Visayan Dive Safaris

Each year from October to May The Safari boats Goya and Royo take some very happy divers on the Visayan Dive Safari between Moalboal in Cebu, and Sipalay in Negros. Along the way we stop in Pescador, Santander, Liloan, Apo Island, Siquijor, Balicasag, Dauin and Dumaguete, some of the best dive sites you could hope to see. These trips are six days and five nights, diving from morning till night, all meals and accommodation are included.

A day on the dive safari

Due to the easy access diving, and the variety of dive sites available, these trips are suitable for new and experienced divers, although ideally, you would be an advanced diver comfortable in medium currents, this will enable you to access all of the best dive sites on the trip, talk to us if you would like to include the training in your package. Check out the trip dates below.

A typical day onboard will start with a small boat ride from the resort to the safari boat, our crew will take care of your luggage for you, coffee and snacks on deck before an early dive. You’ll surface to find breakfast waiting for you on deck, whilst you enjoy that the boat slowly moves to the next dive site. A second dive before lunch, and a third one after. There is plenty of time to relax on deck and enjoy a swim between dives. In the afternoon the boat moves to the mooring spot for the evening, you can enjoy a night dive before the small boat takes you to the resort for dinner and the night, you’ll find your luggage waiting for you there.

A day on the dive safari

Trip inclusions and exclusions

Trips include breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and soft drinks, twin share accommodation in a beach resort each night, and boat shuttle to and from the resort each night, this service is available to those staying in resorts and onboard the boat. For diving, on days one to five we aim for four dives per day including a night dive, on the final day we hope to do one to two dives, weather and dive conditions permitting.

Not included in the cost of the trip are any alcoholic drinks consumed after dives or at the resorts, additional food ordered (e.g. room service), food and accommodation before and after the safari, transfers before and after the trip, or single room supplements. Marine park fees can vary a little bit depending on if you use a camera, and if you participate in night dives. We run a tab for all dive fees, and any alcohol you consume onboard, this is collected at the end of the trip.

Getting there and back

Trips depart from either Moalboal or Sipalay alternately each week, trips starting in Moalboal will end in Sipalay, and vice versa. Moalboal is on the island of Cebu, Sipalay is on the neighbouring island of Negros, they are some distance apart, whilst commuting back by road and ferry is possible, it does take a long time, we highly recommend domestic flights.

The airport closest to Moalboal is Cebu (Mactan) International (CEB). There is a small airstrip in Sipalay that offers a limited number of flights to Cebu once per week, ask us about these, we can book them for you when available. For regularly scheduled flights to Cebu and other destinations in the Philippines, the airports closest to Sipalay are Bacolod (BCD) and Dumaguete (DGT), these are both around 4 hours from Sipalay.

Getting there and back

Punta Ballo Beach Sipalay