Dive trip with Philippines Explorer Two - 6 nights

Boat

Philippines Explorer Two is a small private-charter yacht for couples, families and groups of friends who want diving, snorkelling and island travel without sharing the vessel with a large liveaboard group. It carries a maximum of six guests with five crew, creating a very different product from the operator's 21/22-guest Explorer One.

The GRP yacht was built in 2008 and, according to the operator, completely rebuilt in 2022 for extended South-East Asian cruising. A current specialist seller displays “2008 / 2026” as the build/renovation line, but the operator does not describe a second complete 2026 rebuild. Website copy should use the supported 2022 rebuild and request the scope of any later work before claiming a new refurbishment date.

Official dimensions are 23.85 metres long, 5.54 metres wide and 1.75 metres draft. Twin Volvo Penta D6 engines rated at 480 hp each give an average cruising speed of approximately 7.5 knots. Two 35 kW Kohler silent generators and a Seakeeper gyro stabiliser are intended to improve rest at anchor and comfort underway; neither feature guarantees a motion-free cruise.

A watermaker rated at 300 litres per hour supports the four cabins and crew. Diving and shore transfers use a five-metre tender with an 85 hp outboard. The published safety inventory includes AIS, radar, EPIRB, SART, DSC-VHF radio, two eight-person life rafts, lifejackets, oxygen and first-aid kits, fire and bilge alarms, Seakeeper stabilisation and Starlink hardware.

The yacht is arranged over three decks. Indoor areas are air-conditioned, while the open kitchen connects to an al-fresco dining deck. Forward sun pads, shaded seating, a flybridge lounge and open stern areas allow a six-person group to spread out. A Garmin Fusion sound system is integrated through the boat. Current photographs show the vessel previously carrying the name Oneironaut; this is the same yacht now marketed as Philippines Explorer Two, not another boat.

Asian and Western dishes, beach barbecues and informal meals are central to the private-yacht style. The operator states that all meals, soft drinks, coffee, teas and herbal infusions are included. Wine is available but is not listed among standard included beverages. Dietary needs should be submitted early, and severe allergies require an individual galley assessment.

Beyond scuba, the vessel lists snorkelling equipment, towables, fishing gear, two Seabobs and two Fliteboards, one inflatable and one rigid. Availability depends on route, maintenance, local rules, guest ability and crew supervision. The presence of fishing gear does not permit fishing inside a marine sanctuary, and powered boards may be restricted in protected or busy waters.

An onboard masseuse is advertised as a feature, but the current extras sheet prices massage separately. Starlink is also optional and paid. Mobile and satellite service can be interrupted by terrain, weather or technical conditions, so the yacht should not be sold as a guaranteed remote office.

No accessible-cabin standard, lift or step-free route is published. All public cabin listings place accommodation on the lower deck, reached by marine stairs. Tender boarding, raised thresholds and moving decks require balance and transfer ability. Guests with reduced mobility or medical devices should request a written assessment before booking.

Cabin

Philippines Explorer Two has exactly four guest cabins: two shared double rooms and two single rooms. All have natural light, individually controlled air conditioning, an ensuite bathroom with hot water, storage and access to universal electrical sockets. A current specialist listing places every category on the lower deck; the operator confirms the features but does not publish numbered cabins.

• 1 Premium Suite — maximum 2 guests: a full-beam cabin with queen-size bed, sofa seating, workspace, smart television and surround-sound speakers. The large ensuite includes a rain shower, basin, WC and panoramic ocean-view window. The detailed cabin page specifies a 100% natural-latex mattress, while the general boat page uses “custom Tempur-pedic” wording. Because those are not the same material or brand, request the current mattress specification rather than repeating both as fact.
• 1 Deluxe Suite — maximum 2 guests: a full-beam bow cabin with a double bed, windows on both sides and a skylight that also functions as an emergency hatch to the main deck. It has a desk and an ensuite with shower, basin, WC and ocean-view window. The bow position and hatch should be discussed with anyone sensitive to hull movement, deck noise or emergency-access arrangements.
• 2 Comfort Cabins — maximum 1 guest each: one cabin is on the port side and one on the starboard side. Each contains one single bed, a private ensuite with shower, basin and WC, plus storage and a small work area. They are not twin-share rooms and should not be described as accommodating two guests each.

The capacity calculation is 2 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 6 guests. The operator's four-cabin headline can be misleading if a seller assumes eight double places; only the Premium and Deluxe are shared categories. A six-person charter uses all four cabins.

The public pages do not provide floor areas, mattress dimensions, cabin numbers, wardrobe measurements, safes, hairdryers, minibars or connecting doors. The Premium is clearly the largest comfort category, but “full beam” also describes the Deluxe bow room and does not establish equal size. No extra bed or sofa-bed occupancy is advertised.

