Surrounded by beautiful reefs thriving with marine life, fantastic dive sites famous for diversity are just stone’s throw from the resort, most of them within a few minutes boat ride.
Tubbataha sits in the Sulu Sea and is in the middle of the Coral Triangle between Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The Tubbataha Reefs National Parks is an UNESCO World Heritage site. The atolls are made up of the North Atoll, South Atoll and the Jessie Beazley Reef to the northwest of the main atolls and are all part of the park. The diving in Tubbataha is seasonal, with opportunities to see whale sharks and mantas early in the season. Tubbataha is accessed via Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
Dates
March 25- April 6, 2024
Duration:
12 nights/13 days
Package Cost: (per person, double occupancy, USD)
Liveaboard room type + Resort room type:
Balcony Suite & Garden View: $4950
Balcony Suite & Sea Deck: $5000
Balcony Suite & Premier Garden Suite: $5050
Balcony Suite & Premier Sea View Suite: $5200
Deluxe Main Deck & Garden View: $4750
Deluxe Main Deck & Sea Deck: $4800
Deluxe Main Deck & Premier Garden Suite: $4850
Deluxe Main Deck & Premier Sea Suite: $5000
Deluxe Lower Deck & Garden View: $4550
Deluxe Lower Deck & Sea Deck: $4600
Deluxe Lower Deck & Premier Garden Suite: $4700
Deluxe Lower Deck & Premier Sea Suite: $4800
Room Types:
Aggressor Philippines
Edgewater Garden View
Edgewater Sea Deck
Edgewater Premier Garden Suite
Edgewater Premier Sea Suite
Price Includes:
▪ 5 nights at Edgewater Dive Resort & Spa
– 3 meals a day (B, L, D)
– 2 dives a day and nitrox
– Transportation to/from Manila & port fees
▪ 7 nights aboard the Philippines Aggressor
– All meals, snacks and beverages (beer & wine)
– Up to 20 dives on 7 night itineraries
▪ Certified guides & small dive groups
▪ Private charter for our group only.
▪ Group size limited to 24 including trip leaders
▪ Presentations on marine wildlife
▪ Travel and explore with a marine biologist and educational expert
▪ Photography and editing advice provided.
▪ Fun, friendly & inclusive atmosphere
Price Excludes:
Dive rental gear
Gratuities
Dive courses
International & domestic flights
Dive Insurance & Travel Insurance
Resort:
Drinks at lunch & dinner (water is complimentary)
Spa treatments
Extra dives & Nitrox
Additional excursions
Liveaboard:
$150 USD per person park/port fees
$200 USD per person fuel surcharge – Aggressor announced they are removing fuel surcharges, we’ll double check on this.
$100 USD Nitrox (for the week)
Flights to/from Puerto Princesa
12% VAT tax is added to all onboard sales.
Liquor sold on board (okay to bring your own)
How to Secure Your Spot:
Please note that this trip has limited spots, so you will need to get in quick to secure your booking. The following payments will be required:
• $900 USD pp to secure your spot (due at booking)
• 30% of package price due Sept 10, 2023
• Remaining balance due Dec 10, 2023
We will be in touch via e-mail to provide individual invoices and payment details. We would recommend purchasing your flights into Manila as soon as possible to secure reasonably priced flights. To book and check for available spaces email: amanda@amandadelaforce.com
Payment
To secure your place on this trip, you will need to pay a $900 USD deposit.
HSBC Bank (US Dollars only)
Amanda Delaforce
BSB: 342250
Swift Code: HKBAAU2S
Account Number: 426939439
Receiving Bank Address: Shop 1032, Westfield Hornsby,
236 Pacific Highway, Hornsby NSW 2077 Australia.
Group Size
This will be limited to 24 pax (excludes group/expedition leaders) for photographers/divers. Photography assistance will be available to help you get the most out of your trip.
