Dive experience: It is recommended that divers have advanced certification to join the Philippine Siren Tubbataha liveaboard safaris; all other routes require only open water license.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, hot drinks, soft drinks, fruit juices, electrolyte powder, transfers to and from the boat/airport (for trips starting/ending in Cebu and only from the airport, local hotels in Mactan Island, Cebu City and Mandaue City), dives, experienced English speaking divemasters (6 divers per guide), tanks, weights, weight belt, sales tax.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment (USD 30 per day), dive computer (USD 6 per day), marine park fees: Apo Island & The Visayas (6 nights - USD 85, 7 nights - USD 85, 10 nights - USD 175), Malapascua Island & The Visayas 10 nights - USD 175, Tubbataha 6 nights - USD 120, Tubbataha, Apo Island & The Visayas 13 nights - USD 160, diving insurance, fuel surcharge (USD 35 per night) payable in advance directly to the liveaboard. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival.
Optional extras: Nitrox for enriched air certified divers (6 nights USD 100), (7 nights USD 120), (10 nights USD 180), (13 nights USD 240), torch (USD 6 per day), 15 liter tank (USD 5 per day), alcoholic drinks, Moalboal transfers (where necessary). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.
How to get there: The S/Y Philippine Siren liveaboard trips depart from a variety of locations:
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park: Departs from Puerto Princessa. You are required to book a return flight to/from Puerto Princessa on Palawan Island. Domestic connections are possible from both Cebu and Manila.
Malapascua Island & The Visayas: These trips depart from Cebu. Apo Island & The Visayas: These trips depart alternately from Cebu or Moalboal. We recommend booking your international flight into and out of Mactan International Airport, Cebu. For Cebu departures, your flight should arrive no later than 12 noon on the first day of the cruise. International flights on cruise end day should be booked for no earlier than 2 pm.
For all of these routes in the Philippines, we recommend spending at least 1 night on land either side of your cruise, to ensure you are well-rested and on time for your domestic flight or minibus transfer. For all itineraries boarding is at 1 pm, disembarkation at 10 am. The operator will handle your local airport/hotel to boat transfers. The last dive of the trip will be at around 1 pm. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.
For more details, including airlines, see our Philippines travel information section.
Non-diver rate: 10% discount available.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travelers may choose to share a cabin or, if they would prefer to have a cabin to themselves, they would need to add 80% to the published price.
Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 7 guests and 1 extra person can join the cruise in a Standard cabin free of charge (total 8+ guests).
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 14 guests and 2 extra persons can join free of charge.
The SY Philippine Siren represents a specific approach to Philippines liveaboard diving, blending international operational standards with the grace of traditional Indonesian boatbuilding. As a member of the established Siren Fleet, this 40-meter long phinisi schooner, launched in 2013, applies a European-managed, crew-focused service ethos to some of the country's most celebrated marine routes. Its seasonal diving cruises are carefully plotted to access prime conditions, from the pelagic encounters of Tubbataha and the thresher sharks of Malapascua to the vibrant coral ecosystems of the Visayas.
Constructed from ironwood and teak to Lloyds Register specifications, the vessel offers a tangible sense of solidity and classic maritime character. This robust build ensures a stable passage during longer sea crossings, while its design dedicates significant space to guest comfort and diving logistics. The experience on the Philippine Siren is intentionally intimate, accommodating just 16 guests across 8 well-appointed en-suite cabins, fostering a relaxed onboard community.
The diving operations are central to the Philippine Siren liveaboard’s appeal. The main deck is organized around a spacious, purpose-designed dive area featuring individual gear storage, dedicated camera preparation tables with charging stations, and separate rinse tanks. The crew's training is evident in their support, handling tanks and assisting divers as needed. The vessel is equipped with 12-liter cylinders, DIN adaptors, and offers nitrox for certified divers, catering to a range of preferences. The setup is designed for ease, allowing you to focus on the dives ahead.
