Philippines: Off the Beaten Path – Feb 2024

by Richard | Oct 4, 2021

Philippines: Off the Beaten Path – Feb 2024

Philippines: Off the Beaten Path

Two x 10 night trips aboard Atlantis’ Azores

Join Richard and Wendy’s ‘Our Beloved Seas’ expedition to explore some of the less frequently visited areas of the Philippines

Puerto Galera

The start and end location for each of the charters

Romblon

Trip 1: New Muck Diving must-visit location!

Apo Island

Trip 2: Mini, rarely dived, Tubbataha-like remote reef.

Coron Islands

Trips 1 & 2: Coron is full of newly discovered micro-endemics and some yet to be named!

Anilao

Trip 1: We’ll visit Philippine’s other big muck diving location, Anilao

3-13th February 2024

Trip 1: Romblon & Coron

1 x Female Share Space Available

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14-24th February 2024

Trip 2: Apo Island, Anilao & Coron

FULL – please contact for waitlist

Book Now

As one of the six Coral Triangle countries, the biodiversity of the Philippines is second to none. We have visited Dumaguete, Tubbataha, Cebu and Anilao in the past and are keen to visit a different part of the archipelago. Rich visited Coron several years ago in search of the many micro-endemic species that are found only there. These include three of the four species of damselfishes found in the Indo-Pacific that brood their young. There are many other new and yet-to-be-named species here too, so both trips will visit this wonderful area! We were also keen to add some muck diving, so each of the two trips will have a different spot on the itinerary. The first trip will visit Romblon, which is the new kid on the block for Asian muck diving. Ordinarily it’s very hard to reach, so liveaboard makes it much easier! The second will visit Apo Island for pelagics, and Anilao for muck. We visit Anilao in the past and saw an array of incredible animals. All round, both of these trips will be unique and have something for divers wanting to dive a bit deeper in the Philippines.

TRIP ONE

Trip start: 3rd February 2024
Trip end: 13th February 2024
Prices start from: US$ 5,865
Availability: 1 x female share cabin available
Depart from: Puerto Galera (group will meet in Manila)
Return to: Puerto Galera

TRIP TWO

Trip start: 14th February 2024
Trip end: 24th February 2024
Prices start from: US$ 5,865
Availability: Full – contact us to join waitlist
Depart from: Puerto Galera (group will meet in Manila)
Return to: Puerto Galera

The Azores has set new standards in liveaboard diving in the Philippines, and as many of our guests say, in Asia. Azores is the perfect place from which to explore some of the best diving in the world only possible by liveaboard.

Food & Beverages
Nitrox
Transfers
Marine Park Fees
Diving
Marine life talks by Dr Richard Smith

Prices start from $5,865.00 per person twin share

AMAZING! Richard is able to make scientific talks hugely entertaining . I learnt so much, and every dive after the talks I found myself on the hunt for the new critters I had just learnt all about. Brilliant!

Madeleine

Australia

Days to departure

Day(s)

Hour(s)

Minute(s)

Second(s)

Register your interest or join the waitlist

The talks enhance the diving experience and encourage new interest outside the obviously spectacular! Friendly, approachable organisation

Martin

United Kingdom

Fiji – Oct/Nov 2024

by Richard | May 29, 2019

Fiji – Oct/Nov 2024

Fijian Exploration and Fantastic Diving aboard Nai’a

Choose between our two trips on Fiji’s Premier liveaboard

Join Richard and Wendy’s ‘Our Beloved Seas’ expedition in search of Fiji’s unique fishes

Fiji iconic Liveaboard adventure

Fijian exploration around the world famous Bligh Waters and beyond

Lau Group Exploration

Trip One: Bligh Waters – 10 nights
19-29th October 2024
1 x Cabin Available

Book Now

Trip Two: Special Lau Group Charter – 11 nights
29th October – 9th November 2024
FULL – Contact us for Waitlist

Book Now

Wendy and Richard have had many connections with Fiji over the years. Wendy lived in Fiji as a teenager and even learned to dive there. Richard has made several visits to the islands to dive, but also worked as a marine conservationist for a project based in the islands several years ago.
This time, with their charters of Nai’a they will be able to explore further afield and hunt for those elusive endemics and stunning reefs. They have chosen to dive with Nai’a, the nation’s most iconic and long-standing liveaboard. The first charter is a slightly longer 10 night trip out to the rarely visited and off the beaten path Lau Group with 57 islets to the east of Vitu Levu. The second, 9 night, trip will be more centrally based around the Bligh Waters and beyond. We’ll have any of Fiji’s endemic fishes on our radar. Particularly for Richard, Marjorie’s fairy wrasse and an undescribed syngnathid are musts!

