Cebu, Bohol & Dumaguete

Trip highlights: whale sharks, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers

Dive sites and activities: Bohol: Cabilao, Panglao; Dumaguete: Apo Island, Dauin; and Cebu: Oslob, Sumilon

Day 1
You will be met at airport and transferred to Cebu Yacht Club, the departure point of your liveaboard tour. Guests normally board Seadoors in the afternoon and settle into their cabins before the evening departure from port to the dive sites you will explore the next day.

Core Days
This diverse Seadoors liveaboard journey through the central Visayas showcases the best of Cebu, Bohol, and Dumaguete, offering a versatile marine experience for divers of all levels. The trip is highlighted by unforgettable encounters with gentle whale sharks, numerous sea turtles, and an incredible spectrum of marine diversity, from large pelagics to world-class macro life.
In Cebu, prepare for sheer spectacle. You'll be mesmerised by the millions of sardines forming a shimmering, swirling curtain in Moalboal - an unforgettable dance of light and motion. You'll dive along walls where strong currents bring in sharks and giant trevally. And you will have the chance to spot whale at Oslob.
Over in Bohol, the experience is all about vibrant life and accessibility. You're practically guaranteed incredible encounters with friendly sea turtles at Balicasag Island, often right as you descend. The environment features stunning coral walls that drop into the abyss, acting as a stage for pelagics, while the sandy slopes are perfect for spotting exotic critters. It’s the perfect blend of reliable big-animal encounters and fantastic macro diving, all in calm, clear waters.
Then, Dumaguete is a scuba world of 2 personalities. Just off the black sand beaches of Dauin, you'll embark on fascinating muck dives, hunting for the weird and wonderful, like cryptic octopus and dragonets. Then, jump over to the protected sanctuary of Apo Island, a classic reef dive teeming with turtles and breathtaking hard corals. This combination offers the best of both worlds: the thrill of the hunt and the beauty of a pristine, established marine ecosystem.

Final Day
Seadoors will return to the harbour in the morning, so there will be plenty of time to dry and arrange your gear and say your goodbyes. The crew will transfer you to the airport or nearby hotel.

Malapascua (6 Days / 5 Nights - 14 Dives)

Trip highlights: 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, Kimud Shoal, Gato Island, Maripipi, Sambawan Island, Kalangaman, Camotes

Day 1
Your Seadoors liveaboard tour to Malapascua will depart from the Cebu Yacht Club. The standard procedure is for guests to board in the afternoon, settle into their assigned cabins, and then depart from the port in the evening to journey towards the first dive sites, which you will explore the following day.

Core Days
The Seadoors liveaboard focuses on a single objective: giving you the best possible chance to see thresher sharks. Malapascua is the only place on earth where these pelagic sharks appear on a cleaning station with reliable regularity. Monad Shoal sits at 25 metres, a flat-topped seamount where thresher sharks rise from deeper water before dawn to be cleaned by wrasse and butterflyfish. You need to be in the water early. The rewards are extraordinary. Their long upper tail fins sweep past as they circle the reef, unhurried and unbothered. The viz is often good. The water is warm. The sharks come close.
Beyond the threshers, the Seadoors takes you to Kimud Shoal, a deeper site where hammerhead sharks sometimes patrol the blue. This is not a guaranteed encounter. But when they show, it changes the trip. Manta rays pass through Kimud as well, along with occasional tiger sharks on the surrounding plateaus.
Gato Island offers a complete change of pace. A tunnel cuts through the rock, wide enough to swim easily. White-tip reef sharks rest on the sandy floor inside. Yellow anemones cover the entrance walls. Pygmy seahorses cling to the sea fans outside the tunnel. Night dives at Gato are superb. Expect Spanish dancers, harlequin shrimp, and several species of cat shark hunting along the reef.
The Seadoors then heads further north to Maripipi, a volcanic island with soft coral gardens on its slopes. The current can run here, bringing larger fish. Bull sharks are occasional visitors. The hard coral cover is dense. Groupers and trevally hold in the shadows. Sambawan Island provides a shallower alternative. Sandy slopes lead to patches of staghorn coral, home to schooling fusiliers and frequent turtle sightings.
Kalangaman delivers what many divers need after several days of shark dives: a white sand bar, turquoise water, and relaxed snorkelling. The reef drops off gently. Juvenile fish fill the shallows. It is a good place for a surface interval. Camotes Islands offer another variation. The diving here features coral tables and sloping walls. A land excursion to natural underground swimming pools breaks the rhythm. You surface after a morning dive, shower off, and walk into cool fresh water.
The Seadoors also spends time in the Cebu Strait near Limasawa and Pintuyan, searching for migrating whale sharks. This part of the trip is weather dependent. When it works, you share the water with filter feeders that can reach 10 metres. Padre Burgos offers a famous night dive nearby, with mandarinfish and frogfish active after dark.

