The Philippines is perfect for a liveaboard and diving trip as the country consists of 7,641 islands, of which about 900 are inhabited. For those of you who like diving and snorkeling friendly waters, you have a wonderful destination out of the ordinary. The country's capital Manila is the largest city and most natural airport to arrive at, along with Cebu.

In addition to fantastic diving, the country also has magnificent landscapes with terraced farms, mountains and volcanoes, dense jungle and white-sand beaches. There are many exciting destinations to choose from and the diving is varied depending on which part of the country you visit.

The people are friendly, the prices are reasonable and the food is good. The food culture is developing and becoming more and more international but often with a Filipino touch. The Philippines is culturally different from other countries in Asia due to its clear heritage from the time as a Spanish colony.

This is evident in buildings, names, religion and language. Many speak relatively good or very good English. There are over 100 different languages ​​and even more dialects that can differ greatly between different parts of the country. Tagalog is the common language in the Philippines.

How much does a liveaboard to the Philippines cost?

The Philippines is normally very affordable but answering exactly what it costs is difficult to answer. It is normally possible to put together liveaboard trips from between 45-50 000 SEK / person and upwards including flights, accommodation, transfers and diving but can vary a lot. Marine park fees, local port fees, and possible fuel surcharges may apply.

Several factors that affect you can find here on our pageThe best thing to do is to contact us at Scuba Travel and ask for a free proposal for more details and a more accurate price for your diving trip to the Philippines.

When is the best time to go to the Philippines?

Here it is actually in season all year round, but the best diving is normally considered to be from October to June when it is not as hot and humid as during the summer. Some shift in the weather and seasons can sometimes occur. Typical climate:

o Summer, March – May.
o Rainy season, July – November
o Winter, December – February

However, it depends on where in the Philippines you go. Dauin for example has a season and good diving all year round. Tubbataha reefs on the other hand is only accessible a few months each year due to its exposed location out in the Sulu Sea.

What can I see when diving in the Philippines?

Life beneath the surface offers beautiful corals and a rich marine life. Everything from dolphins, whale sharks, manta rays, colorful small fish, nudibranchs, squid, crustaceans, turtles and several shark species to mention a few. Some parts of the country are severely affected by the strong weather systems and winds that occur. They should or can only be visited during selected parts of the year. Other places are year-round destinations and always offer good diving.

The different regions vary in culture, language and diving and there are always areas that are good to dive in. The Philippines is a distinct country for land-based diving although it is entirely possible to go on liveaboard also. Some places can only be experienced with liveaboard.

Where is the best diving in the Philippines?

We have chosen to focus mainly on the best areas for diving in the Philippines in the Visayas with places like Malapascua, Moalboal, Oslob, Mactan, Dauin, Sipalay, Cagayancillo, Leyte, Bohol, Alona, ​​Cabilao, Anda and the Mimaropa region with Puerto Galera, Romblon and Anilao in the north and northern Palawan where Coron is good for diving and for those who like wrecks.

In Palawan, the nature is fantastic and one of the places most people go to experience the dramatic and beautiful nature above the surface. There you can also combine diving with mountain climbing, jungle hiking and wonderful beaches. We also offer liveaboards to the fantastic Tubbataha reef in the Sulu Sea that starts from Palawan, plan in time because it is often full far in advance.

The Philippines is considered one of the world's best diving destinations and offers some of the world's best or most species-rich diving. The variety is enormous and there are all types of diving here. You can dive along walls that plunge straight into the depths, you can dive on wrecks from World War II. You can do stream dives, or why not focus on macro dives where you take pictures and watch frogfish, strange invertebrates such as colorful nudibranchs or cunning octopuses.

When and where are liveaboards and safaris available in the Philippines?

Yes there are liveaboards but the selection is quite limited if you want some quality on your liveaboard. Liveaboards are offered all year round but to different parts of the country as the seasons vary. Tubbataha is the most popular but can only be reached for about three months a year. Normally the liveaboards run for five to seven nights depending on which route they run but sometimes up to nine-ten or in rare cases 12-13 nights. 

Check out our liveaboards in the Philippines to learn more about our options. Of course, you can combine diving with liveaboards with hotels or dive resorts. Contact us with your wishes on tel: 0301-22100.

Extra nights on site

It is very likely, not always but often, that you will need a number of extra nights on site when you go on a liveaboard in the Philippines. The flights from Scandinavia probably do not match the liveaboards perfectly and to guard against delays and problems with luggage you should have at least a couple of nights before your liveaboard. Depending on your flight times, you may need extra nights both before your liveaboard departs but sometimes also after. We recommend that you take the opportunity and take a few more days and discover this beautiful country that is rich in nature and wildlife or combine it with something else in the Philippines.