Vessels
Philippine Siren
The 40-metre Philippine Siren was built in Sulawesi from ironwood and teak and in the style of a gaft-rigged Phinisi. The Worldwide Dive and Sail team have used valuable lessons from their previous sailing yachts to incorporate features that offer luxurious comfort and safety and are proud to say “built by divers for divers”.
Philippine Siren can take up to 16 divers in 8 air-conditioned, luxury, spacious cabins which offer a choice of bed configurations. Cabins 1 & 3 have queen-sized beds. Cabins 4 & 5 can be configured as double or twin beds and Cabins 6 & 7 have three single beds, but are only ever allocated to 2 guests unless requested by family or friends, or if a whole boat is required. Cabin 8 is the ‘owner’s cabin’ and has a double bed. The cabin is a little smaller but has the advantage of a separate entrance and is the most stable cabin on the boat. Each of Philippine Siren’s cabins have a personal computer, audio visual system and en-suite bathrooms. Luxury touches such as hair dryers, individually controlled lighting and air conditioning along with massage service, and laundry service mean that quality is not compromised. There is an expansive leisure deck area for relaxation and an air conditioned saloon with cocktail bar, large flat screen and computer server supporting the inter-cabin network. The covered outdoor dining area offers super sea views while you enjoy gourmet dining.
Special services for underwater photographers include individual computers in each cabin along with multiple power outlets. The computer has a 20” flatscreen and is integrated into the yacht’s network server. There are workstations for the preparation and maintenance of cameras and large rinse tanks used only for cameras and videos. Diving usually takes place from one of Philippine Siren’s two powerful zodiacs. Nitrox is included in the holiday price for all Nitrox certified divers.
Safety is of paramount importance so Philippine Siren has been designed and constructed to the highest safety standards based on Lloyd’s Standards, the leading international body of maritime safety standards. The crew is specially trained in all aspects of safety including emergency and evacuation procedures. The boat is equipped with life rafts, life jackets, fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, emergency long distance radios and satellite phones.
Example cruise itineraries:
BATANGAS TO CORON (10 nights)
Between November and January Philippine Siren offers a series of exciting 10 nights cruises in the Mindoro Straits, departing from Batangas on the southern tip of Luzon, and returning to Coron in the north of Calamian, and vice versa.
Batangas to Coron Cruise Itinerary: Day 1: Depart from Manila for the 4 hour road transfer to Batangas and board Philippine Siren. Day 2: After a check out dive you will head towards Verde Island and enjoy the walls and drops offs where white-tip and grey reef sharks are often sighted. Days 3 & 4: Travel to Anilao and Lubang, a must for muck diving enthusiasts and one of the Philippines most dived areas. Around 7 dives will be offered on the slopes here. Days 5 & 6 will be spent at the famous Apo Reef, with its delightful walls and drop offs where larger schooling fish abound. Days 7, 8 & 9 will take in up to 12 dives around Busuanga and the northern Calamian group, known for its sunken fleet of World War II Japanese wrecks, something of a more condensed version of Truk Lagoon. On Day 10 the final two dives are offered before a relaxing afternoon and drying your gear. Day 11: Disembark Philippine Siren in Coron Town where you can extend your stay to further explore Coron, or enjoy a few dry days of luxury before returning to Manila.
CORON TO BATANGAS (10 nights)
The Coron to Batangas itinerary simply reverses the Batangas to Coron itinerary.