Day 6
You'll have a relaxed morning as the liveaboard returns to the harbour, allowing plenty of time to organize your equipment and share farewells with your new friends before disembarking.

Malapascua, Cebu & Bohol

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, Kimud Shoal, Gato Island, Kalangaman, Sambawan Island, Maripipi; Bohol: Balicasag, Cabilao; Cebu: Oslob, Sumilon; Negros

Day 1
Your diving adventure with Seadoors begins in Cebu Yacht Club, the departure point of your liveaboard. You'll board in the afternoon, giving you time to get comfortable in your cabin before you set sail in the evening

Core Days
Embark on a thrilling underwater safari exploring the rich marine corridors of Malapascua, Cebu, and Bohol. This itinerary is a predator-packed spectacle, designed to immerse you in the most iconic and heart-pounding dive experiences the Philippines has to offer. The Seadoors liveaboard adventure begins in the deep blue waters surrounding the small island of Malapascua, a world-renowned destination for pelagic encounters. The day starts in the pre-dawn gloom with a descent into the mysterious depths of Monad Shoal, an underwater island or "seamount." Here, in the cool, nutrient-rich upwellings, you will witness one of the ocean's most elegant and enigmatic rituals: the daily cleaning of the majestic thresher sharks. With their impossibly long, scythe-like tails trailing behind them, these deep-water sharks approach the cleaning stations, allowing for a truly privileged and humbling encounter that is almost unparalleled elsewhere on the globe.
But Malapascua's allure extends far beyond its iconic dawn dive. For a chance to see schooling hammerhead sharks, Kimud Shoal is your next destination. This submerged pinnacle acts as a magnet for large pelagic, and while the hammerheads can be shy, glimpsing a school of them materializing from the blue is an unforgettable sight. At Maripipi, you have the rare chance to diving with bull sharks at Bull Shark Reef. The action continues at Gato Island, a marine sanctuary where a swim-through tunnel connects two sides of the island. Above water, it's a bird sanctuary; below, it's a world of vibrant soft corals, bustling with sea snakes, white-tip reef sharks, and a spectacular display of macro life, including the elusive blue-ringed octopus. For a change of pace, the journey to Kalangaman Island is rewarded with a stunning sandbar above water and pristine reefs below, often patrolled by jacks and barracuda. Further afield, Sambawan Island offers breathtaking wall dives in crystal-clear visibility, where massive schools of trevallies and snappers create living, swirling walls of silver.
Crossing the channel to Bohol, the liveaboard safari continues at the world-famous Balicasag Island. This marine sanctuary is a masterclass in biodiversity. Its dramatic drop-offs, known as The Cathedral and The Black Forest, are adorned with magnificent sea fans and dense, healthy hard corals that plunge into the abyss. As you drift along these vibrant walls, you are likely to be surrounded by massive, tornado-like schools of jackfish and big-eye trevallies. The current-swept points are also a hotspot for frequent and awe-inspiring manta ray encounters, where these gentle giants gracefully somersault through the water column to feed on plankton. Meanwhile, the shallower gardens are a haven for green sea turtles and a dazzling array of colourful reef fish. A short boat ride away, Cabilao Island offers a more serene but equally rewarding dive experience. Known for its reliable and often calm conditions, Cabilao's reefs are pristine and teeming with life. Its key attraction is the regular presence of large pelagic, including hammerhead sharks passing by on their migrations. The sites here are also famous for fantastic macro diving, with frogfish, ghost pipefish, and a stunning variety of nudibranchs hidden amongst the coral rubble and anemones.
The grand finale brings you to the coast of Cebu, in Oslob. Floating at the surface as a 10-meter long whale shark glides silently past, its speckled skin filtering the sunlight, is a moment of pure, childlike wonder that provides a powerful culmination to this Seadoors diving safari.

