REVIEWS

“If you were ever interested in giving freediving a try, I can not recommend learning with Emil highly enough! I’ve dove with Emil in Thailand and the Philippines at various times since my first time freediving in 2011. He is a really friendly, easygoing, and fun person who takes teaching and safety seriously. He is an excellent instructor for beginners and more experienced Freedivers alike. I’ve always felt extremely comfortable and safe with him, leading to many new PBs under his guidance. My abilities have always progressed incredibly when I have had Emil there to help. He genuinely cares for his students and always keeps things fun!”

~Kyla, Australia

“It was my second time coming to Dauin to freedive with Emil. To me it’s very important to learn from someone who is very responsible when it comes to safety. With Emil you can clearly see that he has years of experience. He finds the perfect balance between teaching, encouraging and fun with diving. He adapts very well to the individual abilities of his students, whether beginner or experienced. You can clearly see his deep-seated passion for freediving. He focuses on technique and safety combined with fun diving. I have learned a lot from him in quite a short time and have grown beyond myself thanks to his help. He always meets you at eye level and is very happy to share his knowledge. I genuinely enjoyed diving with Emil a lot, if you’re thinking about trying freediving or getting better at it – Emil is definitely the right person to come to and Dauin is a great place to stay in!!!”

~Janska, Germany

“Words alone cannot capture the profound impact that my freediving course level 1 with Dumagat Freedive had on me. It was an experience that transcended the boundaries of mere education; it was a journey of self-discovery, courage, and unconditional support.

Emil’s teaching style was a perfect blend of patience, expertise, and unwavering encouragement. He understood that each student had their own unique journey, and he tailored his approach to meet us (Tom, my classmate and the owner of the extremely delicious vegan restaurant directly beneath Dumagat Freedive and I) where we were. He effortlessly created an environment of trust, where vulnerability was celebrated, and fears were met with unwavering support. With every lesson, he pushed us to step outside our comfort zones, but always within the boundaries of safety. Emil’s guidance was a delicate balance between challenging our limits and nurturing our growth.

During our time together, Emil became more than just an instructor; he became a friend, a mentor, and a source of inspiration. He celebrated every milestone with us, and his genuine pride in our achievements made us believe in ourselves.

My freediving course with Emil was not just an educational experience; it was a transformative journey of self-discovery. Through his guidance, I learned to conquer my fears, trust my instincts, and embrace the unknown.

And if I, a constantly self-doubting, clumsy, unathletic, uncoordinated, and unfocused daydreamer with ADD can do it, you have no more excuses! So go for it! You have nothing to lose!”

~Anna, Austria

“Emil and Dumagat Freedive has truly nurtured my interest in free-diving and has shown me the way to refine new skills and seek more knowledge on the different aspects of freediving. He is a very knowledgeable and experienced instructor and he always helps you feel safe and relaxed underwater as you learn and practice new skills. The level of professionalism makes me grateful to have learned freediving from Emil. Thank you Emil for your time and sharing your gift! I highly recommend Dumagat Freedive! 10/5 stars!”

~Genevieve, Philippines

“I found out about this freediving school six years ago. I visited the small island (Romblon) they used to be located on and heard great things about it. Four years later I finally got around to returning to the Philippines and thought I’d do the SSI Level 1, just to try the sport out. I had the most amazing time, went down to 20 meters on the second day and down to 25 meters on the third day. I now train regularly but Emil has taught me about as much in three days as I have learned in a year of pool training. He is not only a highly skilled freediver and amazing teacher but also, like a lot of Filipinos, an EPIC host. He tailors his teachings to his students skill level, personalities, abilities, and even weaknesses. One of the kindest people you’ll meet, who loves what he does and loves passing on his skills.

I have not been to the location of the new school but I am sure he has picked a stunning spot :D I can strongly recommend this school if you are after an off-the-grid experience! I can’t wait to return soon and check out his new set up :)”

~Sita, Germany

“If you want to learn to freedive, this is the place to do it. We had the best time learning to freedive with Emil! He really is a great instructor, always helping improve you’re technique or get through a mental block I always felt totally safe and in great hands the whole time.

As a scuba instructor myself I can honestly say Emil has a great ethos to his dive school as it’s so personal, unlike many schools where you can feel like a walking wallet. We spent everyday getting experience in the water and afterwards chilled out and talked about our sessions.

If we could have stayed longer and dived more we would have! Thanks so much Emil hopefully we will be back!”

