Visayas - Seascape (Cebu - Cebu)

Seadoors · Philippines · 9 nights

Duration
9 nights
Embarkation
Cebu City, Philippines
Disembarkation
Cebu City, Philippines
Dives
Approximately 24 dives in total

About this route

The Visayas Seascape cruise offers a dynamic journey through some of the Philippines' most beautiful dive sites. This itinerary explores the vibrant waters of Malapascua, Gato Island, Bohol, and Apo Island, culminating in an encounter with whale sharks in Tanawan. Divers can expect a rich variety of underwater landscapes and marine life, making for an unforgettable dive adventure. This trip is designed to capture the essence of the Visayas, providing stunning visuals and lasting memories.

Regions on this route

MalapascuaVisayasCebuBoholGato IslandApo IslandBalicasag

Highlights

Apo Island

Apo Island is a pioneering marine sanctuary celebrated for its vibrant coral reefs and abundant sea turtle population. The dive sites here consist of gentle slopes and steep walls, often with mild to moderate currents. It is a prime location for observing green sea turtles and hawksbill turtles, along with large schools of reef fish. The area showcases successful marine conservation efforts through its pristine state.

  • Pioneering marine sanctuary
  • Abundant sea turtles
  • Vibrant coral reefs
  • Large schools of reef fish

Balicasag

Balicasag Island, near Bohol, is an internationally recognized marine sanctuary renowned for its impressive walls and schooling fish. The dive sites here are often characterized by strong currents, making it a thrilling experience for drift diving. Common sightings include barracuda, jackfish, and various species of reef sharks. The healthy coral ecosystems support a rich and diverse array of marine life.

  • Marine sanctuary
  • Impressive wall dives
  • Schooling barracuda
  • Strong drift currents

Bohol

Bohol is renowned for its diverse dive sites, including the famous Balicasag Island and the macro-rich Anda Bay. The region offers a mix of wall dives, slopes, and muck diving opportunities. Conditions typically range from calm to moderate currents, supporting an abundance of marine life from schools of jackfish to rare macro creatures like pygmy seahorses and frogfish. Its reefs are largely pristine and teeming with activity.

  • Diverse dive sites
  • Wall and slope dives
  • Macro photography haven
  • Abundant marine life

Cebu

As a central hub in the Visayas, Cebu offers access to a wide array of dive sites, from macro heaven to pelagic strongholds. The dive sites around Cebu often feature dynamic currents, healthy coral communities, and impressive drop-offs. It serves as an excellent starting point for exploring the surrounding islands, known for both common reef inhabitants and occasional larger species.

  • Central dive hub
  • Dynamic currents
  • Healthy coral communities
  • Impressive drop-offs

Gato Island

Gato Island is a protected marine reserve famous for its unique underwater tunnel system that divers can explore. The island's waters often feature strong currents, attracting pelagic species. Beyond the tunnel, the area boasts thriving coral gardens, numerous caves, and a rich variety of macro life. Whitetip reef sharks are commonly sighted, along with sea snakes and various nudibranchs.

  • Underwater tunnel exploration
  • Protected marine reserve
  • Thriving coral gardens
  • Whitetip reef sharks

Malapascua

Malapascua is celebrated for its thresher shark cleaning stations, offering nearly guaranteed sightings of these magnificent pelagic sharks. The dive sites feature deep walls and pinnacles, often with strong currents that attract larger marine life. Beyond thresher sharks, the area is known for diverse reef ecosystems and occasional encounters with manta rays and other pelagics.

  • Thresher shark sightings
  • Deep walls and pinnacles
  • Strong currents
  • Diverse reef ecosystems

Visayas

The Visayas region encompasses a vast area known for its exceptional marine biodiversity and a wide range of dive experiences. From pelagic encounters to macro photography opportunities, the Visayas offers something for every diver. Its waters are characterized by vibrant coral reefs, varied topography including walls and slopes, and a rich abundance of marine species. This region serves as a hub for some of the best diving in the Philippines.