Final Day
The liveaboard returns to the harbour after breakfast, allowing time to dry your gear and say farewell.

Malapascua, Cebu, Bohol & Dumaguete (10 Days / 9 Nights - 24 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, Kimud Shoal, Gato Island, Kalangaman; Bohol: Balicasag, Cabilao, Panglao, Anda; Cebu: Oslob and Sumilon Island; Apo Island, plus land excursion to Cebu (waterfall)

Day 1
Your liveaboard adventure begins at Cebu Yacht Club. You'll board the Seadoors in the afternoon, settle into your cabin, and depart in the evening to journey towards the first dive sites.

Core Days
The Seadoors liveaboard weaves through the central Visayas, a region known for its unusual mix of big pelagics and extraordinary macro life. Over the next eight days, you visit Malapascua, Bohol, Camiguin, Siquijor, Negros, and Cebu. The diving changes constantly. One day you are up before dawn watching thresher sharks rise from the deep. The next you are drifting along a volcanic wall or hunting for pygmy seahorses in knee-deep muck.
Malapascua delivers the headline act. Monad Shoal is a submerged plateau where thresher sharks come to be cleaned by wrasse. The sharks arrive early, often before sunrise, their long tails sweeping past as they circle the reef. Kimud Shoal, deeper and more exposed, attracts tiger sharks and occasional mobula rays. Gato Island offers a different thrill: a tunnel that cuts through the rock, lined with white-tip reef sharks and yellow anemones. Night dives here are superb. Expect Spanish dancers, harlequin shrimp, and dense clusters of nudibranchs. A day at Kalangaman brings soft white sand and shallow coral gardens, a welcome break between deeper dives.
South of Malapascua, the Seadoors heads toward Bohol. Balicasag Island sits inside a marine sanctuary. Its walls drop to 80 metres. Turtles are everywhere. Schools of jacks and barracuda hold in the current. Pygmy seahorses cling to the gorgonians at shallower depths. Cabilao offers steep walls with giant sea fans and frequent white-tip reef shark sightings. Panglao and Anda provide quieter diving: sloping reefs, frogfish, ribbon eels, and the occasional hammerhead passing in the blue during the cooler months.
An overnight crossing takes the Seadoors liveaboard to Camiguin, an island shaped by volcanoes. The diving here is unlike anywhere else. The Old Volcano site features a vertical wall of cooled lava, starting shallow and dropping past 60 metres. Hard corals have colonised the black rock. Another site marks a cemetery submerged by the 1871 eruption. A large cross stands on the seabed. Old tombstones are now encrusted with coral, home to scorpionfish and moral eels. The land excursion to Camiguin's hot springs and public market breaks the rhythm of diving in a good way.
Siquijor brings healthy coral gardens and shallow shoals. Eagle rays pass along the walls. Night dives here focus on muck: ghost pipefish, frogfish, and if you are lucky, blue-ringed octopus. Negros delivers colourful reefs with strong currents, drawing schools of fish and green turtles in good numbers.
The final section of the trip includes Apo Island, a protected marine reserve off Negros. The slope at Apo is thick with hard corals. Sea turtles graze on the reef flats. The current can run hard on the outer edge, bringing jacks and barracuda. For many divers, Apo is the highlight of the Visayas.
The itinerary also includes a morning with the whale sharks of Oslob. Snorkelling alongside these gentle giants is the standard here. It is controlled, busy, but undeniably memorable. The Seadoors then turns north toward Cebu's southern coast. Sumilon Island offers a drift dive along a sandy slope with black-tip and white-tip reef sharks. A land excursion to a local waterfall provides a fresh-water rinse before the final night on board.

