The Editor says: Those in the Chinese-speaking diving community are surely familiar with the name "Eagle-Eyed Dive Guide Music Lin." Many of you have also been wondering where this girl — famous for her excited screams underwater — has disappeared to. It turns out that Music Lin has been away in Romblon, Philippines, touted as the country's next macro diving holy land, on an extended study trip. Over the course of several months, she turned over every reef rock in front of the island, all in the name of thoroughly documenting the local macro marine life in preparation for visiting divers from around the world. The Romblon dive resort is set to open in 2020 — is your camera ready? Full article reposted from the Music Lin 林音樂 我是潛水教練 Facebook page.
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I'm opening this blog post with a tiger-patterned nudibranch 📷 TG6 with an ordinary Torch[/caption]
I've been on this little island — Romblon — for a while now.
If you follow underwater photography closely, you've almost certainly heard of this place.
Back in Taiwan, I used to see this magical little destination pop up in my feed every day, showcasing creatures I rarely got to see at home, and I longed to visit.
After discovering the black nudibranch at Xiaoliuqiu, I thought maybe I didn't actually need to make this trip.
But as it turns out...
The whole environment is completely different, and the marine life is worlds apart~~~
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The creatures here are so wonderfully relaxed 📷 TG6 with an ordinary Torch[/caption]
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If they're not running away, just take your time and shoot~ 📷 TG6 using natural light[/caption]
The marine life is calm and unhurried — almost perfect conditions for photography!
The whole pace is slow and easy, so there's much more to observe about each creature~
Best of all, the water here is crystal clear, the conditions are calm, and the sun is blazing!!!
An already excellent diving environment, made even better~
And there's something special about this place: it's rare to find a macro site with a white-sand bottom — that's not something you often see in the Philippines~
So the overall look of every photo can be incredibly fresh and bright!!!
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Even the Clownfish has to be this adorable, right!? 📷 TG6 using natural light[/caption]
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Hey there! I live in Romblon! 📷 TG6 using natural light[/caption]
This photo won an Olympus Award — my competition entry
Honestly, it was just a casual snapshot taken in Romblon. I didn't even use a strobe!
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I'm this cute — aren't you coming?? 📷 TG6 using natural light[/caption]
All this rambling just to tell you one thing: this place is incredibly photogenic!!!
So photogenic!!!
I went back and aced every exam with 100 marks after shooting here!!!
So how do we get there??
Taipei to Manila — I personally take the China Airlines afternoon flight departing at 13:30
(Budget-airline prices, but on a full-service schedule!!!)
It's not a budget carrier, so travel is wonderfully relaxed, and you get 30 kg of checked baggage!!!
Arriving in Manila at around 16:00
After collecting your luggage, you hop into the vehicle arranged by the dive resort to head to the port~
A quick preview below:
2GO ferries depart every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 21:00 heading to Romblon, with one-way tickets costing around NT$1,000+~
But you save on accommodation, so it's really quite a bargain!!!
(That's why flights are also scheduled on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays)
Book a bunk in a four-berth cabin in advance, and once you're on board, you can go straight to sleep~
By 5:00 the next morning you'll have arrived at your destination, and the dive shop staff will be at the port to welcome you!!!
Fly out yesterday afternoon, and by the crack of dawn the next day you're already diving — no time wasted, just pure diving and shooting bliss!!!
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📷 TG6 with an ordinary Torch[/caption]
The biodiversity here is truly no exaggeration~
Even a feisty little crab is just hanging out right at the doorstep~
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📷 TG6 using natural light[/caption]
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📷 TG6 using natural light[/caption]
The cute little fish are easy to find too~
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📷 TG6 using natural light[/caption]
Because the sunlight is so good and the water so clear, I absolutely love shooting with natural light~
#fly_out_this_afternoon_and_go_diving_like_crazy_first_thing_tomorrow_morning
#saving_two_nights_of_accommodation_both_ways_is_a_total_bargain
#nobody_takes_a_two_day_boat_ride_let_us_show_you_how_to_plan_it
#but_if_you_want_to_wing_it_and_waste_time_thats_fine_just_dont_blame_the_distance
#tuesday_thursday_saturday_outbound_ferries_are_super_convenient
#wednesday_friday_sunday_return_ferries_are_just_as_convenient
#wake_up_and_go_diving_pretty_sweet
Related links:
- The Must-Read First Lesson for Better Underwater Photography — Eagle-Eyed Dive Guide Music Lin's Journey
- A Millennial Female Instructor Who Fears No Challenge and Embraces the Headwind — Music Lin
- Kenting Must-See Macro Underwater Photography Highlights — Music Lin
- Music Lin 林音樂 我是潛水教練 Facebook Page
- Romblon dive resort website www.diveromblon.com
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I want to sign up for a dive trip. Are there certification-level or logged-dive requirements?
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I'm a new diver / haven't dived in a long time — will I fall behind the group?
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Besides your scheduled trips, can you arrange a private group charter or independent travel for me and my friends?
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