~Grace & Callum, UK

“Everyone should try freediving: I did the half-day introductory course as I had no prior experience with free diving, and didn’t want to commit to a full certification right away. I ended up spending pretty much the whole day in Dauin with over 3 hours spent just in the water! Emil is super patient, chilled, and an excellent instructor – he really helped me to build confidence in myself to (quite literally) go deeper and really wants you to get the most out of the course.

He is also a great photographer (he will get all instagram-able angles), host (thanks for the awesome chat and snacks, sorry for stealing half of your dinner), and very witty.

So glad that I stumbled upon this place. Thanks for a memorable day, it was so lovely meeting you! I’ll be back :)

If you’re looking to try something new, challenge yourself and you have an appreciation for underwater life, just go for it!”

~Priya, UK

“I feel lucky to have had a superb course taught by Emil! Completed the SSI level 1, doing more than I ever imagined I could, and Emil slyly makes it easy. A real experience, totally personalized and he teaches you based on who you are and how you learn. Super relaxed, he has a great set up and a peaceful place on the beach.

Excellent equipment and clear skill demonstrations, no room for confusion. On every session visited by turtles. Very cool!

I highly recommend Dumagat Freedive to anyone reading this, you are sure to have a great experience. Emil is super fit and serves as a great example of how one should be!
Thanks Emil, had an absolute fantastic time!”

~Manu, India

“Got my Freediver Level 1 cert with Emil and had such an amazing time! He’s very professional and I felt the entire time that I was in a safe and controlled environment to push myself both physically and mentally. And that said, going into the class I thought it would be a lot of discomfort and fighting the urge to breathe, but he did a great job coaching me and helping me to feel more calm than anything on my dives. Definitely recommend.”

~Allie, United States

“For me freediving was something I have been wanting to try for quite some time. I have no particular diving background. More accidently, we found Dumagat Freedive in Dauin while traveling on the island. We decided to do the Discovery Course with Emil and made an unforgettable experience. He introduced us with great care and empathy to everything we had to know to do our first steps. He puts great effort in teaching the proper technique right from the beginning (which was quite a task, considering that we were total newbies to diving) while keeping a super relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. He provided us with all needed equipment and we went into the water. There he showed us slowly what we have to do. He never pushed for something and we could really move forward in our own speed. During the whole time we felt absolutely comfortable and safe. We both managed the 10m after some practicing, which was truely amazing for us and something we did not expect.

Emil is an amazing teacher and person you can really spend good time with. If you want to try freediving or become more experienced in this matter I highly recommend him and Dumagat Freedive. Go and make your own experience.”

~Oriane & Viktor, Switzerland & Germany

“I’d give more than 5 stars if I could! Dumagat Freedive, what an experience! A very well-equipped dive center. I can definitely say that Emil is one of the best if not the best instructors out there. The guy’s a legend, the nicest and friendliest person and at the same time the very professional!

He teaches a student everything that is needed for that course and more importantly, he does it in a more personalized way depending on what an individual needs and/or what they a do, maximizing everything you can possibly improve.

I hope I can go back soon! Definitely enjoyed Dumagat Freedive for the training as well as meeting these wonderful people, Emil and Laura. Thank you, Emil!”

~Vendicks, Philippines

Translated from Swedish: “Freediving; An experience out of the ordinary and an instructor; Emil as having the greatest degree of commitment, professionalism, humility and knowledge gave us experiences and insights that we did not know existed. One of our eight great days in Romblon, we spent at Dumagat Freedive with Emil. He gave us the first insights and experiences in freediving’s precious art. He did it with panache. His peace, harmony and pedagogy impressed, and he got us, but we really do not understand how it happened, that the mental training and relaxation exercises to hold our breath for as long as we before thought would be totally impossible. After our exercises on land and on yoga mats, we spent several hours in the water. There, about 100 meters from the shore and at a buoy as a starting point, we made the descent one after the other. The feeling to dive down along the vertical rope is hard to describe. Even more indescribable feeling was that, after a number of attempts to reach ten meters deep and remain there for a while and then give yourself up to the surface again. Magical experience! Thanks Emil for your patience! See you again next year!”

~ Ann-Marie & Gunnar, Sweden

“We, four French 30-ish years old underwater passionates, spent 3 days with Emil in early May 2018. We all came with different levels of free diving experience, and different expectations: two of us had already been training for a year, one was a complete beginner, and I had some kind of empiric experience practicing spearfishing. Despite the very short time frame and heterogeneous audience, Emil managed to go beyond what we would have imagined. His natural confidence, extensive knowledge and strong professionalism enabled him to get the best from each of us.

After three open water sessions, we all managed to satisfy all the requirements for the SSI Level 1. Some of us even pushed their limits to amazing static chronos (4min40sec) and constant weight depths (25m), that they definitely wouldn’t have reached without Emil’s precious help and advices.