Day 10
The liveaboard returns to the harbour in the morning, allowing ample time to dry your gear and say your goodbyes.

Malapascua, Cebu, Bohol, Dumaguete & Cagayan

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, Kalangaman; Cagayancillo Islands, Bohol: Balicasag, Cabilao, Dumaguete: Dauin, Apo Island; and Cebu: Oslob

Day 1
Your diving adventure begins at the Cebu Yacht Club, where you will board the MV Seadoors in the afternoon. This gives you ample time to unpack and get comfortable in your cabin before you set sail in the evening, cruising overnight to position ourselves for the next day's underwater exploration.

Core Days
This extended route on the Seadoors liveaboard connects five distinct regions of the central and southern Philippines. You begin with the thresher sharks of Malapascua, then push southwest across the Sulu Sea to the remote Cagayancillo Islands, before working back through Bohol, Dumaguete, and southern Cebu. The variety is exceptional. One week you are watching pelagic sharks at dawn. The next you are picking through muck for blue-ring octopus.
Malapascua delivers the first highlight. Monad Shoal is the only reliable thresher shark cleaning station on the planet. You descend before sunrise to 25 metres, find a spot on the edge of the plateau, and wait. The sharks rise from deeper water with their long upper tail fins sweeping behind them. They circle slowly, unhurried by lights or bubbles. Kalangaman, a white sand islet nearby, offers a softer kind of diving: shallow coral gardens, juvenile fish, and a good place for a relaxed snorkel between deeper dives.
From Malapascua, the Seadoors crosses the Sulu Sea to the Cagayancillo Islands. This is remote diving. Few boats come here. The reefs are untouched. Giant sea fans cover overhanging walls. Schools of jacks and barracuda hunt along the drop-offs. Hammerhead sharks patrol the deeper water outside the atolls. Bumphead parrotfish swim overhead in large groups. The viz is often exceptional. The corals are among the healthiest you will see anywhere in the Philippines.
After several days in Cagayancillo, the Seadoors heads back toward Bohol. Balicasag Island sits inside a protected marine sanctuary. Its walls drop to 80 metres. Turtles are everywhere. Schools of jacks form tornadoes in the current. Pygmy seahorses cling to the sea fans at shallower depths. Cabilao offers a different feel: steep walls with giant gorgonians, frequent white-tip reef shark sightings, and the occasional hammerhead passing in the blue during cooler months.
The Dumaguete region brings 2 distinct experiences. Dauin is famous for muck diving. Black volcanic sand slopes hold frogfish, ghost pipefish, mimic octopus, and the occasional blue-ring. Apo Island sits further offshore, a marine reserve with hard coral gardens and strong currents that attract larger fish. Sea turtles graze on the reef flats. Schools of surgeonfish and snapper fill the water column. The contrast between Dauin and Apo - macro one day, big currents and hard corals the next - keeps the diving fresh.
The final section of the trip includes Oslob in southern Cebu. Snorkelling with whale sharks is the standard here. The operation is regulated and busy, but the encounter is unforgettable. The Seadoors also visits local reefs near Oslob for drift dives. Black-tip and white-tip reef sharks patrol the walls. Schools of jacks hunt along the current lines.

Final Day
Following the morning return to the harbour, there will be plenty of time for you to dry your gear, pack your belongings, and bid farewell to the group before disembarking from the liveaboard.

S. Leyte, Malapascua, Cebu, Bohol & Dumaguete (10 Days / 9 Nights - 22 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, Subway, Southern Leyte: Lamasawa, Pintuyan, Medicare, Padre Burgos, Napantao, Bohol: Anda, Balicasag, Panglao, Cabilao, Cebu: Oslob; and Apo Island, plus land excursion to see tarsiers and the Chocolate Hills

Day 1
Board the Seadoors liveaboard in the afternoon at Cebu Yacht Club, settle into your cabin, and depart in the evening from port to the dive sites you will explore the next day.

