The M/Y Resolute is a long running value-for-money liveaboard with a highly-experienced crew. It navigates the Philippines to take advantage of the seasons and provide a wide range of scuba diving adventures, including trips to the world famous Tubbataha atolls, Cebu/Visayas, Apo Reef, and Batangas/Puerto Galera.
Resolute has quite a colorful history, previously been used as a Soviet spy trawler during the Cold War years. The yacht was built in Vladivostok in 1974, and converted in to a diving liveaboard in 1988. It is 35 meters long and, with its heavy steel hull, it is a trusty and stable vessel in waves. It has a Cummins engine with a cruising speed of 7.5 knots, 3 generators, and a sailing range of 3,000 miles.
There are 8 guest cabins on the lower deck for 16 guests. All cabins have private bathrooms and are fitted with personal climate control. 2 experienced chefs prepare mostly Filipino cuisine with some Korean and international flair. They can also prepare vegetarian delights upon request. 5-course buffet meals are served al fresco in the dining area in the bow of the main deck. The main deck also houses the indoor saloon, where there is a TV area with a selection of movies and reading materials. The upper deck is the sun deck and main social area. Here you will find shaded sunbeds, as well as bean bags for relaxation.
The Resolute has 2 x 75 HP motorised tenders which it uses for its scuba operations; all dives are guided. There is plenty of storage space for guest equipment in the spacious kit up area, and there are 2 showers and WCs. The yacht offers nitrox, as well as being tech-friendly.
There are 8 guest cabins for 16 guests on the lower deck, all with private bathrooms. All cabins have bunk beds, 6 standard cabins (2 with a lower double bed and 4 with a lower single bed), and 2 smaller economy cabins with a lower single bed; the upper bed is always a single bed.
All the cabins have:
- Personal climate control air conditioner
- Private bathroom with toilet, hand basin, and hot water shower
- Toiletries and bath and deck towels
- Cabinet (standard cabins only)
- Mirror and shelves
- Bedding
- Fire alarm, life jackets and fire extinguishers
- USB and 220V electricity supply with round & flat 2-pin outlets - available 24-hrs per day
No. of bathrooms / showers - 10 / 13 - hot water
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (7 Days / 6 Nights - 18 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: North Atoll: Malayan Wreck, Shark Airport, Terraces, Amos Rock, Jessie Beazley Reef; South Atoll: Ko Ok, Delsan Wreck, Lighthouse, Triggerfish City, Black Rock, Staghorn Point
Day 1
Guests typically board the MY Resolute liveaboard in the afternoon, settling into their cabins ahead of the late afternoon departure from port for the 11-hour cruise to the atolls.
Days 2-6
Tubbataha Reefs National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies in the Sulu Sea at the heart of the Coral Triangle. Home to 370 coral species, 600 types of fish, and 12 species of cetacean, its remote location makes it a prime spot for shark encounters, including guitar sharks, blacktips, whitetips, grey reef sharks, silkies, hammerheads, and whale sharks. Nestled between the Philippine islands of Palawan, Mindoro, and the Sulu Archipelago, the Sulu Sea is an aquatic scuba diving marvel that beckons divers with its pristine waters, rich biodiversity, and awe-inspiring coral formations.
As part of the legendary Coral Triangle, this region is considered one of the most biologically diverse marine areas on Earth, making it a bucket-list destination for scuba diving enthusiasts. The dramatic walls are adorned with vibrant soft corals, barrel sponges, and numerous cleaning stations, while the shallows are carpeted with hard coral gardens. Although the macro life is impressive, the spotlight is on the big marine action: dogtooth tuna, giant trevally, barracuda, turtles, and manta rays.
On Day 6 you will make 2 dives on this liveaboard cruise, before returning to port early morning on the final day.
Day 7
You will say your farewells and disembark the Resolute yacht after breakfast.
Apo Reef & Coron (7 Days / 6 Nights - 18 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Coron Island and wrecks; Apo Reef: Shark Airport, Ego Wall, Apo 29, Aladdin, Shark Ridge, Mabuti, SE Corner, Shipwreck; Calauit, Puerto Galera
Day 1
Guests normally board in the afternoon at the pier in Anilao and settle into their cabins, before MY Resolute departs late in the afternoon from port to cruise to Apo Reef.
Days 2-6
Apo Reef, located off the western coast of Mindoro, spans 34 sq km and is the world’s second-largest contiguous coral reef system. Together with its 3 islands and surrounding waters, it forms the protected Apo Reef Natural Park. As one of the Philippines’ premier scuba dive destinations, it boasts an abundance of marine life, including batfish, surgeonfish, snappers, fusiliers, and trevallies. The reef also offers excellent macro diving with tunicates, nudibranchs, and sea slugs, while large pelagic species, such as dolphins, barracuda, manta rays, and various sharks (hammerhead, blacktip, whitetip, grey reef, and thresher), frequent the area.
Coron Island is famed for its Japanese wrecks dating back to World War II, making it the top wreck diving spot in Southeast Asia. Most wrecks range from 100 to 200 metres in length and are only accessible to advanced divers. The Okikawa Maru, a 160m-long vessel, was sunk by a direct hit to the bow, while the Olympia Maru measures 120m. The East Tangat Gunboat is especially ideal for exploration, resting in shallow waters with its 2 boilers covered in hard coral and its deck hosting numerous scorpionfish.
Divers also visit the Akitsusima sea plane tender and the Irako, a refrigeration ship used by the Japanese Imperial Navy. A unique attraction is Barracuda Lake, a former volcanic site with striking underwater rock formations. Nearby, Calumbuyan Island and Seven Islands offer vibrant reef diving.