Moreover, the setting is as meaningful as perfect. A simple house on the coast line, integrated in its environment, at the end of the world, only one hundred meters away from the freedive spots. We almost felt like young Jedis undertaking an initiatory trip to meet Master Yoda.

We definitely recommend this amazing experience and wish all the best to Emil.”

~ Céline, Max, Carole & Guillaume, France

“Dumagat Freedive definitely changed my vision of underwater possibilities. Keeping your breath for as long as you can to go as deep as possible underwater could sound a bit stupid, but next to Emil it just feels right (kind of). He put me in so much confidence by his obvious experience and professionalism but also because he’s a super calm and patient motherfucker. I had no idea what I was getting into, Dumagat Freedive definitely changed my vision of underwater possibilities and opened a new world to me. Thanks Emil, you’re a fucking legend!”

~ Colin, Quebec

“Unexpectedly, one of the highlights of our 5 month trip! …Firstly, awesome guys, and they didn’t try to sell anything to us at all, so were off to a good start. Secondly, they had literally the perfect thing for us: their ‘Discover Freediving’ morning or afternoon course. After a brief chat about what it would involve, we decided to go for it. Next day we did the course…. It was by far, the best decision we could have made, and was actually I think one of my highlights of our 5 month round-world trip! The guys are so sound yet professional, and Emil was such a clear, calming, patient teacher. I won’t go into too much detail about the course content, but basically on the shore, among many other things, we learnt all about how to breathe before and after the dives, and how to deal with the urges to breath when the CO2 builds up; then in the water we put it all into practice (and even were privileged enough to do it alongside Sylvain while he did his own personal training – involving 60m+ dives!). The whole time Emil was talking us through everything, encouraging us, telling us where we could improve, and was even diving down with us on every dive (for safety, and presumably so he could assess our progress). After the ‘official’ training, Emil stayed out with us in the water for as long as we wanted while we practiced everything we had just learnt, giving tips and/or encouragement when we asked/needed it. Back on shore I was on cloud 9 and we hung around for a good while eating cake in the amazing beach/forest setting with the guys and kind of part debriefed, part shared our new-found enthusiasm for the sport, and part just talked nonsense! Anyway, gotta stop typing now! All in all it was really a great experience and I couldn’t recommend it higher. We probably would have done further training if we had more time and a higher budget.”

~ Hannah & Jack, U.K.

“I normally don’t write reviews, for the reasons that I am simply not good at this and I don’t want to be misleading. But the experience I had was so good that I had to. I had some freediving experience before, so a friend recommended me to go to Romblon and dive with Emil. I did the SSI level 1 and asked Emil to focus on safety & blackouts. And so he did with excellence. Not only does he reveal the best freediver in you, but he also affects you on a personal level. He gets to the core of what freediving is about. Every day we had not only training dives, but so much fun dives, it’s great! The location is just perfect, and the gear is excellent. I stayed at Totoy’s place (great food and drinks!), and that made the whole experience even better. I feel that I’ve made some real friends there. I can’t wait to go back to resume freediving.”

~Niels, Belgium

“I had never done freediving nor scuba diving before and I was afraid of being underwater. Hard job for Emil, the teacher at Dumagat Freedive. In the end, I spent more than three weeks at this wonderful place, diving almost everyday and overcame my fear of the water. Emil is such a professional and patient teacher with his heart in the right place. Hope I can come back some time.”

~ Elena, Germany

“A couple of weeks of training in heaven – Romblon, Philippines – have wrought results. A new personal best in freediving. Depth: 46.6m FIM 2:06min. With this post I’d like to thank resident jedi master of this remote island – Emil Lars of Dumagat Freedive. Truly one of the best instructors of any sport or discipline that I ever had the pleasure to meet.”

~Pi, Lithuania

“Highlight of our 2 months trip to the Philippines! I don’t know where to start, everything about our freediving course with Emil was fantastic – I would give 10 stars if I could!

Emil came by our hotel the night before to bring us our course material and from that moment on we knew we were in good hands. He took such good care of us, he really customized the course to our wishes and needs and did everything to make my girlfriend and I feel comfortable and safe in and outside the water. (He even improvised a nasal rinse for me since I was a little congested and had some problems to equalize.)

In other freediving schools in the Philippines you get two 90min classroom lessons and two 90min water sessions in the course of two days. Emil instead really gave us the time we needed and in the end we spent three full days freediving and learning with him and the course day ended, when we were exhausted (but stoked) after a long water session. He’s got so much love for this sport and the ocean and he really cares about you having a great time and making progress, without ever putting any pressure on you.