Core Days
This route on the Seadoors liveaboard loops through the central Visayas, taking in Malapascua, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu and Apo Island. The diving changes constantly. One morning you are watching thresher sharks rise from the deep before sunrise. A few days later you are drifting over black coral forests or searching volcanic sand for frogfish and ghost pipefish. Land excursions to see tarsiers and the Chocolate Hills add a different kind of memory to the trip.
Malapascua delivers the first major highlight. Monad Shoal is a flat-topped seamount at 25 metres, the only reliable cleaning station for thresher sharks anywhere in the world. You descend before first light, settle on the edge of the plateau, and wait. The sharks appear from deeper water, their long upper tail fins sweeping behind them. They circle slowly, unbothered by divers. Subway at Gato Island offers a different thrill: a tunnel through the rock lined with white-tip reef sharks and yellow anemones. Night dives here produce Spanish dancers, harlequin shrimp, and cat sharks hunting along the reef.
From Malapascua, the Seadoors heads south to the Camotes Islands. The diving here features a wall with a significant overhang, covered in giant sea fans. Schools of barracuda and jacks hunt along the drop-off. A land excursion leads to underground freshwater pools, a welcome break from salt water.
Southern Leyte brings whale shark encounters. Local fishermen help locate the animals. You snorkel with them for several hours. The viz is good. The sharks are relaxed. Nearby sites include Napantao, widely regarded as one of the top ten dives in the Visayas. Black corals cover the walls. Pygmy seahorses cling to the gorgonians. An underwater freshwater spring creates a unique ecosystem, with different species clustering where the fresh water meets the salt. Padre Burgos and Medicare offer muck diving with frogfish, ghost pipefish, and the occasional blue-ring octopus. Lamasawa and Pintuyan provide deeper walls with whale sharks passing through during the season.
Bohol keeps you busy. Anda Bay is known for mandarin fish at dusk. Balicasag Island sits inside a protected marine sanctuary. Its walls drop to 80 metres. Turtles are everywhere. Schools of jacks form dense columns in the current. Pygmy seahorses and ribbon eels hide among the sea fans. Panglao offers sloping reefs with frogfish and green turtles. Cabilao delivers steep walls with giant gorgonians, white-tip reef sharks, and healthy hard coral cover. The land excursion to see tarsiers in their forest habitat and the Chocolate Hills near Carmen gives you a morning out of the water. Both are worth the trip.
The Seadoors also visits Apo Island, a marine reserve off Negros. The current can run hard on the outer slope, bringing schools of jacks and barracuda. Sea turtles graze on the reef flats. Hard coral cover is among the densest in the region. The final section of the trip includes Oslob in southern Cebu. Snorkelling with whale sharks is the standard here. The operation is regulated and busy, but the encounter is unforgettable. Nearby sites offer drift dives with black-tip and white-tip reef sharks hunting along the walls.

Day 10
Following breakfast, the Seadoors returns to the harbour, giving you time to pack and dry your gear and say your goodbyes to guests and staff.

Southern Leyte & Malapascua (7 Days / 6 Nights - 16 Dives)

Trip highlights: whale 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, Kimud Shoal, Gato Island, Sambawan Island, Camotes; Southern Leyte: Lamasawa, Pintuyan and Napantao

Day 1
Your dive tour starts by boarding the liveaboard in the afternoon. After settling into your cabin, the MV Seadoors departs in the evening, cruising overnight to position you for the next day's exploration.

