Just returned from a 6d Tubbataha trip on board of Philippines Aggressor.
The boat: while showing age, the boat is in fairly good condition, rooms are spacious, air condition worked well, toilets and faucets in working order etc. Briefings and dining carried in the same dining hall. We didn't have internet, but during two nights we were drifting near its syster boat, Aggressor II, so we prepared a boarding party to steal some of their Starlink bits and bytes. The II appears to be newer, larger and more spacious.
Dive deck is large and spacious, dedicated table for cameras with compressed air to dry and clean. Each room has a dedicated towel (dried after each dive) and small cubicle to charge batteries. Although we were 24 divers it did not feel crowded at any time.
Food: what one expects from a liveaboard. Plenty and then some.
The crew: excellent, friendly and helpful and very knowledgeable. I have only kind and warm words for these hard working people who went out of their way to make a relaxed and enjoyable diving vacation
The dives: we were divided into four groups of 5-6 divers, each assigned a local guide. Since the boat took longer than expected to get into Tubbataha marine reserve (almost 22 hours, I think) the first day we could not dive, hence they decided to compensate by carrying five dives on each of the following days. Since they do not allow night dives, it means a tight schedule with barely 1.5 hours surface intervals between dives, where first dive at 6AM and last one at 4:30PM. Not my preferred method especially for repetitive deep dives.
Since there are two dingys, we were dispatched to dive sites in two batches each time with 15 minutes intervals, so there was a lot of room for getting dressed as at any given time there were only half the divers getting organized on the dive deck. I was surprised that the schedule was kept, and everything was carried like a well-oiled machine or a Swiss clock.
Aggressor really spoils the divers, they carry the gear in and out of the dingy, a fresh towel waits after every dive, cool fruit drinks waiting in the dingy itself and so on. Not having to carry the gear- actually one doesn't even has to stand a single minute with gear on- makes five dives a day more bearable.
Nitrox membrane, 31-32% all the time, all guests used nitrox.
We dove all over around the two atolls that consist the Tubbataha marine reserve. The visibility was medium, the worst something like 10-15 meters, good days perhaps 20-25. Seen better. Reefs are healthy with abundance of the regular stuff that one expects to find: small groups of sharks, perhaps the largest school a dozen white tips, but mostly 2-3 reef sharks together, white tips, black tips, grey. Occasional turtles, large dogtoothed Tuna, circular batfish, schooling bannerfish, barracudas, that sort of things. A lot of Napoleon wrasses, mostly juvenile. Actually, even adults were not so large.
And of course, met a few times schools of Humphead Parrotfishes, forme this is a sight to behold, one of the most beautiful ugly fishes. Really enjoyed them. Sometimes we met large schools of jackfish moving in a vortex, also an awesome sight. And lots of nesting Titan Triggerfish, no need to add further explanations (watch your balls...)
Although the dive sites have names with superlatives such as "Shark Airport", "Washing Machine" and so on, all dives are vertical walls that begin at 12-15 meters and go down quite deep. Lots of corals, Gorgonian fans and huge beautiful Barrel Sponges. So all dives were carried for one hour, beginning in the wall 20-25 meters, then gradually multi level to the reef top which has lots if not more surprises.
Currents were mild, perhaps if the currents were stronger we could then get some more action.
Personally, after the second day all dive sites had a sense of being repetitive "more of the same" both in terms of the reef formation and its habitants... So although the dives were interesting, I think the boat could have stayed in the same place and dive the same spot no one would feel much difference.
After 5 days, 20 dives at Tubbataha the boat returned to Puerto Princesa for two additional "muck" dives nearby. It was ok, felt very much like some.of my local preferred dive site back home.
Bottom line: the trip was enjoyable, a little stressed because of 5 daily dives (we skipped a few, as many other guests), dives were okay but the majority of the time nothing that left me gaping with a "Wow!" but perhaps I had higher expectations of the place (and several destinations that I can compare to).
Since it is tough getting there- at least for us three flights and then cruising about 100NM to get there, the feeling of repetitive diving scenario, in my opinion the Maldives offers an overall better diving experience as one can start the liveaboard directly at the airport, dives are more varied and definitely more sharks, turtles, of course Manta rays and chances for an occasional whale shark.
As for wall diving, if one loves this type of diving then you definitely will get your fair share. I personally find the walls of Red Sea sites such as Ras Mohamed, Jackson and Woodhouse or even the outer reef of Dahab's blue hole- although slim chances of shark sightings- by far better wall diving experience.
Would I go again diving in Philippines? Definitely! Tubbataha again? Not sure.
Aggressor? Yes, maybe, depends. It IS more expensive indeed, but they do spoil you...I think it is oriented towards American market, for some of the American guests it was like the 14th or 17th Aggressor trip (!!).
