Tubbataha- Solitude One
Treat yourself to a liveaboard trip on the magnificent and luxurious Solitude One. This recently refurbished steel hulled boat offers every comfort one may expect. From luxurious air-conditioned cabins, to a well thought out and spacious dive deck, from purpose designed camera set up room to on-board Jacuzzi and sunning area, every detail has been well thought out and beautifully executed. The boat also travels with two solid-based skiffs which make for smoother drop-offs and easier access than the commonly used ribs. The experienced staff make yoru stay on this boat easy and comfortable.
Tubbataha Reef, The Philippines. This UNESCO and ASEAN heritage site is known for its magnificent reefscapes, abundance of fish life and clear visibility. Accessible only from liveaboards, this area offers some of the best diving in the region. Comprising of three atolls, the beautiful dive sites are mainly made up of walls and drop offs – perfect for some big fish action. Out in the Sulu Sea, almost no land is visible for the duration of the trip.
Anda- Amun Ini
This is one of my favourite resorts in the Philippines. The beautiful Amun Ini Resort is located on the eastern coastline of Bohol in the Philippines’ Anda province, a secluded headland surrounded by coconut palms, idyllic white sand beaches and superb reef diving. This magnificent resort is family run and offers impeccable personalised service and a sense of luxury as well as easy access to the 20+ dives sites of the Anda region, all of which are just a few minutes boat ride away. Amun Ini’s house reef plays host to picturesque corals and an abundance of critters including mandarin fish, frogfish and ghost pipefish. The reef continues along the coastline for over 5 kilometres and is characterised by overhangs and caverns before giving way to sandy bays which offer excellent white sand muck diving habitats. This is a near perfect location for photographers with an eye for macro life – conditions are generally very easy going, there are plenty of rare subjects to focus on and all topped off by dive sites that are far from the crowds.
Malapascua- Ocean Vida
Ocean Vida is on the beautiful Bounty beach, and offers seafront and garden view rooms, all of which are ensuite, air-conditioned and equipped with minibars. Buffet breakfasts are served daily at the sea front restaurant, and a la carte menu is available throughout the day offering a wide selection of western and Filipino style meals. Ocean Vida also has a fully stocked beachfront bar. The diving in the area includes Gato island, a sea snake sanctuary with great swim throughs and an abundance of life including white tip reef sharks. Dive sites close to the island offer muck diving, coral gardens and plunging walls. The best known site, Monad Shoal, is a 24m deep sea mount rising from depths of over 600m. Home to several cleaning stations, this site attracts almost daily visits from thresher sharks rising from the surrounding deep water for a clean. Other large species such as manta rays and mobula rays can also be seen enjoying the cleaning services. At another similar site, Kimud shoal, schooling hammerheads are often seen.
Dumagete- Mikes
This small resort on the seaside, 15km south of Dumaguete, is the perfect combination of comfort, great service and fabulous diving. With access to some of Philippines best diving spots including Apo Island and Dauin for amazing reef, big fish and macro diving. The resort has only 8 rooms so each guests receives personal tailored attention, the central pool is a fabulous place to relax and the beach bar serves cold and delicious drinks.
Cabilao- Pura Vida
Pura Vida Cabilao is built just off a white sandy palm tree lined beach. The resort has 20 rooms, all of them ensuite and air-conditioned. All rooms also have spacious terraces with beautiful views. The beautifully manicured garden is colourful and provides a great setting from the dive shop. The resort’s restaurant and bar are on top of the small cliff with stunning breezy views, and the onsite spa offers a full array of treatments.
The diving around Cabilao is the main attraction, with vibrant reefs and beautiful walls, as well healthy fish populations. The macro diving in the area is spectacular, especially for pygmy seahorse fans as several species can be found in the surrounds. Day trips to Balicasag Island can also be arranged.
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