We’re so glad we went to Romblon, which was definitely one of our favourite islands in the Philippines and we’re so glad, we got to meet Emil. He’s a brilliant teacher, so much fun to hang out with (and share a beer with) and probably the nicest person we met in our 2 months in this beautiful country.

I genuinely miss this guy and whenever I’m back in that area I will take my next freediving course at Dumagat Freedive.

Thanks so much for everything – good luck for the search and see you soon, Emil! Servus.”

~ Amélie & Georg, Austria

“I am pretty sure there are adventures or activities on this planet some people will say are insanely great and other people won’t get hyped or touched by at all. Traveling around 10 years visiting nearly 20 countries, I would 100% say this is the way things are working and that’s fine. But that was before we went to Romblon to do a freediving course at Dumagat Freedive. Actually it was so nice I really thought about not writing a review while hoping this wonderful place should stay the same till I go there again. But that wouldn’t be fair and everybody should know what a beautiful pearl is laying there in the center of the Philippines. I really think experiences like this will make the world a better place… you will know when you will go! So I made myself a TripAdvisor account just to tell you what’s up with Freediving, Romblon and Emil. Freediving is a way of diving which concentrates on the ability to connect your mind with your body to achieve a state of high relaxation and control. You will be able to do things you probably thought were impossible. And yes you are gonna be diving without an oxygen tank on your back. Romblon is a small island you can orbit via coastline street in about 2 hours and it is breathtakingly :) nice… On this colourful island you will hardly find a single person who is not smiling, in a friendly way. And if you stop, it won’t take long to have contact with the locals which means you will most often have a drink and a snack and perhaps a new friend. Emil ( the founder of Dumagat Freedive) has Filipino roots but also spent some years in the U.S studying, so the course will be optionally held in English. He is such a cool, relaxed, polite and funny guy, you could easily think he is a friend you are traveling with instead of him being your teacher. Actually we spent most of the time together cooking, meeting locals and having a drink, watching a movie or simply having a talk about whatever feels worth talking about. He as a person is really enjoyable, he as a diving teacher is simply the best I ever had by far! I had a couple since a started scuba years ago. Whatever you imagine a teacher should be like, he is. Whatever you imagine a teacher shouldn’t be like, he isn’t… The only thing which is below average are the prices per course Emil charges. What a great dude.. I never had any kind of homesickness, but yeah I miss that place. See you again for sure. You did an incredibly great Job…”

~ Janis & Lea, Germany

“Already looking forward to my trip back!

Upon the suggestion of a common friend, I decided to check out Dumagat Freedive during a trip to (beautiful, peaceful) Romblon late last year; didn’t really have plans to do freediving prior; but still checked out the place and spoke with Emil a bit, and decided then and there to at least go for the introductory course.

Definitely.no.regrets.

Emil’s probably one of the best instructors I’ve had — I love how chill he is, and considering I have some anxiety issues when in open water (and with no scuba gear or at least fins on), I quickly learned to relax, breathe properly, and have lots of fun at the same time! It rained quite hard at one point, and I really loved the contrast of being underwater and all its serenity versus surfacing to heavy pounding rain. Saw one of the resident sea turtles as well, which was def a treat!

If heading to Romblon, I’d definitely suggest to spend at least a few days in this part of the island and not just stay in town for the whole duration. And do consider taking a course with Dumagat if you’re even the least bit interested in exploring unspoilt nature — you won’t regret it! and you’ll get to meet a pretty fun bunch as well!

My only disappointment was that I didn’t have more days in the island to do a proper course. But hey, it’s one of many reasons to go back!”

~ Alexandra, Philippines

“We spent a total of 8 weeks in a row in the Philippines, but our week on Romblon island with Dumagat Freedive and Emil was one of the brightest shining highlights.

Driven by the idea to boost our snorkel adventures we decided spice up our holidays with something challenging, a freedive course. We picked Dumagat Freedive because it had the best reviews and the island Romblon itself seemed to be off the beaten tracks.

Emil taught us everything we needed to successfully complete the SSI Level 1 Freedive Course: breathing techniques, equipment, finning, streamlining, relaxation, freediving physiology, equalisation techniques and much more. For the course, Dumagat Freedive provided all the study materials, lots of fun, fins, wetsuits and if you need as well masks.

Emil is a very very good and dedicated freedive instructor. We always felt safe and comfy with him. His humour always keeps a smile in your face and his patience but encouraging style ensures maximum success and a pleasant experience. Thanks again Dumagat Freedive for enriching our life with new sensations! Level 2 is in planning!”