Trip Details
This adventure begins in Manila, Philippines and takes us to the luxury
Edgewater Dive Resort and Spa in Puerto Galera. Here we will spend
5 nights/6 days diving & relaxing. Transit to Puerto Galera is roughly
3 and 1/2 hours via vehicle & ferry crossing. After 6 days in Puerto Galera
we will transit & fly to Puerto Princesa to board the beautiful
Aggressor Philippines for a journey to Tubbataha Reef.
Sample Itinerary:
Day 1: Pick up in Manila and transfer to Puerto Galera
Day 2-5: Diving & relaxing in beautiful Puerto Galera
Day 6: Transit to Manila and fly to Puerto Princesa and board
the Aggressor
Day 7-12: Aboard the Philippines Aggressor diving in stunning
Tubbataha Reef
Day 13: Disembark the Philippines Aggressor, travel home or onward
Getting There
Manila (MNL)
For most travelers, Manila will be your international gateway arrival/departure city. Most major airlines will have flights to/from Manila.
Arrival: Arrive into Manila by mid-morning on March 25, 2024. (You may want to arrive a day or two before and explore Manila). At 9am our pre-arranged transportation will take us down to Edgewater Dive Resort and Spa in Puerto Galera.
Manila to Puerto Princesa: March 30, 2024 we will transit back to Manila in the morning and catch flights down to Puerto Princesa in the afternoon. The internal flight has been purchased one-way (and is included in the package).
Departure: April 6, 2024 we will disembark by 8am. The Aggressor staff will arrange to bring us to the domestic airport (Puerto Princesa) back to Manila or transfer to your hotel. The airport is very close to where the boat docks, so please book (i) your internal flight (around 9.30-10am – the return internal flight is not included in the package costs for various reasons). There are a few major airlines that fly from MNL-PPS, including Cebu Pacific Airlines and Philippines Airlines and (ii) International flights from Manila from 2-3pm onwards. Allow plenty of time (several hours between flights) to get to an international flight from Manila, as there are several terminals and it can take a while to get between terminals (we have been advised traffic is bad around the airport).
Current Entry Requirements for Philippines
As of April 27, 2023:
• At least six (6) months of passport validity remaining at the time of entry
• For temporary visitors: valid onward/return ticket
• Countries requiring a Visa to enter the Philippines click here. Most travelers (including US, Canada, Australia, UK, etc) can enter for up to 30 days visa free.
• Unvaccinated/Partially Vaccinated Travelers: A laboratory-based rapid
antigen negative test result within twenty-four (24) hours prior to the date
and time of departure from the country of origin is required for entry to the
Philippines.
• Fully Vaccinated Travelers: Pre-departure COVID testing is no longer
required for fully vaccinated travelers, to include Filipinos and foreign
nationals.
• Additional entry details can be found here.
About The Philippines
- The Philippines is an archipelago, or string of over 7,100 islands, in southeastern Asia between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
- The Philippines is a popular retirement destination for foreigners because of its climate and low cost of living; the country is also a top destination for diving enthusiasts. Tourist spots include Boracay, called the best island in the world by Travel + Leisure in 2012; El Nido in Palawan; Cebu; Siargao, and Bohol.
- Manila, its capital, and Quezon City (the largest city) are in Metro Manila.
- The currency is the Philippine Peso (PHP).
- The first half of the year, from January to May, is the best time to visit the country. November to February is cool, while March to May is hot and dry. June to October is rainy, with the months between July and September characterized by typhoons. Average temperature is 78 degrees F/25 degrees C; average humidity is 77%.
- Visibility: 32 to 114 feet (10-35m depending on the tides)
- Diving Difficulty: Tubbataha is suitable for snorkelers. Intermediate to Advanced recommended. Strong currents might be present at some of the sites.
Group Leaders
Amanda Delaforce and Kim Randall. Both with a wealth of travel and underwater experience. Kim is located in the States. Amanda is located in Australia. They met on a trip in the Maldives and have been passionate about diving, marine encounters and photography ever since. This is a new trip and they look forward to sharing this unforgettable experience with you. Please refer to the testimonials page for comments on other marine expedition trips.