Core Days
This liveaboard journey combines the world-renowned shark action of Malapascua with the rich, biodiverse waters of Southern Leyte, offering a thrilling portfolio of marine encounters. The trip is highlighted by consistent sightings of pelagic giants, including whale sharks and manta rays, alongside the unique daily ritual of seeing thresher sharks at cleaning stations, with frequent appearances from dolphins, turtles, and a spectacular array of macro life.
Malapascua is a legendary destination for pelagic hunters, famed for its reliable, heart-pounding shark encounters. The adventure begins in the pre-dawn darkness at Kimud Shoal, a submerged atoll that is one of the very few places in the world where divers can consistently observe the enigmatic thresher shark. As the sun begins to lighten the sky, these graceful creatures, with their iconic long, whip-like tails, emerge from the deep blue to be cleaned by smaller wrasses at the shoal's cleaning stations. For another intense pelagic spectacle, Monad Shoal offers the chance to witness schooling hammerhead sharks. This sunken seamount peaks at a depth that attracts these predators, and while they can be shy, the sight of a squadron of hammerheads materializing from the depths is a truly transcendent experience.
Contrasting these blue-water adventures is Gato Island, a marine sanctuary renowned for its underwater lava tunnel swim-throughs. The island's waters are a biological hotspot, serving as a home for resident white-tip reef sharks and the fascinating, venomous sea snakes that weave through the vibrant soft corals. Further afield, Sambawan Island boasts breathtaking wall dives where massive schools of jackfish and trevallies form a circling wall of silver, creating a dynamic spectacle.
The islands of the Camotes offer a different but equally captivating charm. Here, the diving is characterized by pristine coral gardens, fascinating underwater caves, and a sense of untouched beauty. Divers can explore intricate cavern systems like those at Buho Rock, where light beams pierce the darkness to illuminate stunning coral formations and vast schools of sardines. The sites are known for their excellent visibility, dramatic drop-offs adorned with sea fans, and a high likelihood of encountering larger pelagic like sharks and manta rays patrolling the open water.
Seadoors journeys to Southern Leyte to dive in a world of pristine reefs and intimate marine encounters. The primary draw near Pintuyan is the opportunity for in-water interactions with whale sharks. Unlike other locations, these interactions are often conducted without baiting, leading to more natural and sustainable encounters with the gentle giants as they passively feed on seasonal natural upwellings. Complementing this is the Napantao Marine Sanctuary, a stellar example of community-led conservation. Its thriving coral reef is a bustling metropolis of marine life, featuring a stunningly preserved San Miguel wreck encrusted with corals, and slopes that are home to a dizzying array of macro life, from flamboyant cuttlefish to a rainbow of nudibranchs. For those seeking ultimate serenity and unspoiled beauty, the reefs surrounding Lamasawa Island provide a remote diving paradise. The currents that sweep these vibrant walls and pinnacles bring in nutrients, supporting lush coral growth and attracting large pelagic, making every dive an adventure into a thriving, healthy underwater wilderness.

Day 7
Upon the morning return to the harbour, you'll have plenty of time to organise your equipment and bid farewell to your fellow guests and the Seadoors liveaboard crew.

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park

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, Jessie Beazley Reef; South Atoll: Ko Ok, Delsan Wreck, Lighthouse, Trigger Fish City, Black Rock

Day 1
Your adventure begins Puerto Princesa, the departure point of your liveaboard cruise to Tubbataha. You'll board the Seadoors in the afternoon, giving you time to get comfortable in your cabin before it sets sail in the evening on a tranquil 9-hour cruise towards the atolls.

