ISLANDS AND LIVEABOARDS
She offers Nitrox, the Nautilus lifeline with GPS –
VHS radio (now mandatory on the vessel) and full
rental equipment.
There is a superb dedicated camera room and
a lounge with movies and video games and also
chill-out space. Sunbathing can be enjoyed on the
spacious weather deck and there is a jacuzzi for
post-dive relaxation.
20
Tubbataha is well known
for its stunning reef scenes,
dizzying amount of reef life
and amazing visibility
It doesn’t sound possible but if you are still
hungry after the five-meals-a-day buffets, there
are cup noodles, cookies, cakes, candy and all the
tea, coffee and soda you can eat and drink.
When she’s not on a diving safari in Tubbataha
from April to June, Solitude One cruises around
the Rock Islands of Palau.
20 A stunning reef
scene in Tubbataha
21 The Solitude One
21
liveaboard in a
peaceful bay
PRACTICALITIES
WHEN
Tubbataha is open all year round
but the weather is inhospitable
outside the regular known season
from March to June. Visibility can
be up to a staggering 100 metres
on a sunny day, but can also
drop to 10 metres when the tide
changes. Water temperature is a
comfortable 28–30oC.
HOW
Manila and Cebu are both
international hubs, from where
you can fly to Puerto Princesa and
the crew will pick you up at the
airport and take you to the boat.
It’s about 20 minutes by car from
airport to vessel.
SDOP
80
STAY/DIVE
• MV Solitude One
www.solitude-one.com
TOPSIDE
The ranger station on a small
sandbar in the North Atoll is a
good place to visit to learn how the
brave men who live there protect
and police the reefs. The area is
also a bird sanctuary, with two
islets being breeding grounds for
six seabird species and supporting
more than 20,000 birds.
ENTRY
Most foreigners are given 30-day
tourist visas on arrival. Some may
have to pay for it. Check with
your local Philippine embassy
for updates.
MANILA
CEBU
PHILIPPINES