Tubbataha Luxury Live-Aboard
Wed 23 April – Tues 29 April 2014
Price: 1,750 GBP /pax
Max 16 guests on the S/Y Philippine Siren

Tubbatah Philippines

Proclaimed a National Marine Park in 1988 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993 in recognition of its outstanding universal value in terms of marine life species diversity and richness.

182km south east of Puerto Princessa on Palawan Island, the Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea offers some truly amazing diving, only accesible by liveaboard and only accessable 4 months of the year Feb to May.  This trip planned for the end of April should ensure we are there at the best possible time of year.

Tubbataha reefs consist of vertical walls or near drop off's with pinnacles rising out of great depths. The shallow reef tops are teeming with colourful reef fish; in many places stingrays, spiny lobsters, immature manta rays, turtles, leopard sharks and guitar sharks can be found. The walls are covered in huge barrel sponges, gorgonian sea fans, soft corals, hydroids and black corals. In deeper water, shoals of angelfish, butterfly fish, pennant fish, rainbow runners, Moorish idols, fusiliers, jacks, snappers and sweetlips follow you around. Large trevally, tuna and barracuda as well as grey reef sharks and whitetip sharks patrol. Giant manta rays and eagle rays fly overhead and turtles and groupers, both large and small, pass by

The Tubbataha reef system was formed millenia ago along the Cagayan ridge, and consists mainly of two atolls (North and South) and the Jessie Beazley reefs. This delicate reef system supports over 600 different fish species and over 300 coral species, whilst providing a haven for nesting hawksbill and green turtles along with numerous birds. A field station on the North atoll is manned by rangers year-round, and during this trip we visit the rangers to learn more about conservation and reef protection.

Our Luxury Liveaboard

The 40 metre S/Y Philippine Siren has been designed and built using lessons learnt from many years of yacht building.  She is a traditional “gaft rigged Phinisi” handcrafted from ironwood and teak built on the Indonesian Island of Sulawesi.

I think that we will find no other dive liveaboard as beautiful in Philippine waters, and as she was built by divers for divers and not adapted from being a second hand fishing boat or research vessel, the quality of the living experience will be obvious to see.

Features of the S/Y Philippine Siren

7 sails.  An large leisure deck area. A spacious air-conditioned saloon with cocktail bar, 42 inch flatscreen & computer server supporting the inter-cabin network.  Covered outdoor dining area. 8 large air-conditioned cabins each with their own personal computer, audio-visual entertainment system and ensuite bathrooms with hot water. All rooms are lavished with luxury extra’s including bathrobes, hair dryers, towels, individually controlled mood lighting and individual controls for your air-conditioning unit.  Cabins can be twins or double bedded rooms.  Dive deck with improved facilities for underwater photographers and videographers.

Getting There

Flights to the Philippines are available direct from many world capitals or you may fly via Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Hong Kong or Singapore. Airlines flying these routes include Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and Silk Air.

Our 6 night Tubbataha trip starts and ends in Puerto Princessa, Palawan Island, which can be reached by direct flight from Cebu or Manila.

Visas & Passports

Citizens of China, India and socialist countries require a visa before being allowed entry into the Philippines. Citizens of other countries will be given a 21 day visa upon arrival, so long as they have a current passport and an onward air ticket.