Notes

Southern Visayas

Southern Visayas from Mactan Island to Apo Island (or vice versa)
10 Days/10 Nights
Up to 35 dives including up to 6 night dives

Taking in Cabilao Island which is home to some of the best diving in the Philippines and is particularly noted for sightings of Hammerhead Sharks.

Apo Island considered by many to be the most successful marine sanctuary in the Philippines. Coral growth has benifited greatly and the vast number of fish species is astounding. Jacks, barracuda, sweetlips, Bumphead Wrasse, and lots of turtles can all be seen. There is a clownfish city with hundreds of Tomato Anenome fish living together.

At the marine sanctuary dive site, Manta Rays are a common site. Dumaguete on Negros allows possible sightings of frogfish, Ornate Ghost Pipe Fish as well as many other small critters.

The Pier is an awesome dive and offers the opportunity to see Mandarin Fish. Olongo island, Capitancillo Island and Mactan Island all offer the possibility of seeing Hammerhead Sharks and Whalesharks.

Day by day sample itinerary

Day 1 – Depart Mactan Island (2 dives)
We will board the SY Philippines Siren at around 2pm close to the airport on Mactan Island. We set sail and after a briefing we shall dive the sites around the island.
Dive 1 – Tambuli: An easy shallow dive to reacquaint oneself with diving.
Dive 2 – Marigondon: A reef wall with a drop to 55m with nice corals and fish life.
Dinner will be around 7pm and a night dive after is possible.

Day 2 – Cabilao Island (4 dives)
Departing early for Cabilao Island, where we shall spend the whole day.
Dive 1 – Hammerhead Point: This dive has everything, but most divers hope to see the hammerhead sharks.
Dive 2 – Southwest Point: Teeming with corals and fish life, a great drift dive.
Dive 3 – Southwest Point: Travelling in the opposite direction this site offers enormous gorgonian sea fans and lots of black coral.
Dive 4 – Optional night dive.

Day 3 – Panglao Island & Balicasag (4 dives)
Departing early for the island of Panglao for 2 dives and then onto Balicasag for 2.
Dive 1 – Duljo Point: Chance of seeing some large pelagics however the wall is covered in corals and the fish life includes Jacks, Batfish, Wrasse, Groupers, Napolean Wrasse and Whitetip and Grey Reef Sharks.
Dive 2 – Napaling: This wall has everything from the shallows to the deep.
Dive 3 – Pamilacan Island: Manta Rays are often seen here.
Dive 4 – Southwest / Southeast wall: Both world class dives with tuna and sharks.

Day 4 – Siquijor Island (4 dives)
Dive 1 – Tonga Point: Prolific fish life and excellent corals.
Dive 2 – San Juan: Ribbon Eels are common here.
Dive 3 – Paliton Wall: Beautiful corals including large barrel sponges.
Dive 4 – Daquit Shoal: famous for “cathedral” overhangs made up by Gorgonians.
For dinner we shall anchor in a beautiful bay around the island which will be unveiled in the morning.

Day 5 – Apo Island (4 dives)
Spending the day at what many people believe to be the Philippines most successful Marine Sanctuary. A visit to see the islanders is an option.
Dive 1 – Coconut Point: Strong currents attract fish including shoals of barracuda.
Dive 2 – Cogon Point: An overhang wall with prolific fish life and stony corals.
Dive 3 – Marine Sanctuary: Manta Rays,Turtles and shoals of Jacks are common.
Dive 4 – Mamsa Point: Sloping reef with Blacktip and Whitetip Sharks.

Day 6 – Apo Island (4 dives)
Another great day diving around Apo Island where we will enjoy 3 day dives and a night dive. Further sites include Olo Point, Old Volcano, Jigdup Reef and Sunken cemetery. We say our final farewell to Apo Island and then head toward Dumaguete.

Day 7 – Dumaguete (4 dives)
We spend the whole day here as it offers a variety of dives.
Dive 1 – Tacot: This site often attracts large pelagic species.
Dive 2 – Calong Calong Point: many varieties of soft and stony corals and reef fish.
The remaining dives will be spent in the muck diving sites where Frogfish and Ornate Ghost Pipe fish can be found. The Pier is a favourite as Mandarin Fish can be found there.

