Azalea Liveaboard, Philippines

8.6 Fabulous

En-Suite bathrooms
Aircon Cabins

Check dates

“Magnificent drop-offs and superb corals, especially on the plateaus”
Vladislav P, Germany

Highlights

Small groups of 10 divers
Pristine diving in Tubbataha
On-deck bathroom & gear storage

The 21m MY Azalea is a simple yet comfortable liveaboard offering week-long, year-round dive safaris to some of the best destinations in the Philippines, including Tubbataha Reef, Apo Reef, and Coron. Known for pristine diving, the Tubbataha reefs are natural Marine Protected Parks located in the middle of the Sulu Sea and only accessible via liveaboard. Abundant marine life encounters are on offer, such as manta rays, multiple species of sharks, turtles, dolphins, and whales, and hundreds of species of fish and coral. The Tubbataha season is only from March - June, and spaces fill up fast, so be sure to book in advance!

Azalea Liveaboard also offers El Nido, Coron, and Apo Reefs itineraries. This dive trip offers something for everyone. This is a fantastic Philippines dive destination, from the impressive wrecks of WWII in Coron Bay to the wealth of marine life and big-fish sightings found at Apo Reef.

Topside, M/Y Azalea caters to just 10 guests in 4 twin-bunk cabins and 1 master cabin. Built by divers for divers, each cabin features modern conveniences such as en-suite bathrooms, AC, plug sockets, and storage. The indoor dining area is located on the main deck, where freshly prepared tasty dishes will be served. This leads out to the dive deck, where there is ample space for gear storage, kitting up, and an on-deck bathroom. The sun deck is a favorite divers' hangout for unwinding with a cold beer at the end of the day while enjoying the sunset and discussing the day's numerous sightings.

The incredibly passionate guides and crew of the MY Azalea yacht are looking forward to sharing the beauty of the underwater world of the Philippines with fellow divers. Call us or book online today to reserve your space and plan your Philippines liveaboard adventure.

Choose your departure date

This liveaboard does not currently have availability online. Please contact us to check availability and rates or browse other liveaboards worldwide

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2028

Included: VAT, Airport Transfer, Hotel Transfer, Drinking Water, Soft drinks, Soft Drinks at Meal Times, Tea & Coffee, Welcome Cocktails, Beach BBQ, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Fishing, Cabin Towels, Deck Towels.

Required Extras: National Park Fees (75-110 USD / trip).

Optional Extras: Dive Insurance (100 USD / item), Alcoholic Beverages, Extra Dives, Private Dive Guide, Rental Gear, Scuba Diving Courses.

Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. We will then hold the spaces for you and you can confirm with a payment later.

* Extra fees are shown per person.

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Boat features

En-Suite bathrooms
Aircon Cabins
Air Conditioned saloon
Sun Deck
Nearly 1:1 Crew-to-Guest Ratio
Seaview Cabins
Non-Smoking Rooms
Custom built for diving
Charging stations
Indoor Saloon
Outdoor Dining
Available for Charter
Local & International Crew
Separate Rinse for u/w Camera
Outside Showers
Daily housekeeping

Food & Drinks

Vegetarian Options
Free Soft Drinks
Beer available
Wine Available
Welcome Cocktails
Snacks All Day
Western Food
Local Food
Set Menu Dinner

If you have any specific dietary requirements whilst on-board your cruise, you can add this to your special requests on step 2 of the booking form. We advise limiting these requests to religious beliefs or food allergies.

Diving

Shaded Diving Area
DIN Adaptors
Dive deck

Languages Spoken

The crew speaks English and German.