Above-deck living spaces encourage both social interaction and private relaxation. Meals, a mix of Asian and Western cuisine, are served buffet-style on the shaded open-air deck of the Philippine Siren, often with panoramic views of the islands. The air-conditioned saloon provides a comfortable lounge for evening briefings, sharing footage, or quiet reading. Aloft, the expansive sun deck offers loungers for scenic relaxation, and the vessel carries kayaks for surface exploration during calm anchorage periods.
A notable feature that distinguishes the Philippine Siren liveaboard is the inclusion of certain refined comforts. An onboard masseuse is available for post-dive treatments, and cabins are supplied with bathrobes, quality toiletries, and entertainment systems. This attention to detail, combined with a consistently professional crew, cultivates an atmosphere where the logistics of the expedition are smoothly managed, allowing guests to fully engage with the diving.
Choosing this vessel means opting for a proven, professionally run operation that balances rugged destination access with a level of onboard comfort. The Philippine Siren liveaboard appeals to divers who appreciate the heritage of a classic phinisi build but require the reliability, safety standards, and attentive service associated with a modern fleet operator. It is a solid choice for those seeking a comprehensive, well-executed Philippines diving safari where the vessel itself is an integral part of the adventure.
Cebu, Bohol & Dumaguete
Trip highlights: whale sharks, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers
Dive sites and activities: Cebu - Moalboal: Pescador, Panagsama Beach, Tongo Point, Turtle Bay, Dolphin House; Oslob, Apo Island: Coconut Point, Rocky Point West, Cogon; Dauin, Bohol - Balicasag: Diver's Heaven, Black Forest; Cabilao: Gorgonian Wall, Lighthouse, Talisay Tree, Cambaquiz
Day 1
Your liveaboard dive cruise through the Southern Visayas region begins as you step onboard the Philippine Siren in Mactan, where the warm crew welcome sets the tone for the days ahead. After being shown to your cabin, you’ll join the rest of the guests for a safety and dive briefing that outlines the exciting week to come. Dinner will be served once the cabins have been assigned. The evening is spent settling in, getting to know your fellow divers, and enjoying your first night at sea as the liveaboard cruises out of port. There will be no diving on this day.
Core Days
The Visayas region offers some of the most diverse liveaboard diving in the Philippines, combining spectacular coral reefs, dramatic walls, and world-class macro sites. Each day promises new underwater scenery and wildlife encounters, with up to 4 dives daily, including one sunset or night dive.
At Cabilao Island, you’ll explore vertical walls blanketed with colorful soft corals, sea fans, and black coral trees, where hammerheads, schooling trevallies, barracudas, and Napoleon wrasse patrol the blue. The shallow reefs reveal leaffish, ornate ghost pipefish, and frogfish perfectly camouflaged among the corals.
Balicasag Island in Bohol delivers classic Philippine reef diving, where you’ll drift past gardens of staghorn coral alive with anthias, butterflyfish, and surgeonfish. Keep an eye out for turtles grazing on sponges, giant clams, and the occasional whitetip reef shark resting beneath ledges.
At Apo Island, a marine sanctuary famed for its healthy reefs, you can expect close encounters with green turtles, bumphead parrotfish, and large schools of jackfish that form mesmerizing silver walls. The coral slopes here explode with color, creating ideal photo opportunities.
For macro lovers, Dauin is the highlight, a black sand playground for underwater photographers. Here, every dive feels like a treasure hunt, with flamboyant cuttlefish, hairy frogfish, blue-ringed octopus, and nudibranchs of every color. The contrast between the muck sites and vibrant coral reefs showcases the full spectrum of Philippine diving on this Philippine Siren itinerary.
Another of the key highlights of the diving trip is Moalboal, home to the world-famous sardine run. Millions of shimmering sardines move in unison just a few meters from shore, creating an unforgettable underwater spectacle. The surrounding reefs host resting turtles, colorful anthias, and even the occasional thresher shark cruising by in deeper water.
