PHILIPPINES

2024 Dates: Sunday 14th – Saturday 20th July 2024

Price: £2,599pp

More than 7,000 islands. Deserted beaches lined with tilting coconut trees. Protected marine parks  like giant tropical fish bowls. a dream swimming destination.

This trip provides access to some of the Philippines' most impressive swimming destinations (including the famous Apo Island) whilst at the same time bringing a spot of luxury and pampering in a tranquil boutique resort.

apo cropThe Philippines is an archipelago of over 7000 islands divided into three regions: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Bashi Channel to the north the Sulu and the Celebes Seas to the south - this group of islands boasts more than 15,500 kilometres of coastline ... perfect for swimming. 

In true SwimQuest style, our Philippines tour provides a great balance of swimming and relaxation in one of the most spectacular marine environments on the planet. This trip is based on the island of Negros in the Western Visayas. Remote and tropical, we are perfectly positioned to enjoy the colourful corals and wonder at the varied marine life, including huge shoals of fish, turtles, rays and whale sharks.

AT A GLANCE

  • Places available from £2,599pp
  • This trip is ideal for anyone looking for a luxurious week away, with a combination of swimming and time to relax.
  • A total distance of approximately 5-6km / day split into two swims (you are welcome to swim as much or as little of this as you like)
  • This trip runs from Saturday – Friday
  • Non-swimmers are welcome to join the trip and can be on the boat if they wish. A 10% discount is offered to non-swimmers.
  • Spa facilities and yoga also available (one yoga session free, others at an extra cost)
  • Max group size 12
  • Water temperature is approximately 28oC
  • Everything included except transport to Dumaguete airport, evening meals and any alcohol purchases or in resort extras
  • The easiest way to arrive is to fly to Manila and then get a short flight to Dumaguete, where we can pick you up.

WHAT’S INCLUDED?  

  • Six night’s accommodation in a Deluxe Suite Room at Atmosphere Resort (based on sharing a double or twin suite. Single, private rooms are available for a supplement of £725pp)
  • Breakfast and lunches (from breakfast on Sunday morning, to breakfast on Friday morning)
  • Dumaguete airport transfers
  • Transfer to Dumaguete city for dinner and drinks on one evening
  • Complimentary filtered drinking water, fruit, tea and coffee in rooms
  • All marine sanctuary fees
  • A full guided swimming itinerary, based on two swims a day
  • Qualified SwimQuest guide/s
  • Boat cover, including a local ocean guide
  • Optional stroke video analysis and one-to-one swim coaching sessions
  • Optional marine life seminar
  • 1 x complimentary Introduction to Yoga class
  • All government taxes
  • A SwimQuest cap and gift
  • VAT

WHAT’S nOT INCLUDED?  

  • Travel to and from Dumaguete airport
  • Additional drink and alcohol purchases
  • Evening meals
  • Wetsuit hire (please bring your own wetsuit if you would like to swim in one)
  • Local tips
  • Any additional items or activities you may wish to participate in outside of the tour schedule (e.g. spa treatments etc).

ABOUT ATMOSPHERE RESORT & SPA

Atmosphere Resort and Spa

We chose Atmosphere to be our SwimQuest resort partner because they offer a fantastic level of service in a tranquil location. The resort is perfectly situated for our swimming itinerary, minimising transfer times to swim locations. Atmosphere Resort also offers a number of dining spaces, a Sanctuary Spa, poolside bar, yoga and fitness classes as well as a 5* PADI CDC Dive Centre.
Hotel Check-in:     2pm
Hotel Check-out:  12pm

SWIMQUEST ROOMS AT ATMOSPHERE

SwimQuest guests will stay in the beautiful Deluxe Suite Rooms, each with their own outdoor tropical bathroom, hammock on the terrace and a pocket garden.
Screenshot 2018-02-21 19.05.49
Twin or double share Deluxe Suite Rooms are allocated as standard. Should you wish to book your own private room, a £725 supplement applies.
N.B. Please note, this is a rough guide to the week. We will adapt the week carefully for each individual and the weather conditions. All swim activities are planned with safety as the paramount concern. Swim distances are adaptable and because of our extensive boat and safety cover we can deal with a mixture of abilities on this tour. 

SUNDAY

An Atmosphere representative will meet you at Dumaguete airport and take you to the resort. You can settle into your room, and meet your fellow guests and guides for an evening meal.

MONDAY

Reef swimOn Monday morning, we will have an early breakfast and complete the safety briefing. Our first swim will be a coastal swim along Atmosphere’s ‘House Reef’, getting ourselves used to our new surroundings and finding our feet in the water (1-2km).  This will be an easy swim so that the guides can get an idea of everyone’s swimming ability and (if you wish) film you swimming above and below the water so that we can provide coaching advice later on in the evening. In the afternoon, we will head north towards ’Secret Corner’ for a reef swim (2-3km).