Gear Rental

Equipment is available for rent on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. If the rental gear is not included in the price, you will need to pay for it on board the boat. Show prices

Drawings & Vessel Layouts

Cabin Types

Boat Specifications

Year built: 2018

Length: 21m

Beam: 3

Top speed: 22 knodes

Cruising speed: 12 knodes

Engines: 2

Max guests: 10

Number of cabins: 5

Number of bathrooms: 6

Tenders: 1

Water capacity: 2500

Fuel capacity: 2800

Freshwater maker: 150 Liter / h

Boat navigation and safety

Radar
Depth Sounder
GPS
Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
Emergency Rafts
Life Vests
Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
Oxygen
First Aid Kits
Fishfinder
Satellite & mobile phones
Bilge pump alarm
Crew trained in first aid

Azalea Reviews

8.6 Fabulous

Vessel

7.5
Crew

8.7
Food

9.6
Diving

9.0
Value

8.3

10 Exceptional
JI YOUN K
South Korea

What a great crew!!
Ship crews were perfect to serve us. Wonderful team!
Recommended for
Hospitality, Foods, and Service
04 Aug, 2022

9.6 Exceptional
Isabelle W
Netherlands

Amazing week on board!
The week on the Azalea was just perfect. The boat is basic, but has everything you need. The crew is fantastic; super friendly, helpful and a lot of fun. What I really liked was that it was a small group of divers, which created a very relaxed atmosphere. Also the divesites were beautiful and we had all the divesites to ourselves.
Recommended for
The small group of people, the crew, the dive sites
13 Jan, 2024

9.6 Exceptional
OCEANE P
France

Perfect! Our first boat diving trip and certainly not the last :D
Everything was perfect. The crew is incredible: a top chef who prepared excellent meals for us (thank you Martin), Edu our dive master a real pearl, the cabins are small but very well arranged and practical, the dives just magical: so many sharks, rays, fish of all kinds. We loved it!One thing is for sure, this is not our last trip on the Azalea. And for those who still doubt: go for it! So yes, it's not the most luxurious of boats, but the conviviality is so strong that we don't care if we don't have hot showers or luxury cabins! The comfort of this boat is more than enough and in terms of quality and price you will not find better:D
Recommended for
Quality of the dives, few divers, top meal
17 Feb, 2024

Translated from French

8.0 Very good
Daniel H
United Kingdom

Great And Quick Trip to Apo Reef
Apo Reef has a great reputation and for us several of dives were five star. Some others less so. Staff and food, on our trip, fab.
Recommended for
The boat is great and is great platform for diving. Crew and food lovely.
01 Mar, 2023

8.0 Very good
James H
United States

It was an adapt & adjust satisfactory experience.
The sighting of a swimming yellow-spotted manta & an albino manta stingray. Seeing an octopus was another highlight. Always like to view sea turtles. Schools of jackfish & snappers were appreciated. Variety of coral & fish was impressive. Many sightings of sharks were seen on most dives.
Recommended for
Exploring the Tubbataha Reef. The crew on the boat & the diving crew.
08 May, 2023

8.0 Very good
Lara O
United Kingdom

A lovely, comfortable boat with great crew
- nice choice of dive sites - comfortable and clean accommodation - great crew and guides
Recommended for
- the diving, the food and the smaller group of divers
08 Mar, 2023

10 Exceptional
david F
France

Excellent cruise
The dives are top crew, sunrise and sunset. Everything was excellent to do without hesitation
Recommended for
Conviviality, food, diving
29 Apr, 2023

Translated from French

8.8 Fabulous
Bahia P
France

Unforgettable experience despite modest comfort
All dives - evening meals - friendliness of the team - professionalism of the dive guides
Recommended for
Diving - Staff - Food
01 Jun, 2023

Translated from French

9.6 Exceptional
Audrius P
Lithuania

Great experience despite not reaching Apo reef
It's a tricky review because we couldn't reach Apo reef due to weather conditions and dived the Coron wrecks instead. But if we remove this fact from the equation, everything else is great. Dugongs were super cute, the divemasters knew their dives, and the food, omg, the food was amazing, from soft juicy Schnitzels to custom pumpkin soup that was made specifically for me when the main soup was mushroom (I don't eat those). Also, Dirk, the owner, offered a compensation that we couldn't resist, so I'd rate the experience very good.
Recommended for
Dugongs, food and crew
18 Jan, 2024

9.2 Superb
Avihou B
Israel

Very good value for money!
The amazing dive sites with very good dive instructors the lead us there
Recommended for
Value for money, crew members and the boat owner
29 May, 2019