Amanda is a marine biologist and wildlife ecologist having worked across both NSW and QLD Marine Parks (Australia) over the last 20 years. Amanda has previously been involved in various humpback whale research projects along the East Australian Coast including Eden, Port Stephens, Sunshine Coast and Hervey Bay.
Amanda has been taking guests diving and swimming with marine species including humpback whales, manta rays, whale sharks, dolphins and reef and oceanic sharks while also viewing amazing coral communities and fish in stunning and remote locations. Amanda can provide a wealth of information on the humpback and blue whales while out on the zodiac day expeditions. She holds her coxswains certificate and has been a divemaster for over 23 years.
She works closely with marine conservation and citizen science groups such as Manta Project Australia, Project Manta Maldives, Grey Nurse Shark Watch Australia and Whale Shark Researchers in the Maldives.
Amanda is a passionate underwater marine and wildlife photographer; countless dives and ocean encounters means she knows where to look for inspiration. She has a genuine love and admiration for animals she encounters which are reflected in the experiences she shares with others.
This is her first trip to this amazing location and has been a dream trip for many years. I hope you are as excited as she is to take you on this unforgettable journey. Follow her on Instagram, check out her photography and shop page on her website.
Kim Randall, a native Californian and an avid traveler, discovered her love of the ocean and marine life at an early age, by pleading with her parents to send her to a sailing and diving summer camp. It was here she became certified to scuba dive. While she was always active and into playing sports as a child and young adult, she developed knee issues which prevented her full involvement in them. Scuba diving and water related non weight bearing activities changed all of that!
Kim went on to pursue a career in education, and became a global educational technology consultant. She works with professional learning organizations including Designed for Learning, Discovery Education, Nearpod, and the Krause Center for Innovation, providing relevant and engaging training centered around effective use and pedagogy of educational technologies in the classroom.
When she wasn’t consulting and working with educators, she was (and still is) found planning dive trips around the world. In 2009 she joined the team producing the tv series “Into the Drink”, a diving and travel show filming on location in incredible diving destinations around the world. Kim traveled with the crew and guests on many of the trips, supporting with underwater photography and guest relations. Her love of diving, marine life, underwater photography, and traveling across the globe continued to flourish with this incredible experience. It was through mutual friends filming on one of the boats, that Kim and Amanda became friends, dive buddies, and shared a passion for photography.
With her love of travel, trip planning and diving, she organically loved Google Earth & Maps when they launched in 2005 and became an avid user of both tools. Fast forward to 2018, She co-authored a book geared towards educators called Bring the World to Your Classroom: Using Google Geo Tools. Kim has been an elementary and middle school teacher as well as a technology integration specialist and holds a California Multiple Subject teaching credential. She is based in the San Francisco Bay Area but often found in her spare time traveling to new places near and far, scuba diving, and dabbling with topside and underwater photography. This is her first trip to Antarctica and the only remaining continent she hasn’t visited yet. Kim is so excited for this adventure. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, check out her photography www.kimrandall.photography or contact her at designedfordiving@gmail.com.
Bookings, Payment, Cancellation Policy and Force Majeure in relation to the Tour
TERMS & CONDITIONS
1. Insurance
- Amanda Delaforce Photography and Travel Pty Ltd highly recommends you purchase personal travel and dive insurance as soon as possible after confirming your travel plans. We recommend Dive Assure or DAN for diving insurance. Dive Assure offers a Dive and Travel Insurance annual and short-term (per trip). You can purchase it here: https://app.diveassure.com/#/registration/main/process/0/int/0/18669/en-intl
- Evidence of adequate travel and dive insurance must be provided prior to departure.
- The affiliated and established companies such as ‘Aggressor ‘ and ‘Edgewater Dive and Spa Resort’, hold the relevant insurances and maintain responsibility for the dive and snorkel insurance policies and procedures. As such when in the water diving, snorkeling, or swimming you are doing so under the affiliated company’s policies and procedures and must adhere to either the Captain, Dive Instructor or Divemaster’s instructions.
