LIVEABOARD TUBBATAHA REEF 04 to 10 May 2017 Liveaboard MY VASCO 7 days / 6 nights (5 diving days) 18 dives Discover Tubbataha Reef on board MY VASCO. These two atolls, registered in the UNESCO heritage, are located in the middle of the sea of Sulu, 180 kms east of Puerto Princesa, Palawan; It takes 10 / 12 hours of navigation to reach them. Tubbataha is well known for the wealth of his coral reef, where hundreds of corals were listed and close to 500 species of tropical fish. The reserve is also home for many colonies of seabird. The dives take place around the atolls that can reach more than 1000 meters deep. This natural reserve is open to diving only from mid March until mid June. It is not rare to encounter whale sharks, hammerhead, tiger sharks, white and black tip sharks, nurse sharks, mobula and manta rays, huge turtles, school of snappers and barracudas, tunas, hundreds of tropical fishes species, as well as a plentiful macro fauna in the cracks of the wall (nudibranches, shrimps, crabs, frog fishes, sea horses ), giant clams, sponge and sea fans. The water is crystalline, the visibility can sometimes reaches 40m and water temperature is around 29 C. ITINERARY & PRICE SPECIFICITIES BOAT TRAVEL INSURRANCE ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONS page 2 page 3 page 4 page 5
PROGRAM The itinerary is for information purpose. It can be submitted to modification according to weather conditions. Schedule of day is planned as below: 6:30 am : light breakfast 7:00 am : dive 1 st 8:30 am : breakfast 10:00 am : dive 2 nd 12:00 pm : lunch 02:30 pm : dive 3 rd 04:00 pm : snack 05:00 pm : dive 4 th 07:30 pm : dinner Thursday 4 th May 2017 Arrival at Puerto Princesa before 4:00 pm. Transfer to the boat, boarding, Introduction of diving staff and boat crew, installation in cabin, dinner. Navigation around 6:00 pm to Tubbataha (10 hours journey) Friday 5 th to Monday 8 th May Four dives per day are scheduled. Itinerary will start with North atoll that is the bigger one. Tuesday 9 th May 2017 Two or Three dives are scheduled, then navigation back to Puerto Princesa Wednesday 10 th May 2017 Enjoy your last breakfast on board, then transfer to airport or your hotel in Puerto Princesa. PRICE CRUISE 7 DAYS / 6 NIGHTS Individual price: 1 995 USD Deposit : 30% at reservation to be paid 7 days at invoice reception Balance : 70% - 90 days before cruise departure Included Return Transfer by AC minibus Puerto Princesa airport Boat (departure and arrival day) Full board Water, tea, coffee 4 dives per day (except last day only 2 or 3 dives) Tank, weight and belt English speaking divemasters Excluded National park fees (78 USD) Dive equipment rental with dive computer (30 USD/ day) Nitrox tank (25 USD/day) Beers and alcohol Soft drinks Diving insurance (mandatory) Travel cancellation insurance (recommended) International and domestic flights Airport taxes Refund Policy 30 % refund fee forfeited 91 days before departure 100% refund fee forfeited 90 days before departure
BOAT SPECIFICITIES MY VASCO MY Vasco was a Russian spy trawler during the cold war. A few years after decommissioning, she was bought and converted into a full service dive vessel in 1998. Her last renovation was made in 2010. She welcomes 16 passengers in 8 air conditioning cabins. Six cabins are equipped with one double bed and one bunk bed, the others cabins offers 2 bunk beds. Four bathrooms with toilets are shared between two cabins. A small air conditioning salon with bar, TV and video and an outdoor dining area are located on the upper deck. MY Vasco is accredited official Tubbataha diving operator by Tubbataha Management Office (TMO). Hers permit to operate is a confirmation that a dive operator has complied with park entry procedures. Length : 34,60 m Beam : 7 m Draft : 2,60 m Voltage : 220 V CABINS 6 Air conditioning cabins with double bed & bunk bed 2 Air conditioning cabins with bunk beds 4 Shared bathroom between 2 cabins SHARED AREAS Outdoor dining area AC salon with bar
TRAVEL INSURANCE Highly recommended to cover refund fees Assurance Cap Assistance (European citizens only) It is the complete assistance travel insurance for overseas trips of less than 90 days, that cover you for lost of luggag, medical expenses and hospitalization, repatriation, loss of identification documents, search and rescue expenses, advance on bail, legal expenses, civil liability, holidays early termination, cancellation insurance Dive Assure Deluxe 228 USD (travel price between 2 000 and 3 000 USD) This insurance covers personal travel and diving accident. Coverage includes emergency medical evacuation, emergency and accidental medical treatment, sport accident coverage (other than scuba diving), repatriation of mortal remains, emergency assistance 24/24 7/7, baggage and diving gear delay, loss or theft, personal accident, accidental death and dismemberment, emergency evacuation for non medical reasons, coverage for weather conditions cancelation trip, strike, dismissal, lost of diving days, theft of money and documents, loss of passport, travel delay, missed departure, legal expenses. Assurance Dive Assure Deluxe (liveaboard rider) 274 USD (travel price between 1 000 and 3 000 USD) Provided an additional premium had been paid for liveaboard rider, the insurer will pay in addition to coverage provided by the plan purchased Deluxe also for the following: Missed connection resulting in missing the liveaboard or in additional cost to join it, - Missed liveaboard departure due to airline delay Lost diving days due to medical inability to dive, weather conditions not enabling diving/sailing, diving accident to other passenger on boat causing abortion on planned diving, expenses not reimbursed by the tour operator for mechanical breakdown to ai supply or causing evacuation of passengers or aborting trip Mechanical failure of liveaboard vessel resulting in cancellation prior to departure Financial default of liveaboard operating company or tour operator (covered by Elite plan)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONS Visa Citizens of some countries did not need a visa to enter the Philippines for stays of less than 30 days - you'll be given a 30-days visa on arrival in the country. However, you may well be asked for proof of an exit or onward ticket upon arrival in the country. For a stay of more than 30 days, a traveler must apply for an appropriate visa at the Philippine Consulate General. A visa generally allows a stay of until 59 days in the Philippines. Visitors wishing to stay beyond 59 days may apply for an Extension of Stay at any office of the Bureau of Immigration in the Philippines before the authorized stay runs out. Fees for extension of stay will apply. Refer to the Bureau of immigration website for information about extending your stay in the Philippines. Diving Insurrance It s mandatory. The closest hyperbaric chamber is in Coron, in the North of Palawan. We deeply recommend you to contract a diving insurance that covers you in the event of a diving accident. Cancellation insurance for your flight is also recommended. Divers level Open to AOWD with 30 logged dives Local Currency The local currency is Philippines peso (PHP). You will find several foreign exchange offices in the tourist zones which accept euros or $US, as well as in upperclass hotels. Possibility to withdraws cash in ATM. In towns, ATM are rare, but you can pay by by credit card in most of the hotels or the restaurant. Flight We recommend to book your domestic flightsto Puerto Princesa with the low cost airlines company below: CEBU PACIFIC www.cebupacificair.com AIR ASIA www.airasia.com Hotel Puerto Princesa If you plan an overnight in Puerto Princesa, before your cruise, we recommend two hotels Moana : www.moanahotelpalawan.com Deep Forest Inn : www.deepforestinn.com Formality Passport with optical character reading or biometrics with validity more than 6 months after the date of return and return ticket. Vaccination No mandatory vaccination for Philippines