  • Exceptional biodiversity
  • Diverse dive experiences
  • Vibrant coral reefs
  • Varied topography

Requirements

  • CertificationOpen Water
  • Minimum logged dives30
  • ExperienceOpen Water certification with 30 minimum logged dives required.

Day-by-day plan

  1. Day 1: Embarkation – Cebu City

    Guests will embark in Cebu City, Philippines, with check-in details dependent on local flight times. After settling into cabins, there will be a welcome briefing to introduce the crew and outline the exciting itinerary ahead.

  2. Day 2: North Malapascua – Thresher Shark Encounters

    Today's dives focus on North Malapascua, an area renowned for its thresher shark cleaning stations. The dive sites here often feature steep drop-offs and strong currents, creating ideal conditions for sightings of these elusive sharks. Divers commonly observe thresher sharks, often accompanied by schools of reef fish and occasional manta rays.

  3. Day 3: Gato Island – Tunnel and Maripipi Island

    The day's diving takes place around Gato Island, famous for its unique tunnel system and vibrant marine life. This area often features interesting rock formations, small caves, and mild to moderate currents. Maripipi Island is another highlight, known for its pristine coral gardens and diverse macro life. Commonly sighted creatures include whitetip reef sharks, sea snakes, and various nudibranchs.

    Dive sites: Gato Island tunnel, Maripipi Island

  4. Day 4: Bohol Island – Balicasag and Cabilao

    Today, the cruise explores the premier dive sites of Bohol Island, focusing on Balicasag and Cabilao. Balicasag is celebrated for its impressive walls and abundant fish life, often featuring strong currents. Cabilao offers a mix of walls and gentle slopes, known for its healthy coral reefs. Divers commonly encounter schools of jackfish, barracuda, and various reef sharks in these areas.

    Dive sites: Balicasag, Cabilao

  5. Day 5: Bohol Island – Panglao and Anda Bay

    The exploration of Bohol continues with dives around Panglao and Anda Bay. Panglao offers diverse underwater topography, from gentle slopes to sheer walls, often with moderate currents. Anda Bay is known for its pristine beaches and vibrant macro dive sites, with calmer conditions. Characteristic marine life includes frogfish, pygmy seahorses, and various colourful nudibranchs, alongside healthy coral ecosystems.

    Dive sites: Panglao, Anda Bay

  6. Day 6: South Apo Island – Marine Sanctuary

    Today's agenda includes diving around South Apo Island, a well-established marine sanctuary. This area is celebrated for its incredibly vibrant coral gardens, impressive biodiversity, and often features mild to moderate currents. It is a prime location for observing various species of sea turtles, large schools of reef fish, and a multitude of colourful invertebrates.

  7. Day 7: Tanawan – Whale Shark Encounters

    The cruise ventures to Tanawan for a unique opportunity to encounter whale sharks. This region is known for interactions with these gentle giants in a controlled environment. While not a traditional dive site, the experience offers unparalleled proximity to the largest fish in the ocean. The waters here are typically calm and clear, providing excellent visibility for observation.

  8. Day 8: Visayas Seascape – Exploring Local Sites

    Today will be spent exploring additional beautiful dive sites within the Visayas region, offering a diverse array of underwater experiences. The specific sites visited will depend on local conditions and group preferences, ensuring varied topography and marine life. This area often features healthy reefs, moderate currents, and opportunities for both macro and wide-angle photography.

  9. Day 9: Visayas Seascape – Final Dives

    The penultimate day offers a final series of dives in the Visayas, consolidating the trip's diverse experiences. These dives will revisit some of the most captivating areas or explore new local spots, focusing on different aspects of marine life or topography. Conditions are typically favorable, allowing for enjoyable and memorable last underwater explorations.

  10. Day 10: Disembarkation – Cebu City

    Guests will disembark in Cebu City, Philippines. Check-out procedures will be handled, with timing dependent on local flight schedules. This marks the end of a captivating liveaboard journey through the Visayas, filled with incredible underwater adventures and memories.

Upcoming departures

  • 2026-12-28 – 2027-01-06from 3,352.47 USDBook

All routes of this liveaboard

About the vessel

SeadoorsSeadoorsPhilippines
← Back to vessel: Seadoors