The Philippines is part of the coral triangle in the Pacific Ocean, with over 7000 islands it has unmatched coral reefs and overall species numbers. There are thousands of dive sites mostly around the Luzon and Visayas regions, with such selection there is something for every diver in the Philippines.
Divers can expect good visibility and fairly warm water temperatures. The Philippines has a variety of dive environments including coral gardens, deep channels, magnificent walls, caves and shipwrecks. Divers consider the Philippines the world’s best for macro life (small marine life). There are also many wrecks to explore, in the vicinity of Sangat Island in Coron there are 11 shipwrecks within recreational limits. Most of these wrecks are supply ships from World War II and 1 warship – the Akitsushima Maru.
For divers looking for the highest amount of biodiversity, Tubbataha Reefs is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the richest marine biodiversity in the country. Both large pelagics and small macros can be found here. More than 300 kinds of corals, and 500 species of fish flourish in these waters, there are 23 known shark and ray species including whale sharks and manta rays.
Anilao in Batangas in known as the Nudibranch capital of the Philippines, these tiny exotic creatures are great for macro photography. Aside from nudibranch, you can also find various kinds of frogfish, sea moths, gurnards, wasp fishes, stonefishes, stargazers, flounders, worms, stingrays, shrimps, seahorses (specifically the pygmy seahorse), pipefish, and shrimpfish, among many others.
Malapascua in Cebu is most famous for its pelagic Thresher sharks. These sharks typically spend all their time in deep water, but on Malapascua they come shallow enough to be seen on recreational dives.
Marine life highlights to see:
The Philippines Aggressor is 135’ long with a 28.5ft. beam, built and powered for comfort, safety and stability. There is a beautiful spacious salon, sun deck with shading, chaise lounges and deck chairs, bar, grill, and a complete photo/video center. They are diesel powered, cruise at 10 knots and have 220V and some 110V power onboard.
Comfortable accommodations for 24 guests include 12 spacious staterooms, with 5 on the lower deck, 4 on the main deck, and 3 balcony suites on the upper deck. All have a private bathroom and shower. Each stateroom has ample storage and individual climate controls. Stateroom shave a safe aboard to store valuables such as passports, cash, credit cards or anything else you would like to store.
Prices are per person and dependent on room selection, all taxes are already included.
Deluxe Lower Deck Stateroom: $4,975 USD
Deluxe Main Deck Stateroom: $5095 USD
Balcony Suite: $5,325 USD
Prices do not include flights, additional hotel stays, gear rental, gratuities, and travel insurance (highly recommended).
Dive insurance is required to travel with Scuba Getaway, travellers need to purchase this separately.
Each guest must pay a port/park fee, which is not included in the charter rate. 10 night cruises: $160. Visayas itineraries that visit Oslob will have an additional $30 fee. You may pay by Visa, MasterCard, or US dollars.