Day 8 – Dumaguete & Cebu (4 dives)
We do 2 more dives around Dumaguete before heading North to Cebu. Manta Rays can be spotted at dive sites such as Looc and Liloan Point.

Day 9 – Cebu and Sumilon Island (4 dives)
We stay around Cebu looking to dive with more Mata Rays before moving off to Sumilon Island. Sumilon Island continues to offer the possibility of spotting Manta Rays as well as sea snakes, turtles and a variety of sharks.

Day 10 – Balicasag & Cabilao (2 dives)
We depart early and do the first dive at Baliqasac to see if we can spot Manta Rays and Hammerhead Sharks. Our last dive will be around Cabilao island with a final chance to see Hammerhead Sharks. We then head back to Mactan island where we spend our last night.
Disembark the next morning following breakfast.
 

Southern Leyte

Southern Leyte around Bohol

January to April


Mactan island and Olongo Island offer the possibility of sightings of large pelagic such as Whitetip and Greytip Reef Sharks as well as Hammerhead Sharks.

Sogod Bay is world famous for sightings of Whalesharks.

Pangalo and Baliqasac Islands offer up Manta Rays, Hammerhead Sharks and Whalesharks.

Cabilao Island is home to some of the best diving in the Philippines and is also noted for sightings of Hammerhead Sharks.
 

Batangas ~ Coron

Diving the wrecks of Coron, Apo Reef and Batangas, Philippines


Liveaboard diving trips from Coron to Batangas via Apo Reef, Philippines


This diving adventure takes you from the harbour of Coron bay, where numerous wreckages can be explored, via the World Heritage site of Apo reef and onwards to the North of Mindoro Island to dive the muck diving havens of Anilao and Puerto Galera (or vice versa). The dive sites consist of wrecks from World War II, covered with soft and hard corals and home to schooling fish, a fresh water lake, steep reef walls and gentle sandy slopes for a truly varied dive vacation.

Coron Bay and Busuanga
To the far north of Palawan lies the Calamian group of islands, to which Busuanga and Coron are a part. It was here in September 1944 that the battle of Coron Bay took place, in which a US Navy task force attacked a Japanese supply fleet that was at anchor. The rapid, heavy attack began with the sinking of the some largest vessels in the harbour - the armed Arkitsushima and the oil tanker Olympia Maru. Of the 24 ships that were sunk in the bay 12 wrecks are within diveable depths and we spend up to 3 days diving here. In Northern Busuanga we also visit dive sites for a chance to see dugongs that come to feed on the seagrass, whilst inland is Barracuda Lake - a freshwater site offering great visibility within the cave systems and some interesting thermoclines.

Apo Reef
Apo reef, declared a World Heritage site in 2007, is a protected reef that covers an area of 34 square kilometres, made up of 2 reef atolls (Apo Menor and Apo Major) it is the second largest of the World's contiguous reef systems. 33Km from the coast of Mindoro Occidental the reef teems with life. Rocky walls with huge seafans and barrel sponges attract schooling snappers, white tip reef sharks, marble rays and are home to many crustaceans including spiny lobsters. Manta rays and eagle rays are also known visitors to the reefs for cleaning. Whales have also been known to cruise between the islands and can be seen as they break the surface to breathe.

Anilao and Batangas
Just a few hours short journey southwards from Manila, the ports of Batangas, on the south of Luzon Island is a World renown muck diving area. It is whilst diving at Anilao that many new species, particularly nudibranchs, have been discovered. There are also several islands within the Calavite Passage that offer some fantastic diving - with strong currents possible and amazing underwater topography.

Liveaboard Diving Itinerary
The Philippine Siren follows a 10 night itinerary to bring you to these 3 varied diving areas. Trips start in either Coron and culminate in Batangas or vice versa.