35 reviews

8.6 Fabulous
35 Verified Reviews

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8.4 Very good
Vivek V
India

Great diving and famous wreck dives
The crew and owner of the boat was extremely happy people who did their best. Me being vegetarian, my options were limited on the dining table but for the non vegetarians, it's a foodies paradise. Divemasters we're experienced and knew the sites well. A week passed by in great company!
Recommended for
People, food, bed
27 Jan, 2024

8.0 Very good
dae jin K
South Korea

Good Crew Bad Cabin
a good dive a good crew a good view a lot of fish and sharks paint-smelling cabins Night Only Operating Air Conditioning Narrow space But the price is the best.
Recommended for
Diving people together Crew
21 Aug, 2019

10 Exceptional
Linda L
Switzerland

It was all great!
It was very nice to dive in the aporiff. The dive sites are definitely worth the visit. The cabins do not smell of diesel, this was a one-off incident as it had a crack in the tank. We had a cab below deck and it was clean and comfortable. The dive guides take a lot of time and respond to the guests. The atmosphere on the ship was good throughout, the food was great and everything else was great. We would go again in a heartbeat!
Recommended for
Diving, food and the crew
11 Feb, 2023

Translated from German

8.0 Very good
Catherine C
Philippines

Apo reef and Dugong
Seeing a group of bumphead parrotfish feeding(around 20) at 4 meters, big Napoleon Wrasse on several dives, healthy looking coral reefs, pristine and beautiful Apo reef island during the visit to the ranger station.
Recommended for
Diving, crew and guests
30 Dec, 2023

7.6 Good
Moritz S
Germany

Pristine diving on budget boat with very friendly and welcoming crew
Drift diving in strong currents with plenty of marine life
Recommended for
Diving, other guests, crew
26 Jan, 2024

8.4 Very good
Matt F
United States

Better than expected
Diving at Apo Reef was the highlight; especially the ‘shark airport’ dive site...there were probably 18-20 whitetip sharks hanging out. We had some rough/windy conditions the first night and had to take an alternate route to Apo, and ended up only doing 7, instead of 8 dives, but it was understandably the right thing to do for safety. The crew is great, and the owner was on the trip with us. Overall, an enjoyable trip and worth the money.
Recommended for
Diving, smaller number of guests, friendly vibe
02 Mar, 2020

9.2 Superb
douglas W
United States

Great crew and good eats
So much marine life, truly mind boggling.
Recommended for
Crew, food and dive guide
07 Aug, 2022

9.2 Superb
BUMJUN K
South Korea

a reasonable choice to explore the far reaching coral reefs of philippines
To be honest, there are some downsides such as small cabins and not providing nitrox, But considering the price, it is not a problem. Even though visibility was not so good during our trip, coron always offers diverse range of style of diving, which never fails me. What i liked the most is that comparing to other boats, the manager is very willing to be helpful and tries to reflect our opinions in many decisions. Yes, i would love to sail with them again.
Recommended for
friendliness of the crew, food exceeded my expectations, very supportive manager
27 Jan, 2024

6.4 Review score
Vladislav P
Germany

Cruise without big surprises
See humpback parrots. Large schools of squirts, snappers, barracudas, batfish... Magnificent drop-offs and superb corals, especially on the plateaus
Recommended for
Very good meals. We see beautiful corals. The dive guides are flexible
02 May, 2023

10 Exceptional
Charlott R
Sweden

Share your hobby with your teenagers is fabolous
All the laughs with the crew and the very best service To Enjoy the holiday was to die for
Recommended for
food, snacks and drinks, Hospitaltity from The Whole crew Privacy in the night, To Sleep in separate rooms
24 Dec, 2019

10 Exceptional
Arianna C
Italy

Yum!
The crew was incredible. Always happy and helpful. It was an incredible and fun week. The food was glorious (I'm a vegan) and the boat was small but perfect for what we needed. Dives were great. Beautiful reefs and corals <3
Recommended for
Crew, dive sites, food
04 Aug, 2022