On Day 6, 3 dives are scheduled, with return of this liveaboard diving trip to port early on the final day.
Day 7
You will say your farewells and disembark the MY Resolute yacht in Anilao after breakfast.
Malapascua, Cebu & Dumaguete (7 Days / 6 Nights - 19 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: Dauin: Masaplod, Mainit, and Pura Vida House Reef; Apo Island: Chapel Point, Rock Point West, and Coconut;
Moalboal: Pescador, Savedra, and Sardine Pt; Malapascua: Monad Shoal, Gato Island, and Lighthouse
Day 1
Guests typically embark on M/Y Resolute in the afternoon, taking time to settle into their cabins and unwind. The vessel departs port for Dauin in the late afternoon, marking the beginning of a memorable voyage.
Days 2-6
This central Visayas liveaboard dive safari loops around Cebu Island with a detour to Dumaguete, bringing you face-to-face with some of the region’s most spectacular marine life. At Malapascua, thresher sharks and mantas rise from the depths. The scuba diving at Moalboal greets you with the hypnotic motion of massive sardine shoals. Then comes Apo Island, bursting with trevallies in glittering schools, before sliding into the black sands of Dauin for world-class muck diving. Every stop is a treasure chest of macro life, ghostpipefish with their camouflage tricks, dancing seahorses, frogfish lurking like leaves, ribbon eels weaving through coral rubble, shrimp species you've never seen, nudibranchs like psychedelic confetti, cuttlefish blending into everything, and octopus doing their best impression of underwater escape artists.
On Day 6 you will make 3 dives, before returning to port early morning on the final day.
Day 7
Say your farewells to the new friends you made on M/Y Resolute and disembark the yacht to continue your onward travels..
Tubbataha & Apo Reef (8 Days / 7 Nights - 22 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Tubbataha - North Atoll: Bird Island, Ranger Station, South Rock; South Atoll: Lighthouse, Triggerfish City, Black Rock, Staghorn Point; Cagayancillo, Apo Reef
Day 1
Your journey aboard the M/Y Resolute begins at the pier in Anilao, where you'll meet the crew and fellow divers. Boarding typically takes place in the afternoon, allowing ample time to settle into your cabin and unwind. As the sun begins to dip toward the horizon, the vessel departs port for Apo Reef.
Days 2-7
Tubbataha Reefs National Park is simply legendary, a UNESCO World Heritage site deep in the Sulu Sea, brimming with untouched beauty and explosive marine biodiversity. With over 370 types of coral and 600 species of fish, it's a hotspot for both scientific fascination and bucket-list dives. And thanks to its remoteness, you're likely to be diving from this liveaboard sharing the waters with more sharks, than other divers. The atolls are a magnet for big fish action. Sharks roam freely, blacktips, whitetips, grey reefs, hammerheads, silkies, even guitar sharks and whale sharks cruise these deep blue corridors. Giant trevally, dogtooth tuna, barracuda, and manta rays add muscle to the spectacle, while sea turtles drift between coral outcrops and cleaning stations.
The underwater architecture is as majestic as the life it supports, plunging walls, vibrant soft corals, gorgonian fans, massive barrel sponges, and coral gardens blanketing the shallows. It's all alive, intricate, and constantly shifting with the current. The macro life here is brilliant too, nudibranchs, sea slugs, ghostpipefish, and pygmy seahorses. but they're often upstaged by the drama of pelagics soaring above.
Tubbataha is seasonal, open only from March to June, and only accessible by liveaboard. That exclusivity helps keep the reef pristine and the encounters surreal. It’s not just another dive trip. It’s a rite of passage for anyone who loves the ocean.
Apo Reef is a dazzling marine sanctuary off the western coast of Mindoro Island in the Philippines, and it’s widely celebrated as one of Asia’s premier scuba dive destinations. Stretching over 34 square kilometres, it’s the second-largest contiguous coral reef system in the world, right after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
This atoll-like reef features 2 internal lagoons, dramatic plunging walls, and a submerged platform dotted with 3 uninhabited islands; Apo Island, Apo Menor (Binangaan), and Cayos del Bajo. The reef’s isolation has helped preserve its pristine condition, making it a haven for marine biodiversity and only accessible by liveaboard
On Day 7 there will be 2 dives before returning to port early morning on the final day.
Day 8
Enjoy your breakfast and say your farewells, then disembark the yacht at Crimson Resort, Mactan to continue your journey.
Please note that these trips sometimes run in reverse - check for details.
[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].
Aboard M/Y Resolute the 5-course lunch and dinner buffets are served on the outdoor main deck and feature a variety of fish, meat, seafood, and vegetables.
6 am - Light breakfast:
Begin the day with a hot drink and a nibble and get ready to enter the water.
7 am - 1st dive
8:30 am - Breakfast:
A simple yet satisfying breakfast spread, including bread, butter, jam, biscuits, eggs, fresh fruit, and a choice of fruit juices.
10:30 am - 2nd dive
12 pm - Lunch:
The chefs offer a mix of local Filipino, Korean and western cuisine. You can look forward to a variety of dishes, with fresh fish and meat, salads and more.
2:15 pm - 3rd dive
3:15 pm: Complimentary snacks, including biscuits and fruit, are available along with tea and coffee.
4:30 pm - 4th dive
7 pm - Dinner:
Enjoy local favourites, such as pork or chicken adobo, coconut milk shrimps, kinilaw, and lumpia.
Drinks: Drinking water is included at no extra cost. Soft drinks and beers are available for purchase on board.
Special dietary needs can be catered to with advance notice.
