Atlantis Azores Liveaboard

The Philippines -- an exciting new adventure for REEF travelers! Join us for our inaugural trip to explore this diverse region of the Central Indo-Pacific. We have two weeks of adventure - by land, based at the Atlantis Resort in Dumaguete, April 9-16, and then by sea, aboard the Atlantis Azores Liveaboard, April 16-23. Join for one or both! The area is known for some of the most interesting and beautiful fish and critters to add to your life list, including ghost pipefish, mandarinfish, pygmy seahorses, flamboyant cuttlefish, and much more. We'll dive and stay at the all-inclusive Atlantis Resort in Dumaguete. The hotel features first class accommodations and an on-site restaurant, spa, camera room, and five star PADI dive operation. The Philippines archipelago is home to more than 3000 species of fish, and the dive sites combine unbelievable muck-diving with pristine coral reefs and shoals of schooling fish. The diving, accommodations, and amenities are all sure to make for a once in a lifetime adventure - sign up early to secure your space!

Cost Per Person: $3,895

What is included: Your liveaboard itinerary includes the isolated (accessible only by boat) Tubbataha Reefs Natural Marine Park, which features a dramatic underwater terrain, incredible biodiversity, and megafauna such as sharks and manta rays. Your package includes double occupancy twin share accommodations, all diving (up to 4 dives a day), all meals and snacks on board, local soft drinks, beer and wine.

Additional fees: A REEF Program Fee of $300 per diver will be added to each package to cover the cost of the group leaders, seminar and survey materials (discounted Program Fee when both land and sea package are booked). A marine park fee of $105 will be collected by the resort from each passenger (subject to change). Nitrox for the week is available for $100. Package price does not include gratuities, alcoholic beverages, in-transit hotel rooms, or transfers to/from Manila. Due to continuity and scheduling, all portions of domestic transfers to the boat must be made by Atlantis Resort (see next section).

Airport/hotel transfer information:Participants will make arrangements to fly into Manila Airport (MNL). Depending on arrival and departure times, arrangements for hotels and/or day rooms near Manila airport can be arranged directly through Atlantis. Atlantis provides round trip transfers between Manila and Puerto Princesa (boat boarding location) at a cost of US $300 per person (subject to change with significant airfare increases). Rate includes roundtrip domestic economy airfare between Manila and Puerto Princesa, private air conditioned van between international terminal and domestic terminal in Manila, round trip transfers between Puerto Princesa airport and Azores boat. This rate assumes 2 passengers traveling on same transfer - otherwise, a different transfer rate could apply. Passengers who sign up for both weeks of the Philippines trip (land and sea) will travel from Dumaguete to Manila to Puerto Princesa on April 16.

How to book: To reserve your space or find out more, email us at trips@REEF.org, or call us at 305-588-5869. A $500 deposit will be collected at time of booking. Visit our Trip Policies page for more information on deposit and payment schedules. **Note: This trip is dependent on a minimum number of bookings by July 10, 2015, so please do not delay if you are interested in booking.

About the trip leader: Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens is REEF's Director of Science. Christy is an expert at Fish ID and has led dozens of REEF Field Surveys over the years to all of REEF's survey project regions.