TRIP ONE: Bligh Waters – 10 nights

Trip start: 19th October 2024

Trip end: 29th October 2024

Prices start from: US$ 6250

Availability: 1 x Cabin Available

Depart from: Nadi

Return to: Nadi

TRIP TWO: Special Lau Group Charter – 11 nights

Trip start: 29th October 2024

Trip end: 9th November 2024

Prices start from: US$ 5200

Availability: Full – contact us for waitlist

Depart from: Nadi

Return to: Nadi

We have two fantastic itineraries aboard the Nai’a liveaboard. The first trip, 10 nights, will take in the central islands and the world famous Bligh Water between Viti Levu and Vanua Levu over nine nights. The second, 11 nights long, will explore the Lau Group of Islands to the east of Viti Levu. These off the beaten path islands are very rarely visited and dived, so we will look forward to exploring them with the region’s most knowledgeable crew. Both will of course have stunning reefs and fascinating indigenous species that we shall be hunting for.

Designed and built in Holland by the world’s finest steel ship craftsmen, NAI’A is 120ft long and 30ft wide with nine passenger staterooms and room for 14 crew. A solid expeditionary ship, she has the range and stability to sail the far reaches of the Pacific and has travelled from her base in Fiji to Vanuatu and New Caledonia, Tonga, Samoa, Tuvalu, Funafuti and the Phoenix Islands in Kiribati.

NAI’A has accommodation for 18 passengers in 9 air-conditioned staterooms with private ensuite heads. All the staterooms were entirely rebuilt in 2010 and are larger than those on most dive vessels with plenty of stowage for gear. They are bright, airy, and comfortable and have both 110v and 220v power.

Food & Beverages

Diving

Land tours

Marine life talks by Dr Richard Smith

Transfers from Nadi Airport

Prices start from $5200 per person – please contact us for details

Madeleine

Australia

Days to departure

Day(s)

Hour(s)

Minute(s)

Second(s)

Register your interest

The talks enhance the diving experience and encourage new interest outside the obviously spectacular! Friendly, approachable organisation

Martin

United Kingdom

Solomon Islands – June/July 2024

by Richard | Mar 7, 2019

Solomon Islands – June 2024

Visit the Remote & Pristine Coral Reefs of the Solomon Islands

11 & 10 night trips aboard the Bilikiki

Join Richard and Wendy’s ‘Our Beloved Seas’ expeditions in the most easterly corner of the Coral Triangle

Solomon Islands

Remote and Pristine Coral Triangle Reefs

11-22nd June 2024

Full – Contact us for waitlist

Book Now

22nd June – 2nd July 2024

FULL – Contact us for waitlist

Book Now

The reefs of the Solomon Islands fall within the fabled ‘Coral Triangle’, which comprises six countries including parts of Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea. The further you stray from these reefs, the fewer the number of species they accommodate. Several new species have been described recently from its reefs such as Burt’s Damselfish (Chrysiptera burtjonesi), Lynn’s Pipefish (Festucalex rufus) and Marinda’s Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus marinda). Richard has joined Bilikiki on four previous trips and knows the reefs well and is excited to see what other species we are able to find.

TRIP ONE – 11 nights

Trip start: 11th June 2024

Trip end: 22nd June 2024

Prices start from: US$ 6680

Availability: Full – contact us for waitlist

Depart from: Honiara

Return to: Honiara

TRIP TWO – 10 nights

Trip start: 22nd June 2024

Trip end: 2nd July 2024

Prices start from: US$ 6100

Availability: Full – contact us for waitlist

Depart from: Honiara

Return to: Honiara

The Solomon Islands has an amazing array of varied, rarely visited dive sites. Bilikiki Cruises does not have a fixed itinerary for dive sites but goes to the best spots possible for the conditions and the interests of our guests.
We will likely visit the Russell Islands, Mary Island and the Florida Islands to dive the stunning reefs of these areas. We also visit a village to see custom singing and dancing and to see traditional life.
We also visit the Marovo Lagoon area of the Western Province. We will also plan to stop at other villages to see the famous wood carvings of the area. Here you will have to chance to see and buy hand made carvings and other amazing traditionally made items. Village visits are arranged during the surface intervals so as not to effect the number of dives offered per day.

The Solomon Islands is known for amazing coral reefs as well as bountiful World War II wrecks.

In 1989 MV Bilikiki sailed as the first full service luxury live aboard dive vessel in the Solomon Islands. She is a large, stable, comfortable vessel and consistently rated one of the best live aboards in the world.

MV Bilikiki has 10 deluxe cabins, eight with a double bed and single bunk and two with twin single beds and no bunk (cabins #1 & 2). All cabins are air conditioned and have their own en-suite. There is a large sundeck, comfortable lounge and camera area and spacious dive deck. Her large size and a hull that was built for South Pacific seas are two main reasons why guests from around the world still say that “the Bilikiki” is one of the most spacious and comfortable vessels that they have travelled on.