Boat and crew: 10/10
Food: 8/10
Diving: 7/10
Water temperature 28C: 10/10
Overall experience: 8/10
The boat: while showing age, the boat is in fairly good condition, rooms are spacious, air condition worked well, toilets and faucets in working order etc. Briefings and dining carried in the same dining hall. We didn't have internet, but during two nights we were drifting near its syster boat, Aggressor II, so we prepared a boarding party to steal some of their Starlink bits and bytes. The II appears to be newer, larger and more spacious.
Dive deck is large and spacious, dedicated table for cameras with compressed air to dry and clean. Each room has a dedicated towel (dried after each dive) and small cubicle to charge batteries. Although we were 24 divers it did not feel crowded at any time.
Food: what one expects from a liveaboard. Plenty and then some.
The crew: excellent, friendly and helpful and very knowledgeable. I have only kind and warm words for these hard working people who went out of their way to make a relaxed and enjoyable diving vacation
The dives: we were divided into four groups of 5-6 divers, each assigned a local guide. Since the boat took longer than expected to get into Tubbataha marine reserve (almost 22 hours, I think) the first day we could not dive, hence they decided to compensate by carrying five dives on each of the following days. Since they do not allow night dives, it means a tight schedule with barely 1.5 hours surface intervals between dives, where first dive at 6AM and last one at 4:30PM. Not my preferred method especially for repetitive deep dives.
Since there are two dingys, we were dispatched to dive sites in two batches each time with 15 minutes intervals, so there was a lot of room for getting dressed as at any given time there were only half the divers getting organized on the dive deck. I was surprised that the schedule was kept, and everything was carried like a well-oiled machine or a Swiss clock.
Aggressor really spoils the divers, they carry the gear in and out of the dingy, a fresh towel waits after every dive, cool fruit drinks waiting in the dingy itself and so on. Not having to carry the gear- actually one doesn't even has to stand a single minute with gear on- makes five dives a day more bearable.
Nitrox membrane, 31-32% all the time, all guests used nitrox.
We dove all over around the two atolls that consist the Tubbataha marine reserve. The visibility was medium, the worst something like 10-15 meters, good days perhaps 20-25. Seen better. Reefs are healthy with abundance of the regular stuff that one expects to find: small groups of sharks, perhaps the largest school a dozen white tips, but mostly 2-3 reef sharks together, white tips, black tips, grey. Occasional turtles, large dogtoothed Tuna, circular batfish, schooling bannerfish, barracudas, that sort of things. A lot of Napoleon wrasses, mostly juvenile. Actually, even adults were not so large.
And of course, met a few times schools of Humphead Parrotfishes, forme this is a sight to behold, one of the most beautiful ugly fishes. Really enjoyed them. Sometimes we met large schools of jackfish moving in a vortex, also an awesome sight. And lots of nesting Titan Triggerfish, no need to add further explanations (watch your balls...)
Although the dive sites have names with superlatives such as "Shark Airport", "Washing Machine" and so on, all dives are vertical walls that begin at 12-15 meters and go down quite deep. Lots of corals, Gorgonian fans and huge beautiful Barrel Sponges. So all dives were carried for one hour, beginning in the wall 20-25 meters, then gradually multi level to the reef top which has lots if not more surprises.
Currents were mild, perhaps if the currents were stronger we could then get some more action.
Personally, after the second day all dive sites had a sense of being repetitive "more of the same" both in terms of the reef formation and its habitants... So although the dives were interesting, I think the boat could have stayed in the same place and dive the same spot no one would feel much difference.
After 5 days, 20 dives at Tubbataha the boat returned to Puerto Princesa for two additional "muck" dives nearby. It was ok, felt very much like some.of my local preferred dive site back home.
Bottom line: the trip was enjoyable, a little stressed because of 5 daily dives (we skipped a few, as many other guests), dives were okay but the majority of the time nothing that left me gaping with a "Wow!" but perhaps I had higher expectations of the place (and several destinations that I can compare to).
Since it is tough getting there- at least for us three flights and then cruising about 100NM to get there, the feeling of repetitive diving scenario, in my opinion the Maldives offers an overall better diving experience as one can start the liveaboard directly at the airport, dives are more varied and definitely more sharks, turtles, of course Manta rays and chances for an occasional whale shark.
As for wall diving, if one loves this type of diving then you definitely will get your fair share. I personally find the walls of Red Sea sites such as Ras Mohamed, Jackson and Woodhouse or even the outer reef of Dahab's blue hole- although slim chances of shark sightings- by far better wall diving experience.
Would I go again diving in Philippines? Definitely! Tubbataha again? Not sure.
Aggressor? Yes, maybe, depends. It IS more expensive indeed, but they do spoil you...I think it is oriented towards American market, for some of the American guests it was like the 14th or 17th Aggressor trip (!!).
Boat and crew: 10/10
Food: 8/10
Diving: 7/10
Water temperature 28C: 10/10
Overall experience: 8/10
