Navis 1 Liveaboard, Philippines

Overall great trip for a low price. Good bang for the buck (or Euro).

Understand that we made two back to back trips: El Nido to Coron, and then Coron back to Coron. The cabin my buddy and I shared was small, but relatively comfortable. The room air conditioner efficiently cooled the room. Each bed had a lightweight blanket providing adequate warmth over a fitted sheet. A change of sheet, blanket and towels were available for the asking. There was plenty of space to store personal items and clothing. Small luggage was kept in the room. Larger bags can be kept in the spacious camera room. The crew on the Navis 1 were very hardworking and attentive to the guests. The crew did many things that typically are not found on a trip such as this. For example, our wetsuits were hung for us after each dive and washed at the end of each day. One of the guides was always there to help an 87 year old diver remove his wetsuit. When minor room maintenance was needed, that maintenance was quickly performed, even if it was suddenly needed in the middle of the night.. Midway through the first trip, one of the two owners of the boat came on board with his two three-year old twins and their Filipino nanny. Those kids were entertaining to watch and interact with. While on the boat, the owner was ready to hear suggestions on how to make his boat a better five boat and provide a better diving experience. The food was quite good, although it was a bit heavier on spice at times. The variety at each meal was impressive, commonly with pork, chicken, and fish in the same meal. Rice was at every meal. Pasta was common. Soups were great. I asked the cook to write down one recipe to share with my wife. Vegetarian meals were prepared separately for several divers. No one walked away from a meal hungry. One lunches was at picnic tables on an island which had an impressive cavern with a pool of water inside to cool off in and aa nearby pen with a dozen or so monitor lizards were waiting for visitors. There were two evenings on each trip where most divers stayed up late on the sun deck. The steward, Daphne, sang for us one night and played her saxophone on another. On both nights, a karaoke system was set up for those of us brave enough to sing to the other divers and the crew. I would have preferred more time on Apo Reef and less on non-combat Japanese ships sunk by Americans during World War II, but I understand that there are Navis 1 itineraries that offer most or all of the time on App Reef.

Recommended for

Been said by many other reviewers that the crew was great. That is an understatement.. Made for a fun filled voyage with entertainment beyond the diving.. Free Starlink providing amazing WiFi and ability to call/text friends and family..

Great dives and crew! Boat needs work.

My husband and I loved the gorgeous dives, and the adventuresome wreck dives. Apo Reef is just wonderful. I got my Advanced Open Water with Divemaster Mark Frazer. He was fantastic. He really took time to help me understand anything I struggled with. Very calm and masterful. I knew he could help me if I needed anything on a dive. The crew was just the best. Mimi took care of everything. Chef made delicious food, on what I suspect was a tight budget. The vegetarian with us had her own plates of lovely veg. The boat needs a lot of upgrades. Just know you are on a budget boat. The crew does their best to keep everyone comfortable. We were grateful for the air con in the little cabin. There's no place to put your stuff. We created a system for ourselves. The bathroom is always wet. there was a leak in the bidet hose that kept the floor wet. The matts on the floors seem old. The top deck, the only place to comfortably hang out, only had uncomfortable plastic chairs or a few old bean bags. Not enough for everyone. There was little shade we struggled to stay in. The dining area was airless and hot. There's diesel fumes everywhere which was really sad to me. There wasn't a place to hang up your swimsuits, rashguards etc. We tied our stuff to railings. There are a few clips but not enough for everyone. But the crew was so good, and strived to make us comfortable. We also had a group of awesome divers who were fun to be with so the trip was overall a success. It's a budget boat, and that is a helpful choice when you need it.

Recommended for

The Dives, The Dive masters and the awesome crew

Amazing experience!

The crew makes this experience incredible. They are all so nice and go out of their way to make sure you are happy. Food was incredible, I think I am spoiled for the rest of my life now. Diving on this trip was epic! I was in a shared room which was ok - if you only care about the room this boat is not for you. But it’s a diving liveaboard so I spent very little time in the room - just to sleep. Thank you so much Manta.ph!

Recommended for

The crew, the dive locations, the food

Great trip

Very good energy & vibes! Very informative on the wildlife, and the wrecks so we knew the history & characteristics of what we were seeing while diving. Friendly & welcoming staff, felt at home. Music & dinner in the evening on the top deck was beautiful. Took an advanced course on board & the instructor did a wonderful job, very attentive & thorough.

Recommended for

Staff, instructor/dive master Shawn, shipwrecks

First Liveaboard experience was the best we could have hoped for

Able to enjoy 18 of the 20 dives which at 73 did not exhaust us out like usual from shore based. Crew and particularly Chef surprised us with delicious food and we did not lose weight which usually happens in the Philippines as I am vegetarian. Dive guides and especially the Dive instructor was especially helpful in advanced instruction for me and helping my wife be much more comfortable with her descent and buoyancy issues that we are certain to want to return with this vessel!

Recommended for

Dive Guide, Food, Crew

Best crew, best dive sites, best food

It was the best experience of my trip. Beautiful and confortable boat with the best crew on board, and the best food! The diving sites were all marvellous and the overall vibes just so great. Definitely recommanded!

Recommended for

Th crew & people. The dives. The food.