Liveaboard Diving in Palawan

What To Expect On A Palawan Liveaboard

Sheer rock faces lined with trees skirt the edges of this island; the beautiful blue, clear waters leave little to the imagination at its coast. Fishing boats are often found in the inlets of these rocky coasts, where white beaches in secluded bays can be visited for peace. Liveaboards in Palawan allow you to enjoy these picturesque bays between dives. Philippines liveaboard boats in Palawan depart between April and June.

Palawan Underwater

Liveaboard diving in Palawan will bring you some underwater treats. Expect to cross shark sightings, World War II wrecks, and even potentially mantas off your diving bucket list while in the Palawan dive area. The visibility here is often great; you will enjoy reef, wreck, and drift dives in this location. Not only will you be diving with larger life here, but you also expect to find the macro species, including many species of nudibranchs. Dive cruises in Palawan have something on offer for all sea life enthusiasts. The underwater scenery adds to the allure of taking a Liveaboard dive trip to this location.

Dive Sites Of Palawan

Kyokozan Maru Off the coast of Dimalanta Island, you will enjoy the World War II wreck standing upright on the slope leading to the coast. It is an advanced dive at a depth of 22m-28m and can easily be penetrated.

Tubbataha Reef is miles out into the sea South East of Palawan island, and this dive site is a gem of the ocean. A guaranteed shark spotting dive site: white tips, grey reef sharks, nurse sharks, and hammerheads are found here. You will be amazed by this reef's spectacular corals in pristine condition.

Cuttlefish Shawl As the name suggests, this 20m maximum depth dive offers giant cuttlefish to be seen, turtles, and barracuda. Some, however, venture here to catch a glimpse of sharks and sea cows who sometimes come to this bay.

El Nido Off the west coast of Palawan, get your magnifying glass eyes out on these reef formations, as there is plenty of macro life to see here. See how many species of nudibranch you come across on one dive, and look out for ribbon eels hiding in the holes of the reef.

Top Tips For Divers

Bring your underwater camera to catch the moments in the clear water. You will likely catch some wonderful snaps of sharks, mantas, and wrecks. Bring your torch so you can search out macro life and look into holes of the wrecks for creatures taking refuge from the currents.

Getting To Palawan

You will more often than not arrive for your liveaboard cruise in the Philippine islands through the capital's Manila airport. Transfer in the shortest and easiest way from here with South East Asian Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Air Philippines to the island of Palawan. Your departure point for Palawan Liveaboards will be Puerto Princesa; the airport is in the city, so take a tricycle to the port for an easy transfer.


Palawan Diving Reviews

  • 9.2 Superb
  • 5 Verified Reviews
  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Jere L
  • United States United States

Allot of dives looking for big sharks but not finding

Diving Palawan in March on the Discovery Palawan

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Christopher G
  • United States United States

Abundance of things to see in a world where all coral is at risk. Especially fond of the Cephalopods and can watch cuttlefish behavior.

Diving Palawan in November on the Navis 1

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Alex D
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Amazing - the coral and fish are insane. 50m wall of coral and plenty of sharks, turtles etc.

Diving Palawan in December on the Navis 1

  • 8.0 Very good
  • David M
  • Canada Canada

Quantity and variety of marine life was much less than on my Cebu/Leyte itinerary. Disappointed to see almost no sharks and zero mantas.

Diving Palawan in February on the Navis 1