There’s also the chance to encounter whale sharks in Oslob, where these gentle giants glide gracefully through the water, an unforgettable experience to round out your liveaboard diving adventure.
Night dives reveal a new side of the reefs, as crustaceans, basket stars, and hunting morays emerge under the glow of dive lights, creating a magical and entirely different world beneath the surface.
On the final full day, there are only 2 scheduled morning dives before the Philippine Siren liveaboard begins its return journey toward port.
Final Day
Disembarkation takes place in Mactan after a light breakfast and farewells with the crew and dive team. Transfers back to Cebu can be arranged in advance.
Malapascua, Cebu & Bohol (8 Days / 7 Nights - 21 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers
Dive sites and activities: Malapascua: Monad Shoal, Chocolate Island, Kimud Shoal; Gato Island, Moalboal: Pescador, Panagsama Beach, Tongo Point, Turtle Bay, Dolphin House, Balicasag: Diver's Heaven, Black Forest; Cabilao: Gorgonian Wall, Lighthouse, Talisay Tree, Cambaquiz
Day 1
Your adventure begins in Cebu, where you will board the SY Philippine Siren. Once all guests are onboard the liveaboard, you’ll receive a safety briefing and boat orientation before settling into your cabin. Dinner will be served in the evening, giving you time to relax and get to know your fellow guests and crew. There will be no diving on this day.
Core Days
The Visayas are home to some of the most diverse and exhilarating diving in the Philippines, and this Philippine Siren liveaboard cruise showcases some of the very best of this region. Expect a mix of world-famous sites and less-visited gems, each offering something unique, from dramatic topography to incredible marine encounters.
At Malapascua, dawn dives at Kimod Shoal provide one of the rarest underwater experiences on Earth - watching thresher sharks rise from the deep for their early morning cleaning ritual. Nearby Gato Island is home to hundreds of banded kraits and features an exciting swim-through tunnel, with white tip reef sharks resting beneath ledges, soft corals painting the walls, and batfish gliding through shafts of sunlight.
Around Cabilao, vertical walls drop into the blue, carpeted with sea fans and whip corals. Divers often spot eagle rays, schooling barracuda, even hammerheads, and a variety of reef fish moving in synchronized patterns. The shallows are filled with anemones, garden eels, and damselfish.
Bohol and Balicasag Island deliver an explosion of color and life, dense coral gardens, green turtles feeding on sponges, and large shoals of jacks and trevally circling in the blue. Macro enthusiasts will appreciate the smaller wonders here, including cleaner shrimps, juvenile lionfish, and reef octopus blending perfectly into their surroundings.
Further south, Moalboal provides a dramatic finale with the world-famous sardine run, where millions of sardines form shimmering walls that pulse with the current. The surrounding reefs are also alive with hawkfish, longnose butterflyfish, ribbon eels, and seasonal sightings of whale sharks cruising by.
Day 8
After a light breakfast, you’ll disembark in Cebu and say farewell to the crew. Transfers will be provided to the local airport or your chosen hotel.
Malapascua, Cebu, Bohol & Dumaguete (11 Days / 10 Nights - 33 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers
Dive sites and activities: Malapascua: Monad Shoal, Chocolate Island, Kimud Shoal; Gato Island, Moalboal: Pescador, Panagsama Beach, Tongo Point, Turtle Bay, Dolphin House; Oslob, Apo Island: Coconut Point, Rocky Point West, Cogon; Dauin, Balicasag: Diver's Heaven, Black Forest; Cabilao: Gorgonian Wall, Lighthouse, Talisay Tree, Cambaquiz
Day 1
Step aboard the Philippine Siren liveaboard in Mactan and begin your extended liveaboard adventure through the Visayas. After a warm welcome from the crew and a safety briefing, you’ll have time to settle into your cabin, meet your dive team, and get acquainted with life on board. Dinner will be served in the evening as the Philippine Siren begins its journey toward the first dive destination. There will be no diving on this day.
