Palau Sport Liveaboard, Philippines

One and done.

Food was minimal and repetitive. Deck chairs and air conditioning broken. Charged extra for everything including WiFi and sodas. No ice. Had to use the same one towel all week. It was not cleaned or replaced. Not the good environment one typically expects on a liveaboard.

Recommended for

The destination Tubbataha. The other guests were fabulous. Bunks were comfortable.

21 Apr, 2025

We met some nice people along the way.

We secured a private dive guide for our party of two, Doy our guide seemed professional and attentive, had we not opted for private guide….. it would have been diving in very large groups. Liveaboard.com mentions total passengers max of 24. 25 divers were on our cruise and one from another group cancelled last minute or that would have placed total divers at 26.

Recommended for

The pork dishes were absolutely amazing. Meal service and cabin service were efficient.. Desserts were served after each dinner..

19 Apr, 2025

Wild and wooly ride

We signed up for the transition trip that would add a good variety on our way to our diving destination. We picked a good time to experience our diving adventure( 1 month into the opening of the season)-the transition to Tubbataha. Our best laid plans were however, sidetracked by Mother Nature. The first couple dives were at Apo Reef. Clear water, very healthy valleys of beautiful delicate coral. We then made a moderately bumpy night crossing to Coron. We were sheltered in amongst the islands. Howling winds that literally sank a 100' barge, was upside down 200 yards away-that night. After a couple nice dives around the islands-1 being a relaxing night dive, we were called in to discuss our options. If the Coast Guard and the weather would allow, we would head to Tubbataha or Puerto Princesa that night. The long 12 hr. bumpy journey ended at Tubbataha-YEAH! We dove that day with a good variety:drop offs, wreck, reefs. Water clarity in the shallower water was less than stellar, at our dive depths it cleared up. Once again we were called in to discuss our current situation. During our long bumpy journey, both the fiberglass dive launches received damage. Hull cracks in both launches from 12 hours of pounding against a steel hull. After 1 dive, the crew determined 1 of the launches may become unsafe to use. It was decided to head back to port. Bummer. But it was the right decision, not easily made. If the remaining launch (now would have to do double duty) were to drop 24 divers and 4 guides in the water and develop ANY issues. Well now a bad situation would have become much worse. So, how would the owners handle this. They were on board, thru all this. They decided to offer everyone a return trip. The weather of course is no ones fault. So, they could have said "Bummer, use your trip insurance". But, they said they wanted everyone to have a good experience with the PalauSport. From my point of view, that was a really good start.

Recommended for

Crew. Health of the coral. Itinerary.

10 Apr, 2025

Pleasant Trip

Generally good conditions and a manageable crossing out to Tubbataha. Beautiful walls and easy, warm diving. Most dives were about 45 mins and only missed one dive due to weather. Crew did a good job to move the boat to a different location so we could get back in the water quickly. Didn't see any large pelagics during end of May but did see reef sharks on every dive.

Recommended for

Short distances to dive sites. Friendly crew. Strong wifi.

27 Nov, 2024

One of the best diving experiences I have had

The diving itself was superb, the boat and crew were excellent . The accommodations were nice . The food was good . The crew and especially the dive guides were very professional and safe. All in all it was a fantastic trip and the Palau Sport was a much better experience than I had expected . John and Edwin do a great job ! I would certainly recommend this dive boat to anyone looking to do a live aboard in the Philippines .

Recommended for

1. Boat design, functionality and comfort 2. crew professionalism 3. diving location

03 May, 2024

Overall a good experience

Overall a good experience. Got lucky for one manta, one whale shark, one marble ray, lots of sharks and turtles…. On the downside… large group diving… and if you are a non photographer in a group with photographers, the dynamics of the dive may or may not suit you. Relation quality/price is average, considering that it is an expensive destination. The staff was great at all times. The dive staff very experienced and professional. After the third day the food was repetitive. Nevertheless, I appreciated very much to accommodate for a vegetarian. The room is tiny but manageable, coordinating a bit with your roommate which you may or may not know. The drainage smell in the bathroom was constantly unpleasant, even if there was an air freshener. If leaving the door open it was manageable, but keeping the door closed for a short time would then intensify the smell to be very dense. The rooms don’t have air conditioning, but do have a power blowing port which essential for any air circulation. The additional mandatory expenses were clearly stated. However, what is called a “service charge” it is interpreted by most as for service (as in gratuities/tips), but they said it is a “government charge”… then please just call it a government charge. Even better just include all the mandatory expenses in the price from the start. There will always be someone who complains about something, like change of dive sites due to weather, but we were in good hands. Albeit some changes, the crew ensured the best location for the conditions. I can say I enjoyed my experience on the Palau Sport. Thank you!

Recommended for

The boat/diving staff. The surprise birthday cake. Prompt communication while booking.

07 Jun, 2025