Core Days
Nestled in the heart of the Sulu Sea, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is a world-class diving destination that offers an unparalleled marine experience. This remote UNESCO World Heritage Site is famed for its incredible biodiversity, delivering thrilling shark encounters, a fascinating array of macro life, massive schools of fish, and frequent visits by majestic big pelagics. The diving environment is primarily for advanced divers, featuring exhilarating drift dives along pristine, healthy reefs and dramatic walls, truly placing it off the beaten track.
The park comprises two atolls, the North and South Atoll, and the Jessie Beazley Reef, each offering a distinct underwater topography. The experience is defined by sheer vertical walls, often starting in mere meters of water and plunging into the abyssal blue. These walls are adorned with breathtakingly healthy and vibrant coral gardens - a kaleidoscope of hard and soft corals, giant sea fans, and sponges that form the foundation for an explosion of life.
The primary draw, however, is the consistent presence of large pelagic species. It is not uncommon to complete a single dive with the Seadoors liveaboard surrounded by multiple grey reef sharks and white-tip reef sharks, while schools of jackfish and towering columns of barracuda form immense, swirling fish balls in the blue. The thrill of seeing hammerhead sharks patrolling the deeper drop-offs or witnessing a majestic manta ray glide effortlessly overhead is a regular occurrence, making every descent into the water an encounter with the ocean's most powerful predators.
Beyond the shark-filled channels and walls, Tubbataha offers an unparalleled concentration of marine life that caters to every underwater interest. The shallower lagoons and reef flats, particularly at the South Atoll, serve as critical nesting grounds for sea turtles and seabirds, while the clear waters are a highway for Napoleon wrasse and dogtooth tuna. Specific sites like the Washing Machine offer an exhilarating drift dive through a channel where converging currents create a surge of activity, concentrating marine life into a spectacular, high-energy spectacle. For macro enthusiasts, the coral rubble areas and reef crests hide a treasure trove of smaller critters. The Jessie Beazley Reef, the park's northernmost component, provides a more isolated encounter with dramatic pinnacles and walls that are less dived, offering a sense of true liveaboard exploration.

Final Day
After breakfast, the Seadoors will return to the harbour, providing ample time to organize your equipment and bid farewell to fellow guests.

Tubbataha, Cebu, Bohol, Dumaguete & Cagayan

Trip highlights: whale sharks, 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, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: Cebu: Oslob, Sumilon; Bohol: Cabilao, Panglao; Dumaguete: Apo Island, Dauin; Cagayancillo Islands, Tubbataha Reef: North and South Atolls and Jessie Beazley Reef; plus land excursion to Cebu (waterfall and hot springs)

Day 1
The departure point for your liveaboard is the Cebu Yacht Club. Seadoors guests are asked to board in the afternoon to allow time to settle in before the evening departure, as you will be travelling overnight to reach the remote dive sites scheduled for the next day.

Core Days
This epic Philippines liveaboard expedition is the ultimate adventure for scuba divers, showcasing of the country's best and seamlessly blending the remote, pelagic-rich wonders of Tubbataha Reef with the accessible marine diversity of the central Visayas.
Located in the heart of the Sulu Sea, Tubbataha offers a world-class diving experience defined by pristine coral walls, breathtaking drop-offs, and unparalleled marine biodiversity. Descend into crystal-clear waters to encounter, schools of jacks and barracuda, thrilling shark action, majestic whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins, and nesting sea turtles. As a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site, this remote atoll delivers pristine and vibrant reef systems, making it the ultimate destination for serious divers seeking an unforgettable underwater adventure in the Philippines.
Cabilao in Bohol is renowned for its rare and mesmerising encounters with large schools of hammerhead sharks, whereas Balicasag offers vibrant reefs and the world-famous macro life. In Oslob, the highlight is the chance for an encounter with gentle whale sharks, while nearby Sumilon Island offers pristine walls and reliable sightings of schooling jacks and barracuda against a backdrop of stunning blue water.
Dumaguete offers the ultimate two-in-one dive safari: at Apo Island, you'll explore a protected marine sanctuary teeming with turtles and lush coral gardens, while the black sand slopes of Dauin provide a world-class muck diving paradise for finding rare and exotic critures like bumblebee shrimp and robust ghost pipefish. For the ultimate frontier adventure, the remote Cagayancillo Islands offer extreme pelagic action, untouched coral walls, and a true sense of discovery far from the crowds.
With a diving environment that includes exhilarating drift dives, dramatic walls, and incredibly healthy reefs, this Seadoors liveaboard adventure is perfectly complemented by a land excursion in Cebu to experience a scenic waterfall and relaxing hot springs, creating the perfect balance between intense underwater exploration and tranquil terrestrial discovery.

Final Day
The liveaboard will arrive back at the harbour early morning in Puerto Princesa, which provides sufficient time for you to arrange your gear and offer your goodbyes before concluding the trip.
Note: this is a transit trip and can operate in either direction. Check your specific trip for exact port details.