Core Days
Over the next several days, you’ll experience the incredible variety of liveaboard diving that makes the Visayas one of the most sought-after regions in the Philippines. From thrilling pelagic encounters to intricate macro discoveries, every dive brings something new.
At Malapascua, early morning dives offer the chance to encounter the world-famous thresher sharks at Kimud Shoal, an unforgettable sight as they rise gracefully from the depths. You may also spot manta rays, devil rays, and schools of tuna cruising by.
The limestone walls of Cabilao Island reveal stunning coral gardens and vertical drop-offs rich with sea fans, soft corals, and sponges. Keep an eye out for spiny lobster, pom-pom crabs, leaf scorpionfish, and large schools of trevallies and barracuda, as well as hammerhead sharks.
Further south, Apo Island impresses with its pristine reefs and abundant life. Divers are often surrounded by green turtles, bumphead parrotfish, and swirling jackfish schools set against a vibrant coral backdrop.
At Dauin, the underwater scene changes entirely. This world-renowned muck diving area is a paradise for photographers, featuring rhinopias, Coleman's shrimp, peacock flounders, and Bargibanti's pygmy seahorse.
You’ll also have the chance to encounter whale sharks in Oslob, a truly memorable experience with these gentle giants.
Up to 4 dives per day are scheduled, including one sunset or night dive. On the final full day, only 2 morning dives are planned before the Philippine Siren liveaboard begins its return to Cebu.
Day 11
After a light breakfast and heartfelt farewells with the crew, you’ll disembark the liveaboard in Cebu. Transfers can be arranged to the airport or to your chosen hotel in Mactan Island, Cebu City, or Mandaue City, marking the end of an unforgettable Visayas diving tour.
Southern Leyte, Malapascua, Cebu & Bohol (11 Days / 10 Nights - 33 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers
Dive sites and activities: Southern Leyte: Sogod Bay - Napantao Fish Sanctuary, Santa Paz, Son-ok Point, Pintuyan, Lioan, Limasawa, Padre Burgos; Bohol: Coco White, Snappers Cave, Paradise Gardens, Balicasag; Cabilao, Malapascua: Monad Shoal, Chocolate Island
Day 1
Step aboard the SY Philippine Siren and settle into your cabin as the crew welcomes you with a friendly briefing and orientation. The afternoon is free for you to relax, explore the boat, and meet your fellow divers before the liveaboard adventure of the Central and Eastern Visayas begins. As evening arrives, enjoy a freshly prepared dinner featuring a selection of local and international dishes served in the open-air dining area. It’s a great way to unwind and get ready for the exciting week ahead. There will be no diving on this day.
Core Days
The little-visited region of Southern Leyte offers an exceptional blend of reef, macro, and pelagic diving. This area is renowned for whale shark encounters, especially around Pintuyan Bay, where these gentle giants feed on seasonal plankton blooms. In Sogod Bay, you’ll descend along walls adorned with sponges, sea fans, and soft corals. Green and hawksbill turtles are common, gliding gracefully through the blue. The nearby muck sites, such as Padre Burgos and Napantao, reveal a fascinating world of mimic and blue-ringed octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish, painted frogfish, and skeleton shrimp.
Other Visayas diving highlights that you will explore with the Philippine Siren include Malapascua, famous for dawn dives with thresher sharks at Kimud Shoal. Cabilao offers stunning walls and coral gardens rich with anthias, jacks, and fusiliers, while Apo Island showcases vast coral slopes alive with bumphead parrotfish, snappers, and barracuda.
Night dives bring a different spectacle, hunting cuttlefish, decorator crabs, and basket stars emerging under torchlight. With up to 4 dives per day, including a sunset or night dive, every site offers a new experience, from adrenaline-filled drifts to calm coral plateaus and macro-rich shallows.
On the final full day, there are only 2 scheduled morning dives before the liveaboard returns to port.
Final Day
Disembarkation is in Cebu after a light breakfast and final farewells. You will be transferred back to the airport or any local hotel you might have booked in the area.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
