Local conditions require that all dive groups stay together at any time and a typical dive is between 45 – 60 minutes depending on NDL and air consumption. Maximum depth for recreational dives is 30m (~100 ft) or less, depending on your certification level. If you are Deep Diver certified or wish to dive tech, there are options to dive deeper.
• A respect for the marine life is a must with good buoyancy control at all times.
• For environmental reasons, we do not accept any touching, moving or manipulation of underwater life.
• Gloves are prohibited by law whilst diving. If you need to use gloves for medical reasons, please bring a medical certificate with you.
• The majority of our tanks have the possibility to use an insert to make them suitable for either DIN or Yoke regulators and we pump them to 200 bar/3000 psi.
• Tanks are available in different sizes with 11 liters/80 cu the standard and optional 7 liter/50 cu or 15 liter/100 cu tanks at no extra charge.

For watersports, a 3mm wetsuit is the most common protection for divers. If you plan to do a lot of diving, in particular during December to March, we recommend bringing extra layers such as a hooded vest or thicker suit. This will ensure your comfort during repetitive dives, even in our lovely warm waters.

At Atmosphere Resorts & Spa, our core belief is that establishing a balance between a healthy mind, body and spirit is the key to successful healthy living. Our luxurious and award-winning spa “The Sanctuary Spa” is one of the best spas in Asia and promotes both physical and mental relaxation.

In 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2022, our Sanctuary Spa won prestigious awards at the worldwide Luxury Spa Awards. We took home the global worldwide award for Best Luxury Garden Spa and we also won the regional award for Best Luxury Spa Retreat in the Philippines.

The Sanctuary Spa is set aside in a secret garden with running waterfalls, ponds and tropical plants, surrounding our treatment pavilions. Also present in the Spa is a heated pool for Watsu (water shiatsu) treatments. We offer a wide range of treatments, including massages, facials, body scrubs, body wraps, foot spas, private baths, detox programs, threading, manicures and pedicures and much more. If you are interested in spa treatments, let us know and we will send you the latest spa menu. We have spa packages available for pre-booking.

Our yoga classes are held on our beachside tree-top yoga platform, overlooking the ocean. They range in style and level and are taught by our certified in-house yoga teacher. Private classes and retreats are also available, as are relaxation and meditation and children’s yoga classes. We also offer yoga retreats, please enquire if this would interest you.

Our Warrior Gym is located next to the Fitness center reception, near the resort entrance. It is an outdoor gym with a variety of obstacles and apparatus perfect for a good workout. We also offer fitness classes conducted by our certified personal trainer in TRX, circuit training, and body conditioning. Private classes offering more personalized workout sessions are also available.

With nature and beautiful scenery on our doorstep, mountain biking is sometimes the best way to experience the surrounding area. We run guided mountain biking experiences, where our experienced guide will take you on one of the many local trails. We have biking trails ranging from novice, perfect for beginners or families, to more technical and challenging adventures for the more experienced rider. Each excursion combines exercise with scenic views of neighboring Islands.

Fitness and yoga activities can be booked once you are in the resort, but we always like a heads up if we have a yogi or cyclist arriving.

Gratuities are not included and are not mandatory. If you feel that the Atmosphere Team helped make your trip enjoyable, may we suggest a gratuity of anything up to 10% of your package price and this will be greatly received. Envelopes are provided at the front desk where you may choose individual team members, departments or the whole staff with whom to share your tip. You may also charge your gratuity to your credit card.

Atmosphere Resorts & Spa is a family friendly resort with activities and facilities for children. Atmosphere provides regular babysitting while guests dive or have a night out at the Atmosphere restaurants or bars. The babysitter will take care of children within the resort area, whether it is in the comfort of the room or by the pool or beach.
Kids’ Cove is a kids’ club on Atmosphere premises with scheduled arts & crafts activities. We also offer children’s scuba diving classes, snorkeling, yoga and spa services, as well as dedicated children´s menu.

We have swimming pools that are specially designed for children with different depth, waterfalls, bubbles etc. and are located away from the main pool so that those guests who prefer more peace and quiet will not be disturbed.
If you wish to engage your children in any of the above, let us know!

Dumaguete City has several modern hospitals, and they all provide very good medical care. Medical care is inexpensive in the Philippines, but we strongly recommend that you take out travel insurance that covers medical care, if an accident or illness was to happen.

It is recommended to bring mosquito repellent to protect yourself against mosquitoes. We are not in a malaria area but there are occasional reports of dengue and chikungunya. If you need any personal medicine, we recommend that you bring a sufficient supply since there is never a guarantee that you can find the same type or brand here. There is nothing dangerous in our waters, but stings from small jellyfish, coral or other organisms can happen whilst swimming or snorkeling.

Examples of what guests like to bring include; Decongestants, seasickness tablets, antihistamines and Imodium. For the ladies, please be aware that tampons/Tampax cannot be purchased in the Philippines. Covid-19 antigen tests are also difficult to purchase. For children, nappies/diapers are available but if you wish for a specific brand, you may want to bring your own.

Besides diving we offer a wide range of other activities and excursions. Stepping out of the resort, there is the whole of Negros Oriental, renowned for outstanding natural beauty and fascinating culture. The vast mountain ridge behind Atmosphere is home to several lakes, waterfalls and local markets.

The nearby Apo Island offers terrific snorkeling with turtles and we conduct dolphin watching nearby the famous Manjuyod sandbar as well as snorkeling with whale sharks in Oslob. We also run regular bird watching excursions to nearby Twin lakes. For the more adventurous, we suggest a day of canyoning at Kawasan Falls or maybe a climb up nearby Mt Talinis?

The city of Dumaguete is a university-town with a long breezy seaside boulevard and historical buildings, as well as shopping complexes and museums. Valencia is a quaint mountain town with waterfalls and hot springs nearby and we also have a beautiful Coffee Plantation on the mountainside near Atmosphere.

You are welcome to book any of these activities whilst in the resort, but for bigger excursions such as canyoning in Kawasan falls, swimming with whale sharks and climbing Mt Talinis, we recommend that you let us know in advance if possible.