Philippines: Diving and Relaxing on a Liveaboard Ship

The Hans Christian Andersen (HCA) live-aboard in the  Philippines
The Hans Christian Andersen (HCA) liveaboard in the  Philippines

A Family Adventure on a Liveaboard Ship in the South China Sea

By Michelle Lamb

I discovered a way to get back to my diving, and at the same time, enjoy a family vacation. The answer? A liveaboard boat cruising in the warm waters of the South China Sea.

The Hans Christian Andersen (HCA) liveaboard in the  Philippines is the answer to your adventure travel wish

Looking out the cabin window on the Hans Christian Anderson liveaboard ship in the Philippines.
Looking out the cabin window on the Hans Christian Anderson liveaboard ship in the Philippines.

and includes some vacation laziness.

Divers and snorkelers of all ages enjoy a week of sailing to pristine beaches, untouched reefs, and WWII wrecks in the clear and warm South China Sea.

Boarding in Batangas  

My family of four boarded the HCA on a sunny and breezy December Saturday afternoon from Batangas, a two-hour drive south of Manila.

We soon become a party of 32, greeted by a crew of 26, and set sail into the proverbial sunset while being served tropical drinks.

Although not a luxury cruise, with such a low passenger-to-crew ratio, the service is always kind and immediate. By week’s end, we know everyone on board.

Scheduled Dives on the Liveaboard

Every morning we are given a schedule and explanation of the day’s excursions and scheduled dive times. My husband and I sign up for the 11 dives offered that week, five of which are wreck dives.

On the HCA enjoying a welcome drink. Gene Niemasz photo.
On the HCA enjoying a welcome drink. Gene Niemasz photo.

Our children, ages four and ten, either join us on the dive boat and snorkel while waiting for us to surface, play on a nearby island beach, or amuse themselves in the HCA TV/game room area—called the Mermaid Salon.

The HCA has several routes; we chose the Northern Route bringing us to Coron Bay, a WWII wreck diving cemetery, and Apo Reef Natural Reserve, the world’s second-largest contiguous coral reef system—all featuring world-class diving sites.

One of the more interesting wrecks is the Akitsushima, a Japanese seaplane carrier.

After diving the Nanshin Maru, a sunken Japanese ship, a unique surface interval was spent exploring a cave on Black Island. While the wrecks support beautiful corals and huge schools of fish, Apo Reef presents us with white-tipped reef sharks and turtles.

Pandan Island

Our first stop was the white sand laced Pandan Island. Every day the ship anchored near equally stunning

The HCA's comfortable cabins have all you need, even for a family.
The HCA’s comfortable cabins have all you need, even for a family.

islands for snorkeling or quiet beach time.

Most of the beaches were deserted other than a simple palm frond hut or two. We were brought from the HCA to shore on three different chase boats.

After a guided snorkel and our own discovery time, a gourmet lunch was brought from the HCA to the beach. The food was fresh and delicious every meal without exception.

Usually, there was a choice of meat and fish or seafood, tropical fruits, homemade bread, rice, and various vegetables.

Going ashore on the HCA in the Philippines.
Going ashore on the HCA in the Philippines.

One night we even had a pig roast on the beach, complete with the crew singing after dinner and of course, more tropical drinks.

The crew served dinner early to our children, so my husband and I could enjoy happy hour and an adult dinner. This was our chance to get to know the other passengers better.

The grandparents of one family did the cruise two years earlier and liked it so much, they brought the rest of their family on a second voyage—nine in all.

Even a four-year-old can enjoy snorkeling in waters of the clear South China Sea.
Even a four-year-old can enjoy snorkeling in waters of the clear South China Sea.

The ship’s owner is Danish, so passengers are largely Scandinavian and range from retired professionals, couples with and without children, and solo travelers exploring   Asia.

We really hit it off with our fellow divers and plan to meet next year for another dive trip.

A sea turtle in the South China sea.
A sea turtle in the South China sea.

The non-beach excursions gave us a slice of rural Philippine life. We visited three different islands, mostly inhabited by fishermen and farmers.

Riding in a Sidecar

In Sablayan, Mindoro, much to our children’s delight, we rode in the sidecar of motor-tricycles to a local history museum and market.

In Culion, a former leper colony, we visited the former hospital, now a museum. And lastly, Panlaitan, purely a fishing village, we visited the local school and a few of the villagers’ homes.

The HCA provided my family with enough choices to feel like we’ve had a week of adventure travel combined with relaxing excursions and a bonus of forming life-long friendships.

For booking your adventure cruise, see www.discoveryfleet.com. The ship described in this story has been re-named the M/Y DiscoveryPalawan.

Michelle Lamb and her family.

 

Michelle Lamb writes from Guam, has also lived in Europe and the mainland U.S.A. Read more about her adventures at Travel with Michelle

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