Diving Highlights

Arkitsushima - Coron Bay, Busuanga
The Seaplan carrier wreckage lies between 20-38m/ 75-130ft and is a true warship. Loaded with anti-aircraft guns and large crane there is plenty to explore on the outside of the wreck. Hazards from the sharp ragged metal and deep depth make penetration of the engine room only for the experienced and qualified wreck divers- however you are rewarded with an impressive sight of the 4 engines. Schools of batfish have made the Arkitsushima their home and large groupers can be also be found here.

Bahura 29 - Apo Menor
The sloping reef wall is where we are surrounded by schools of surgeonfish, jacks, fusiliers and triggerfish. Whitetip reef sharks scour the reef for prey or can be found resting in the many crevices. Dogtooth tuna cruise by in the deeper waters and lobsters are found hiding along the reef wall, whilst at the surface the action continues as sightings of spinner dolphins and whales are a common occurrence.

Drop Off - Verde Island
Lying in the passage between Luzon and Mindoro, Verde island can be exposed to strong currents that make diving here exhilarating. The pinnacles stretch into the depth from the surface making an ideal dive for all levels. Covered with soft corals and sea fans the sheer reef walls hide frogfish and many crustaceans, banded sea snakes scout out small fish to eat whilst schooling pelagics cruise past. We end the dive in the bubbles created by the volcanic activity of the island.

Twin Rocks - Anilao Batangas
This small diving area of 2 large rocks laying just 1 metre apart forms one of the best sites in Anilao. At a maximum depth of just 15m / 50ft hours can be spent here watching the jacks as they school about you or taking a closer look amongst the corals for frog fish, devil fish, ghost pipefish nudibranchs, shrimps, gobies and several species of anemone fish.

Tubbataha

Tubbataha, Apo and S Visayas Special

Tubbataha & More – Special 14 day trip. For return trip just reverse the itinerary.
Up to 43 dives including up to 10 night dives

Day 1 – Depart Puerto Princessa, Palawan
We will board the SY Philippines Siren at around 2pm. We set sail for Tubbataha Reef and after a few welcome drinks we shall have a briefing. It is approx 95 miles to Tubbataha so no diving on first day.

Days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (19 dives)
Tubbataha Reef consists of vertical walls or near drop off's rising out of great depths. The shallow reef tops are teeming with local reef fish; in many places stingrays, spiny lobsters, immature Manta Rays, turtles, leopard Sharks and Guitar Sharks are common. The angelfish, butterfly 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 large and small including Napolean Wrasse pass by. This really is an amazing dive site and rated by tjhose who have been fortunate to dive it as one of the worlds best. After the third dive on day six we head off for a long journey to Apo Island.

Day 7 – Puerto Princesa
Sail back to Puerto Princesa, capital of Palawan Province, and disembark.

Extended trip

Day 7 – Travelling to Apo island
We continue on our way to Apo Island and if we are lucky we may be joined by dolphins swimming on the bow of the boat.

Day 8, 9 – Apo Island (6 dives)
We shall do six dives around Apo Island considered by many to be the most successful marine sanctuary in the Philippines. Coral growth has benifited greatly and vast number of fish species is outstanding. Jacks, barracuda, sweetlips, Bumphead Wrasse and lots of turtles can be seen. There is a clownfish city with hundreds of Tomato Anenome fish living together. At the marine sanctuary site, Manta Rays are a common site. After the two dives on day nine we head for Dumaguete on Negros.

Day 10 – Dumaguete, Negros (4 dives)
Spending the day diving with some smaller critters, with possible sightings of frogfish, Ornate Ghost Pipefish to name but two. Diving around the Pier offers the opportunity to see Mandarin Fish.

Day 11 – South Cebu, Siquijor Island (4 dives)
Another great day diving where we will enjoy 3 day dives and a night dive.

Day 12 – Panglao and Balicasag (4 dives)
We spend the whole day here as it offers a variety of diving.

Day 13 – Cabilao island (4 dives)
Home to some of the best diving in the Philippines and is particularly noted for sightings of hammerhead Sharks.

Day 14 – Cebu and Mactan Island (2 dives)
Day of departure we will make two dives in the morning around Mactan island. This is where the airport is based. There are a few dive sites where Thresher Sharks have been sighted. Lunch and then disembark at about 3pm.
 

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