All cabins are ensuite, unlike some small-yacht layouts that use a shared day head. The Premium rain shower is specifically confirmed; the Deluxe and Comfort rooms have standard showers. Bath products, linen changes and housekeeping frequency should be checked on the dated offer even though towels and toiletries appear in current specialist listings.

The former Oneironaut photographs show a Premium double cabin, another double room and bathrooms. They support identity and general finish, but an image cannot establish which exact cabin a guest will receive. Ask for a rooming list with the Premium, Deluxe and the two named Comfort allocations.

Solo travellers normally occupy a Comfort cabin only as part of a private group charter unless the operator advertises a cabin-share departure. The yacht is primarily sold for exclusive use; per-cabin pricing and roommate matching should not be assumed from the schedule page.

Diving

Philippines Explorer Two is fully equipped for recreational air and Nitrox diving. The published inventory comprises 10 twelve-litre cylinders, 2 fifteen-litre cylinders, an air compressor, air bank and Nitrox system. The five-metre tender carries divers to sites and handles pickups, allowing the mothership to remain at a comfortable anchorage.

The operator deliberately limits scheduled routes to a maximum of three dives per day, often two. This creates time for cruising, snorkelling, island visits, watersports and relaxed meals. It is not the right product for a diver who expects four or five dives every day, and the ceiling does not guarantee three dives on arrival, wildlife, transfer or final days.

Standard pricing includes scheduled diving when the charter is booked on a published dive itinerary. Nitrox and rental equipment are excluded under the general terms. A full rental set currently includes wetsuit, BCD, regulator, mask, snorkel, boots, fins, weight belt, DSMB and reel; computer and torch cost separately. Larger or additional cylinders also carry a charge.

The operator cannot support rebreathers. Do not infer technical gas, boosters, oxygen/helium, bailout or a technical guide from the Nitrox plant. Published operations are open-circuit recreational diving unless a bespoke contract states otherwise.

Optional Advanced Open Water and Enriched Air practical training, refreshers and selected specialties may be arranged. Course rates do not include required PADI eLearning or the certification card. A course can also conflict with route conditions or limited instructor time, so it must be confirmed before embarkation.

The itineraries range from reef and macro diving to current-influenced shoals. Monad and Kimud are associated with thresher-shark activity; Gato includes a tunnel environment; Manta Bowl and Ticao Pass can have strong current; Southern Leyte mixes walls, coral gardens and macro sites. Certification alone does not guarantee participation in every profile. Recent experience, buoyancy and guide approval matter.

The operator's general terms do not set one minimum certification or logged-dive number. Ask for route-specific requirements, especially for Ticao Pass and overhead sections at Gato. A diver without appropriate cavern or overhead training should remain in open water and follow the guide's alternative plan.

Whale-shark, manta, thresher, dolphin and turtle encounters are possible but never guaranteed. The Southern Leyte programme identifies the Pintuyan whale-shark initiative as snorkelling only. Oslob activity should also be confirmed as scuba or snorkelling and explained with the applicable wildlife code.

Comprehensive travel insurance is mandatory and should cover scuba, hyperbaric treatment, evacuation and repatriation. The group must respect no-fly guidance even when a morning dive is listed as “possible” on Day 7. Flights should be booked from the final approved dive time, not the marketing outline.

Other Information

The operator's general terms apply to both vessels, while the invoice defines the private charter and route-specific details.

Unless the selected offer states otherwise, the voyage price includes:

• Exclusive or booked use of Philippines Explorer Two under the contracted private-charter format
• Accommodation in the confirmed cabin allocation for up to six guests
• Full-board meals and snacks between meals
• Standard non-alcoholic beverages; the vessel page specifies soft drinks, coffee, teas and herbal infusions
• Scheduled activities named as included in the itinerary
• Scheduled diving when the charter is sold as a dive itinerary
• Applicable taxes where required by law

Normally excluded, optional or payable separately:

• International or domestic flights, hotel nights, visas, airport taxes and transfers
• Marine-park, conservation, port, government, photography and dive permits
• Rental dive equipment, Nitrox, computer, torch and larger or extra cylinders
• Alcohol, including wine, beer, spirits and cocktails
• Massage, laundry, Starlink internet and satellite communication
• Courses, eLearning, certification cards, private instruction and specialty services
• Insurance, medical treatment, emergency evacuation and repatriation
• Gratuities, personal purchases, merchandise and bank/payment fees
• Any fuel surcharge applied under the operator's terms

The current extras list gives transparent but changeable examples. A full equipment set costs USD 180 for six nights and excludes computer and torch; Nitrox is USD 100 for six nights. Wi-Fi is USD 30 for a six- or seven-night cruise, laundry USD 1 per item and massage USD 45 per hour. A dated invoice should replace these examples before a customer commits.

Beer, wine, spirits and cocktails are charged individually, and the operator currently applies a 4.5% surcharge to Visa or Mastercard payments onboard. Cash in Philippine pesos or US dollars is accepted. The wine “available” wording on the vessel page is not an all-inclusive bar promise.