~ Miriam & David, Germany

“Freediving at it’s best: Dumagat could not have done any better. I did the level 1 and 2 Freediving course with Dumagat. Honestly, it was perfect. Here’s why: 1. Emil is a teacher who always fits the individual needs of his students (I was a little to pushy; my girlfriend was afraid under water). We both learned to enjoy freediving and developed a passion for it…”

~ Alex, Germany

“So you would like to learn how to freedive?
Then you just found the right place.
Instructor Emil is a very smart and sensible man
and he will take your worries in an instant.
Actually I never experienced a relaxed state like on his yoga mat again.
I wish I could get into that moment again… feel the wind, hear the palm trees,
face hurting from smiling while trying to hold my breaths…
– and it really works: I was down 20 metres. Again and again. It really is addictive.
I even quit the rum to gain more dive power.
.. I will start holding my breath again…”

~ Hans, Germany

“When visiting Romblon, we met this guy Louis, he told us about the freediving training he was doing with Dumagat Freedive, and the good instructor Emil.

I was curious, went to Emil and it was immediately clear that he is a professional instructor, relaxed guy, friendly and funny.

Decided to do an introduction course together with my wife.

Now I had never succeeded in equalizing, so was never able to dive below 2-3 meters when snorkeling. Emil taught me how to be completely calm, pre-equalize and then keep on equalizing with every increase of depth. It worked so well!!

So the first day I was able to reach 15m underwater. It felt amazing and I was so happy!

Thanks again and see you soon!

@everybody: I can highly recommend Emil as an instructor and freediving as an experience! (And maybe even as a new ‘hobby’) :)”

~ Floris, Netherlands

“Great freediving experience. I always wanted to try freediving and found Dumagat Freedive through Tripadvisor.
I did a try freediving session with Emil and can not recommend him enough. He makes you feel comfortable, relaxed and safe from the very beginning. It is easy to see that he loves what he is doing!

Also the contact beforehand via email was easy and you can feel that he is willing to go the extra mile for his customers.

Emil, you definitely got me hooked! I will come back :)”

~ Andrea, Germany

“Dumagat Freedive is a professional and fully-equipped freedive center. Emil is the best instructor you can find! I really loved my time there. He gave me feedback after every dive so I could correct myself, go deeper and freefall faster every session. As freediving is also a mind game, Emil always found the appropriate words to give me confidence and encourage me. During all the dives, I’ve felt safe and I knew I was in good hands. He was there for me and to assure my safety. Also, the shop has everything you may need, from full wetsuits to first aid kits and drinking water. Thank you so much Emil for everything (including the delicious ginger tea!). Without you, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to reach 35m (and I would even have gotten deeper if I had more time in Romblon). I highly recommend Dumagat Freedive!”

~ Veronique, Canada

“Freediving with Emil is like not being a person anymore. Emil introduced me to the techniques, basic knowledge and spirit of freediving. I felt in love with the island and freediving. I did the SSI Level 1 course and it was a pleasure to be under the care of Emil and his friend, Sylvain. Just do it and get to know the vibe of that fantastic Island and that intensely positive sport! I am looking forward to see you again, Emil!”

~ Rupert, Austria

“World class school! Emil is an incredible instructor, badass in the water, and a great guy. My experience at Dumagat Freedive increased my knowledge, technique, and appreciation for freediving and life in general. Emil is a consummate professional, while remaining friendly, patient, and endlessly helpful. After taking level 1 and 2, I wanted to stay longer and soak up as much knowledge and instruction as I could.
I give Emil and Dumagat Freedive my highest recommendation!”

~ Mike, USA

“If you are in Negros Oriental/Dumaguete area and want to try something entirely new or are, like me, a scuba diver and want to see what’s its like going under minus a tank then Dumagat Freedive is the place to be! I did SSI Level one with Emil and he was the most thorough, dedicated, patient and knowledgeable instructor who tailor made what we did depending on my comfort level/conditions. I progressed far beyond what I initially thought and it was all down to him and his relaxed instruction. I would happily go back for more sessions and maybe level 2 and beyond.”

~ Antony, UK

“Master program to Level 2 Instructor. I never planned on becoming a freediving instructor, but after a few training sessions with Emil I was hooked.. Emil is passionate about the ocean and understands how we can connect to it and dive into ourselves when we freedive. Deep meditation. He is knowledgable and professional, and at the same time personal and patient. He is able to find the balance between pushing you to challenge yourself but not feeding the ego. I always felt safe, and trusted I was in good hands, which played a major role in gaining depth and attempting new personal bests. I could not have asked for a better experience and will always be grateful.”

~ Laura, UK