10 Exceptional
christina S
Singapore

Cosy and enjoyable unlike bigger LOBs
Utterly satisfied with the entire crew. The Swedish family we travelled with were nice and friendly which makes the LOB cosy. I went on the LOB and actually forgot to bring the charger of my underwater camera. An American and his Philippino partner both had the same underwater camera and charger as me. I tried to borrow his charger twice but he needs to constantly use it and cannot lend to me at any point of time. Despite this, the entire crew and the rest of people on the LOB tried to find if they had any that could be used on my Olympus camera. Even though I could not take anymore pictures on the rest of my dive trip, everyone else and the crew were very nice.
Recommended for
Crew is good and attentive/ food is good / service is best
26 Dec, 2019

9.2 Superb
karl G
United Kingdom

Vary professional
The coral
Recommended for
Having the owner on board
20 Jan, 2024

7.6 Good
Martin S
Switzerland

boat is to tiny for a one week liveaboard trip
Manta, plenty of reef sharks
Recommended for
Food, kindness of diving guides and head waitress
14 Aug, 2022

8.8 Fabulous
Giancarlo S
Italy

Amazing cruise, fantastic scenery with highly professional staff!
Diving at Apo reef, excursion to Black Island.
Recommended for
Diving, landscapes, friendliness of the crew
19 Mar, 2024

Translated from Italian

6.4 Review score
Tyrone T
Australia

Preferred a more professional dive master assigned to our group
Perfect weather at the Tubbataha Reef
Recommended for
Diving, boat crew, food
08 May, 2023

8.4 Very good
Tudy L
France

An amazing week with a great team
Stunning shipwrecks and coral reefs
Recommended for
The dives, the food and the team
10 Feb, 2024

8.8 Fabulous
Ralph C
United States

Slow boat to Tubbataha
This is a small boat with a correspondingly small number of divers (10). On this trip we had 7, and dove in 2 groups. All were competent and neither group experienced any diver related issues. The boat appeared ready to leave port at about sundown, but the tender suffered an engine issue sometime before we were to leave Puerto Princesa, and finding a replacement and receiving coast guard clearance delayed our departure until 2 am. A storm passing to our South further delayed our arrival at Tubbataha and we missed one day of diving as a result. The Azelea promptly refunded the value of our lost dive day when we returned to port. I was berthed on the upper deck and have no complaints about the quarters. Air con was available all night, and would be switched on during the day if the crew was asked. But it wasn't necessary. The food was good, and always plentiful. The crew was awesome, and would do anything for you. The diving, as expected, was terrific, and the guides were capable, friendly, and familiar with the area. 4 dives were offered each day except departure day (2 at Jessie Beazley). Nitrox is not available, if that's your thing. This is not a luxurious boat, and not for everyone. But for my dive buddy and me, it was what we were looking for and we were not disappointed at all, except for what was mentioned at the top, and that, though unfortunate, was not the fault of this dive op. We would, and in fact might, go again with Azelea.
Recommended for
The diving, the number of divers, the price
25 May, 2022

7.2 Good
Solina M
Canada

Unexpected weather
Summer in Palawan is supposed to be hot and sunny. But this hasn’t been an usual year. We’ve been getting rains almost daily, and did only 11 dives vs the advertised 18 dives. Some people got a deeply discounted trip and mighty not mind much, but for someone who paid the full price 2 years ago and had really been looking forwards to it, it’s a bit disappointing. We dive on 3 sites mostly, Amos Rock, South Park and Black Rock. Missed the best North Atoll because they tried to save the best for the last. Unfortunately, weather wasn’t cooperating and we didn’t get to dive the best sites. My buddy and I wonder if the trip was planned differently, could we have had a better experience? But to be fair, even the three sites we dove, the coral reef was in pristine condition and very well preserved. So definitely coming back to Tubbataha again some day. The owner and crews must have had some difficult times during the long lockdown. So I try to be understanding. I think they’re probably doing the best they could under the circumstances. Everyone was always polite and trying to be helpful in anyway they can. Hopefully weather gets better for the next group. Oh, a lucky couple on our boat did get to see a manga as they surface. We also saw some dolphins swimming not far from the boat one day. Plus the beautiful corals, not a bad trip. Just wish we did more dives after the super long and expansive flights we took getting here.
Recommended for
Crews trying to be helpful
14 Aug, 2022