SOUTHERN VISAYAS (10 NIGHTS)
Day 1: The cruise commences on Mactan Island in the town of Cebu in the afternoon of day 1. Day 2: At Cabilao Island enjoy such dives as Cambiquiz to ease you into the trip with its sandy sloping reefs and macro life. The rest of the day will be spent diving around Paradise Wall and Lighthouse where you will find walls covered in corals and an array of life. Look out for pygmy seahorses! Day 3 offers up to 4 dives around Balicasag and Cabilao where caverns and steep walls are home to reef sharks, schooling barracuda and frogfish. Day 4: A morning is spent at Balicasag before heading west to Sumilon. Day 5: Up to 4 dives are offered at Moalboal, famed for its larger pelagic life. Look out for sharks and if you are lucky enough you might spot a Thresher Shark! Day 6: Pescador Island is a tiny off shore island attracting large schools of sardines and some larger friends! Whale Sharks have been sighted here as well as a number of reef sharks. Day 7: Today you will return to Moalboal for up to 4 more dives on this extensive reef system. Day 8: test your mettle at Cebu and Sumillon Island where currents can roar past the steep walls covered in hard and soft corals. Explore the slopes and overhangs in this marine sanctuary. Day 9: You will be offered four dives at Panglao Island where you can drift amongst the sheltered inlets and shallow reefs. Ghost pipefish and nudibranchs abound and you will also be able to spend some time ashore in Alona Beach. Day 10: Your final day at Cabilao will be spent critter hunting. Try and tear yourself away from the pygmy seahorses! Day 11: The cruise ends at Mactan Island and departure it as 1000.
TUBBATAHA (6 NIGHTS)
Day 1: Meet the crew at Moana Hotel at 1300 in Puerto Princessa and transfer to Philippine Siren. Enjoy the evening at leisure before setting sail for Tubbataha. Day 2: Three dives are offered in the northern part of the reef system. Washing Machine is a wall dive where you need to keep and eye on your computer! Shark Airport is famed for its wallpaper of sharks, protected in these waters. The third dive of the day will be somewhat shallower and more sheltered among the sea fans, barracuda and tuna. Day 3: This morning you will visit a wreck, normally Malayan Wreck (depending on conditions) on the western side of the reef system. She attracts plenty of schooling fish and you should look out for sharks and rays too. After this you will head to Amos Rock to gaze at the corals and anthias. Afternoon dives will be at Gorgonian Channel or South Park. Day 4: Black Rock and Delsan Rock are home to sweetlips and midnight snapper that roam the South Atoll. Turtles abound around this location that warrants another day. Day 5: The southern point of the island is the light house area. Reefs here are shallower and colourful and rays inhabit the reeftop. Day 6: The final three dives of the cruise are at North Atoll. You can re-visit your favourite sites or test out some new ones! Day 7: Disembark Philippine Siren at Puerto Princessa for the return flight to Manila.
Southern Visayas: around $2688 for 7 nights and around $3712 for 10 nights
Includes: 7 or 10 nights cruise on Philippine Siren on a twin/share basis with full board, plus coffee, tea, fruit juice, soft drinks, fresh fruit and beer; 5 or 8 full days of diving plus one or two on the last day depending on your onward flight schedule; air or Nitrox fills; dive gear including wetsuit, regulator, BCD and fins; escorted shore excursions where appropriate.
Reduction for non-divers.
A port/national park fee of €75 (subject to change) for 7 nights and €100 (subject to change) for 10 nights is payable on board.
Coron to Batangas/Batangas to Coron: around $3712.
Includes: 10 nights cruise on Philippine Siren on a twin/share basis with full board, plus coffee, tea, fruit juice, soft drinks, fresh fruit and beer; 8 full days of diving plus one or two on the last day depending on your onward flight schedule; air or Nitrox fills; dive gear including wetsuit, regulator, BCD and fins; escorted shore excursions where appropriate.
Reduction for non-divers.
A port/national park fee of €90 (subject to change) is payable on board.
Tubbataha: around $2752
Includes: 6 nights cruise on Philippine Siren on a twin/share basis with full board, plus coffee, tea, fruit juice, soft drinks, fresh fruit and beer; 4 full days of diving plus one or two on the last day depending on your onward flight schedule; air or Nitrox fills; dive gear including wetsuit, regulator, BCD and fins; escorted shore excursions where appropriate.
Reduction for non-divers.
A port/national park fee of €75 (subject to change) is payable on board.