I booked a room + diving package with Evolution for a week (12 - 18 June) with my girlfriend, and we had a great time. I did my Advance Open Water diving course over the first couple of days while my partner enjoyed herself with a bunch of fun dives.

The course was very well conducted and managed by my Evolution instructor - the lessons were professionally conducted and the skills practice was well supported. I had a great time and emerged a better diver at the end of it. During the course, there were multiple (non-repetitive) opportunities for my partner and I to dive together at the same dive sites, so we got the best of both worlds - I got to learn and she got to explore the site.

Dive instructors at Evolution are a mutlinational, multilingual crew. They're a cocktail of adventure, stories and perspectives. Network, talk, trade stories and debate about ideas with the crew if you get on well. There's treasure to be found.

Diving conditions during our stay were good, with visibility at 10m or more on most days and easily no current. The reefs around Malapascua are teeming with beautiful and colour life, while the shark dives and occasional spotting of barracudas and turtles were an extra special treat.

The rooms were cleaned and very well maintained. Evolution staff was always on-hand to see that our needs were addressed promptly and service was great. There was a minor problem with bugs in the bathroom and a bit of a smell, but it was resolved eventually. Still, the room was air-conditioned, clean and fitted with enough fittings to ensure that we were never wanting for space to keep our things organised while we went about enjoying ourselves.

There was a daily supply of fresh bath and beach towels, making us feel absolutely pampered. Soap and shampoo was provided with the room, making it extra convenient in ensuring that we could always get comfortable after some water time.

Daily breakfast was included with our room booking, allowing us to start the day in comfort. Good quality and delicious meals are also available at the resort diner, but its range tends to be a little limited. For variety, I'd recommend that you explore the other establishments on the strip. If you're adventurous, you can practically eat at a different restaurant every night. Overall, the food and drinks quality in and around Evolution is pretty good and affordable. Make it a part of your holiday to try the local food and drinks - I'm pretty sure you'll not be disappointed.

Overall, I'd give Evolution a 4 because it shows such potential to be a top-notch high quality resort. It's got almost everything you could want and need for a diving holiday, though some components could do with improvements. I'll definitely recommend them.

PS: Grab the tourist SIM when you arrive at the airport - it's free, has a generous data allowance and connectivity is good, as long as your phone isn't regionally blocked. You'll be glad for a little bit of connection while you disconnect :)

I traveled alone and stayed at Evolution for 7 nights. I completed my open water and advanced diver PADI certifications here. As a new diver, my priority was to be safe and this is one of the reasons I chose Evolution, having read great things about the professionally-run dive shop. I couldn't have asked for a better instructor than Mette Hallum and DM-Trainee Allan Gill (now Divemaster!). The whole learning process was smooth and very well planned. Mette is a great coach and we spent a lot of time reviewing skills over and over till I got them right underwater. Right after I finished the courses, I was confident enough to extend my stay by a whole week and get 11 more fun dives in! Really enjoyed diving with Divemasters Weng, Gino and Jo who were great at spotting a wide variety of marine life. The boat crew (Ando, Rollie, Albert and others) were really nice and make everything so easy for the fun-diver, making sure all the equipment is fully set up and good to go.

I stayed in the Deluxe Garden view room because I wanted air conditioning. It was very spacious (especially for a solo traveller!) and well maintained. The reception and the restaurant staff will get to know you quickly and are very friendly. The bar is perfect all evenings, not too noisy but not dull either like some of the other places I saw on the island. Overall my stay at Evolution was simply perfect and a big thank you to everyone at the resort who played a part in that!