Dive Tubbataha National Park with this great value liveaboard!
Why We Love It
Discover the most beautiful reef in the Philippines with this great value for money liveaboard! Accessible only 4 months a year, from March to June, the Tubbataha reef is home to hundreds of species of fish, more than 13 species of dolphins and whales and 11 species of sharks! With only nine liveaboards licensed to go to Tubbataha, spots are going fast! We love the small dive groups this boat offers, with only 5 divers per guide.
Conservation
The liveaboard occasionally invites scientists and researchers. Single-use plastics are prohibited in Tubbataha per local regulations.
Who Is It For?
For advanced divers who like big and small. Divers are required to have a minimum of 30 logged dives, and have experience with currents. If you have the experience but not the certification, you can do the Advanced Open Water course on board - just ask us.
Lower deck twin-share accommodation. Main deck and Upper deck cabins with a sipplement - ask us. There's also one triple cabin on the lower deck.
Full-board meal plan with in-between meal snacks and non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages
Gear rental (except dive computer), weight belt and weights
17 dives
Return Airport transfers with a 5 km radius of Puerto Princesa airport
What's not included?
Marine park fee: $110 (about ... EUR)
Nitrox if certified: $125 (about ... EUR) for 6-nights trips
Fuel surcharge: $100 (about ... EUR)
Gratuities for the crew
Dive Briefing!
Marine Life
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park comprises North Atoll, South Atoll, and Jessie Beazley Reef and is often rated as one of the world’s best diving destinations.
Large trevally, tuna and barracuda, grey reef and white tip reef sharks, stingrays, and marble rays can be spotted on the majority of the dive sites.
Green and hawksbill turtles are commonly sighted too, whilst mantas, whale sharks, and eagle rays are occasional visitors.
Expect to dive along with big schools of surgeonfish, rainbow runners, and sweetlips too, and of course, you'll get to see many angelfish, butterflyfish, rainbow runners, Moorish idols, fusiliers, jacks, and snappers.
The macro life is rich too, with nudibranchs, ornate ghost pipefish, seahorses, and frogfish to name a few.
Dive Conditions
Season: from April to June
Currents: medium to strong on some sites
Visibility:10 to 35 m (30 to 115 ft)
Water temperature:27° to 30°C (81° to 86°F) with some thermoclines
Depth: mostly deep dives
Dive Sites
Crossing time from Puerto Princesa to Tubbataha is between 12 to 16 hours. There is no diving on embarkation day.
Dive sites consist mainly of vertical walls or near drop-offs rising out of great depths, with shallow reef tops teeming with local reef fish.
Some of the sites you'll visit are Delsan Wreck, Washing Machine, North East wall, Shark Airport, Amos Rock, Staghorn Point, Jessie Beazley Reef, and Malayan Wreck.
Dives are limited to 60 minutes.
The Team
Operation created in 2013
PADI courses available onboard: Advanced Open Water, Nitrox - asks us
Languages spoken on board: English, French, Filipino
5 people maximum per dive guide
Safety Information
Equipment Recommended: a 3mm wetsuit is usually enough. Note that gloves are forbidden in Tubbataha unless you have a medical condition for which you'll be asked to present a doctor's certificate. The use of reef hooks, tank bangers, and nudi pointers is also forbidden in Tubbataha.
Insurance: Both dive insurance and travel insurance are mandatory. We recommend DAN Europe which has plans to cover both - ask us for a quote
Nearest Hyperbaric Chamber: nearest chamber is in Coron or Cebu.
Visas, Flights, and More!
Visa Requirements
You must have a valid passport to enter the Philippines, and a return ticket
Ensure your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond the period you intend to stay
Most citizens do not require a visa to stay in the Philippines for up to 30 days
There are direct flights from Manila (MNL) to Puerto Princesa (PPS) with Cebu Pacific, Air Asia, or Philippines Airlines. Return airport transfers (and transfers within a radius of 5km of the airport) are organized by the liveaboard as follows:
Guests can check in from 11:00 on the first the day
Check out is at the latest at 08:00 on the last day
Important: We advise that all guests carry ALL dive-related equipment (including a regulator) in their check-in luggage rather than their carry-on luggage. The Philippine Office for Transportation Security includes 'scuba equipment' on a list of blunt instruments that are NOT allowed to be carried in hand luggage on flights originating in the Philippines
More...
The Philippines is subject to malaria, dengue, and chikungunya. Take necessary precautions to avoid them
Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, mosquito repellent, and a rash-guard