The Climate and Best Time to Visit
The Philippines have a tropical, humid climate with the average temperature being 26.5°C/80F. The warmest months are generally March to October, with May being the hottest at 28°C/83F. There are 2 seasons – the rainy season from June to the early part of October, and the dry season which runs from the latter part of October to May, although this does vary a little depending on region. There is also a risk of typhoons. They can hit at any time, but the general typhoon season is roughly June to December. Although you can dive here all year round, there are obvious regional differences. Check out our dive site descriptions of each Philippine destination for more precise information on the best time to plan a visit to each location.
Ports of Departure and How to Get There
Manila (Ninoy Aquino International Airport [MNL]) is the main gateway for most visitors to the Philippines, with direct flights from most of Asia, North America, Australasia and Europe. There are other international airports and the relevant ones are detailed below.
You can view which ports each boat uses on their trips in the 'Departures & Prices' section of each boat's webpage. You will also receive full departure details from us during the booking process. The main ports used are as follows:
Atlantis Dive Resort, Dumaguete (for Visayas, and Tubbataha transit trips) - Dumaguete is a city in the south of the island of Negros, some 900 km south of Manila, and 150 km southwest of Cebu City. There are direct flights from Manila and Cebu City with Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines to Dumaguete City Sibulan Airport (DGT). The flight time from Manila is 1 hour 30 minutes. Dumaguete is also well connected by ferry service with several other islands, including Cebu and Bohol.
Atlantis Puerto Galera Resort (for Coron and Apo Reef) - Puerto Galera is located in northeast Mindoro. Transfers are provided from Manila by minibus and boat. It's about a 140 km journey and takes 2½ hours, depending on traffic and your location in Manila.
Cebu Yacht Club (for Visayas, and Tubbataha transit trips) - Cebu is the 9th largest island in Philippines and lies 570 km south of Manila. Cebu City is the second largest and the oldest city in the country, and was the first capital of the Philippines. Mactan Cebu International Airport (CEB) is the country’s second busiest airport and is well served with many direct flights from Manila and several other major Philippine cities with Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines or Air Asia. The flight time from Manila is 1 hour 15 minutes. There are also several direct international flights to Cebu from Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Dubai, Taiwan and China with Cebu Pacific, Asiana, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Philippine Airlines, ANA, China Eastern, and EVA. Cebu is also well connected by ferry service with several other islands. If you are arriving from Bohol or Dumaguete, this could be a good option, but the ferry journey time from Manila is 22 hours!
Coron Bay Harbour (for Coron and Apo Reef) - Coron Island lies almost equidistant between the islands of Mindoro to the northeast and Palawan to the southwest; both being 100 km or so away. It is 280 km southwest of Manila. You can fly to Coron’s Francisco B. Reyes Airport (USU) (formerly known as Busuanga Airport) from Manila with Skyjet, Philippine Airlines, Cebgo, and PAL Express. The flight time is 40 minutes.
Puerto Princesa Port (for Tubbataha and transit trips) - Puerto Princesa is just under 600 km southwest of Manila and a similar distance west of Cebu City. There are direct flights to Puerto Princesa Airport (PPS) from Manila and Cebu City with Cebu Pacific, Air Asia, and Philippine Airlines. The flight time from Manila is 1 hour 30 minutes. There are also a few international flights from Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea with Eastar Jet, Tiger Air and Cebu Pacific.
Solitude Acacia Resort, Anilao (for Batangas and Bicol) - Anilao lies 100 km south of Manila. It is on Calumpang, the peninisula that divides the bays of Batangas and Balayan. Taxis and minibus transfers take about 1½ hours to make the journey from Manila.
Useful airline links - Cebu Pacific/Cebgo, Philippine Airlines/PAL Express, Air Asia.
Whichever port your boat uses, the liveaboard operators usually provide a transfer to the boat from the local airport or hotels (if you overnight beforehand) for your convenience. We recommend you take out insurance to cover diving and travel activities, including trip cancellation. See our insurance programme for a competitive quotation:

Places to Stay
If you plan on staying in the Philippines before or after your liveaboard dive safari, you can find a wide range of accommodation options at hotelscombined.com, our affiliated hotel reservation specialists. Browse their website then use your credit card to make your booking:

All bookings are backed by a 'Lowest Price Guarantee' to ensure you get the best value for money.
We also offer dive resort stays in Anilao, Dauin (Dumaguete) and Puerto Galera. Please contact us for more details.