Atlantis Azores

Atlantis Azores Liveaboard Dive Trips

Atlantis Azores has set new standards for liveaboard dive trips in the Philippines, and as many guests say, in all of Asia. Atlantis Azores is the perfect place to explore some of the best diving in the world. Three different itineraries are offered throughout the year, going to locations only possible to reach by a liveaboard.

Trips typically depart from one of the Atlantis Resorts in Dumaguete or Puerto Galera, both are fantastic resorts that many of our guests will spend a few nights in before or after their liveaboard dive trip.

The Apo reef & wreck of Coron is the newest itinerary and runs from January through early March. You will get to dive the many wrecks of Coron along with the colorful walls of Apo Reef.

The Tubbataha season runs from mid-March through early June and trips explore this pristine and protected UNESCO World Heritage site located 100 miles offshore. This area is only open to diving for 3 months out of the year and can only be reached by liveaboards.

Dumaguete is the home base for the months of June through December and the Visayas Safari is a unique opportunity to take in multiple islands in one week. During this time the special Malapascua “Thresher Shark Trip” is offered from the Dumaguete resort.

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Apo Reef & Wrecks of Coron itinerary

Atlantis Azores’ newest itinerary. You will embark on a dive trip of a lifetime exploring sunken World War 2 wrecks in Coron Bay and diving on the 34 mile long ‘Mini Tubbataha’ Apo Reef system.

The charter will start within Anilao, this macro paradise is home to over 300 species of nudibranch. Secret Bay is one of the best dive locations for macro diving in the whole of the Philippines. We can also see schools of jacks, sweet lips and fusiliers around the famous twin rocks dive site.

Next will be the UNESCO World Heritage site of Apo Reef. A full day diving will take place here exploring some of the finest coral reefs in Asia. Expect to see white tip sharks, spotted eagle rays, hawksbill turtles, bump head parrotfish and sea snakes.

Dive Day Schedule

Day 1 & 2 – Apo Reef

Day 3 & 4 – Coron Wrecks

Day 5 – Nanshin Maru & Dimipac Island

Day 6 – Kyokuszan Maru

Tubbataha Reef itinerary

Tubbataha Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and only accessible by liveaboard three months out of the year. These pristine reefs, located 100 miles offshore in the Sula Sea, are protected by rangers year round and made up of North and South Atolls and Jessie Beazley Reef. Divers can experience wonderful visibility and some of the best diving the Philippines has to offer from March until June each year.

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is home to no less than 573 species of fish, 373 species of corals, 11 species of sharks, 12 species of dolphins and whales, nestling hawksbill and green sea turtles.

Daily dive schedule

Day 1: Northern top of North atoll

Day 2: Southern end of North atoll

Day 3: Northern tip of South atoll

Day 4: Southern end of South atoll

Day 5: Southeast of North atoll

Day 6: Jessie Beazley reef

Bohol itinerary

The Visayas are one of the three island groups in the Philippines; this itinerary gives you 6 days diving from the Atlantis Azores around one of the most beautiful and bio-diverse regions in Asia.

Dive day schedule

Day 1 & 2: Moalboal – Pescador Island

Day 3: Oslob and Sumilon Island

Day 4: Balicasag

Day 5: Balicasag island and/or Panglao island or land tour

Day 6: Half day diving in either Apo island or Siquijor

Day 7: Disembarkation at 8AM

Malapascua - Cebu itinerary

Our exciting Malapascua – Cebu charter offers some of the best diving in the Philippines, including Sumilon Island, Pescador Island & Malapascua’s Gato Island, home of a sea crate protected breeding sanctuary. This charter includes another Malapascua favorite, Monad Shoal, known for frequent sightings of thresher sharks as well as manta rays. In addition to these pelagic species, the Malapascua area offers a wide variety of critter diving not to mention abundant reefs and wall diving. Leaving Malapascua, we head to Calanggaman Island, one of the Philippines most beautiful islands. Next, we head to Bohol for again a wide variety of reef, wall & critter diving as well as some land tour opportunities for those so inclined. With the dramatic walls of Balicasag and coral diversity of Apo Island, this trip has it all!

This itinerary is hard to beat if you want a wide variety of locations as well as incredible diving.

Dive Day Schedule

DAY 1: Oslob and Sumilon

DAY 2: Moalboal

DAY 3: Pescador Island

DAY 4 & 5: Gato Island, Monad Shoal & Malapascua

DAY 6: Monad Shoal & Calanggaman Island

DAY 7: Balicasag

DAY 8: Panglao

DAY 9: Apo Island/ Siquijor

DAY 10: Half day diving Dauin

DAY 11: Disembarkation 8AM

Deck Plans

Vessel Specifications

Name: Atlantis Azores

Builder: Seacraft Shipyard, Amelia, Louisiana

Year Built: 1989

Year Refit: 2012/2015

Construction: Aluminum Monohull

Length: 107 feet

Beam: 18 feet

Draft: 7 feet, 1 inch

Cruising Speed: 7 – 8 knots

Range: 2,500 nautical miles

State Rooms: 8

Passengers: 16

Crew: 6+

Safety equipment includes;

First Aid Kit
Oxygen System with 100% Demand
Defibrillator
Automatic Fire Extinguishers & Fire Fighting Equipment
406 EPIRB – Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons on the mother boat and both zodiacs
Life Rafts
Life Jackets with lights and whistles for all passengers and crew

Area Map

Wrecks of coron bay history

On September 24th, 1944 24 Helldiver bombers and 96 Hellcat fighters took off from the USS Lexington and attacked a Japanese supply fleet hiding in Coron Bay which lies on the northern tip of Palawan. The fleet was attacked 3 days before in Manilla Bay and trying to get out of range, they moved the remaining ships to Coron Bay. Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, who was in command of Task Force 38 from the aircraft carrier USS Lexington ordered the attack, which was right at the maximum range for the planes. The attack was limited to only 15 minutes to ensure the planes had enough fuel to return to their ship, 170 miles away.

By the end of the attack, 7 Japanese ships had been sunk in Coron Bay. 2 weeks later on October 9th the Okikawa Maru which was damaged in the attack but drifted away was sunk in a subsequent attack.

Today Coron Bay is considered to have the best wreck diving in all of Southeast Asia. Most of the wrecks are within recreational diving limits, and if you enjoy wreck diving or history this is a must visit location.