2. Bookings and payments
- Bookings made more than 100 days out from the start of a trip require a deposit of $900.00 USD per passenger
- All deposits are non-refundable.
- Bookings made less than 100 days out from tour commencement require payment in full to secure your booking.
- Payment in full is required 100 days out from the start of the trip. We will email you a final payment reminder prior to this date.
- Each guest will be required to complete a Dive Trip Questionnaire (which may require a Dive Medical) prior to receiving a final tour confirmation. This must be completed and returned to Amanda Delaforce Travel and Photography Pty Ltd prior to final payment being made. Disclosure of your medical history and known conditions is vital, as well as a review of any other conditions that could impact your trip. Amanda Delaforce Travel and Photography Pty Ltd reserves the right to refuse trip participation on medical grounds based on any falsification or exclusion of pertinent information which impacts the trip program.
3. Amendment and cancellation policy
- The trip cost is 100% non-refundable within 100 days of the departure date. This applies to deposits and/or further payments. No exceptions can be made.
- If you cancel your trip 100 days or more before the trip commencement date, and we/you are able to resell/fill your place, a trip credit for your remaining balance (minus a $300 USD service fee) will be issued for use on another Amanda Delaforce Photography and Travel Pty Ltd trip which departs within 2 years of the cancellation date.
- If you cancel your spot less than 99 days prior to the start of a trip, no refund or credit will be issued for deposits that have been paid.
4. Force Majeure
- If our In-Country Providers cancel or if a Force Majeure Event occurs, meaning any act of God, war, terrorism, fire, flood or any other extreme weather conditions, loss of power, epidemics or pandemics, industrial disputes, slow-downs or other strike activities, riots or civil disturbances, acts of government, semi government or other authorities, inability to obtain any necessary license or consent and delays caused by sub-contractors, suppliers or other third parties (including telecommunications carriers), material shortages or other disruption to the trip beyond our control, Amanda Delaforce Photography and Travel Pty Ltd shall not be held responsible for matters outside of our control or any failure to deliver the trip.
5. Liability and obligation
- Amanda Delaforce Photography and Travel Pty Ltd takes no responsibility for loss, damage or injury arising from any shortfall, error or omission in the information passed to the customer during the course of the booking process or subsequent delivery of the product. The company takes no responsibility nor can it be held liable for loss, damage, or injury that occurs on a supplier’s or service provider’s premises or transport, or between two such premises.
- Participation in any of the Activities involves certain risks which may result in injury or death. This warning does not purport to describe or disclose all risks associated with participation of the Activities. There are a wide range of inherent risks when engaging in sports and particularly underwater sports; for example, with diving there is the risk of decompression sickness, embolism or other hyperbaric injury can occur that requires treatment in a recompression chamber. Open water scuba diving trips may be conducted at sites that are remote, either by time or distance, from emergency services or recompression facilities. Scuba diving and snorkeling tours will involve uncontrolled encounters with wild animals which bear the risk of stings, bites, and at the extreme end, more serious injury and death.
- Participants should be responsible and aware of animal behaviors and their own interactions, and choose to engage in these activities entirely at their own risk.
- We will not be liable to you in respect of any personal injury (including without limitation serious injury or death) that you may suffer or sustain directly or indirectly as a result of participating in the trip or the Activities. Nor shall we be liable to you in respect of any other losses arising as a result of any such personal injury (including without limitation loss of profit or earnings or other consequential losses). We will not be liable to you in respect of any of your personal property that is lost, stolen or damaged before, during or after a trip.
- Please ensure you understand our cancellation policy and agree to the booking and trip conditions prior to providing any deposits. By placing a booking with Amanda Delaforce Photography and Travel Pty Ltd, this implies that you accept these booking terms and conditions and our cancellation policy.
Trading as “Amanda Delaforce Travel and Photography Pty Ltd”