TUESDAY

TURTLE EGYPTIn the morning, we will head to Apo Island reef to find turtles and to explore the West side of the island (3km).  After lunch we head back to Dauin to swim along shallow reefs and admire the abundance of colourful marine life (2-3km).

WEDNESDAY

Atmosphere-Resorts-Spa-Luxury-Resort-2000x450Today is a more relaxed day, with a visit to Malatapay Farmers’ market in the morning, followed by a 2-3km coastal swim in the area.  In the afternoon, we will head back to Atmosphere for a few hours of relaxation or spa before dinner out in Dumaguete.

THURSDAY

StingRayToday we will attempt a longer reef swim in the morning (3-4km) taking in some of the area’s most impressive marine life. After lunch at Atmosphere, we will head to the Masaplod North dive site to swim above  blue spotted stingrays, schools of surgeon fish, and the resident school of big eyed jacks.

FRIDAY

Apo-island-reefToday will be a big day, with lots of swimming! After breakfast, we head out to Apo Island for a spectacular round-island circumnavigation, followed by a BBQ lunch (5-6km). In the afternoon, there will be time for  final swim along the resort reef before sundowners and our final dinner.

SATURday

Your guides will wake you up early and take you down to the beach for a sunrise swim before a leisurely breakfast and departures.        

Location of Atmosphere resort in the Philippines

Atmosphere Resort and Spa is situated on Negros Island, close to the city of Dumaguete - a bustling University town with an airport, several hospitals, and shops . Atmosphere is located thirty minutes south of Dumaguete by car, by the coastal town of Dauin. The resort is close to the beautiful islands of Apo, Bohol, Siquijor and Cebu.

Atmosphere Resorts & Spa Maayong Tubig, Dauin, 6217 Negros Oriental, Philippines

Atmosphere-Resorts-Spa-Luxury-Resort-2000x450

how to get there

The easiest way to get to Atmosphere is by plane to Dumaguete airport on Negros Island.

Most flight options involve a stop in Manila, and then an onward internal flight to Dumaguete (this internal flight takes 1.15 hours.)

As most international flights land in Manila in the evening, you will most likely need to spend the night in Manila before your onward journey to Dumaguete.

N.B. If you book flights from your primary destination through to Dumaguete via a travel agent such as Flight Centre, be sure to ask whether there is a free hotel stay and transfer to and from the hotel to the airport. Philippine Airlines usually offer this service. 

International and domestic flights depart from different terminals and as there is quite a distance between terminals, so make sure to check flight details carefully.

AIRPORT TRANSFER TO RESORT INCLUDED

Once you land in DuAtmosphere Resort and Spamaguete , the Atmosphere shuttle will pick you up - the van ride to the resort takes around 45 minutes. This is included in your package, however we will need your flight details in advance in order to arrange this for you.

If you need any further help with your travel please ask us (email alice@swimquest.uk.com or call +44 7825 301443). We will do our best to help.

WHAT TO PACK

In addition to your everyday SwimQuest t-shirtclothing and personal travel items, we would also recommend packing:
  • At least two swimming costumes
  • A wetsuit should you wish to wear one
  • Two pairs of swim goggles
  • Swim ear plugs if you are used to wearing them
  • Tow float (required) - if you haven’t got one yet, you can purchase from our online shop here
  • Rash vest (optional) - available from our online shop here
  • A lightweight swim towel (although the resort does provide towels if you are short on space)
  • Sandals, aqua shoes or flip flops which you would be happy to get wet if necessary
  • There is usually no need to bring warmer clothes for evenings, but a long sleeved garment can come in handy on windy evenings
  • Suncream, sunhat and sunglasses
  • Insect repellent
  • Comfortable sportswear (optional - running / stretching / yoga)

Entry Regulations

Non-residents of the Philippines require a full passport to enter the country. Starting August 1, 2013, nationals from 151 countries, including all E.U. member states, U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand may enter the Philippines without a visa and stay for a maximum of thirty (30) days, provided they are holders of a passport valid at least six (6) months beyond the period of stay in the Philippines, and present a return or outward bound ticket to their country of origin or to a next country of destination. For further information please visit http://www.philembassy.no. Please note that visa regulations are subject to change and we advise that you check your own visa requirements prior to travel.

Health Regulations

The Philippines is fortunate to be free from epidemics. The country remains safe from bird flu and foot-and-mouth diseases. If you’re coming from an area where yellow fever has been reported, you’ll need a certificate of vaccination. For more information, visit www.doh.gov.ph

VACCINATIONS

There are currently no essential vaccination requirements for The Philippines, however we advise you to check this information eight weeks before you travel. Visit your health professional at least 4 to 6 weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations or other preventive measures. Country specific information and advice is published by the National Travel Health Network and Centre on the TravelHealthPro website and by NHS (Scotland) on the fitfortravel website. Useful information and advice about healthcare abroad is also available on the NHS Choices website. It is also advisable to check that you have up to date tetanus and polio. UK health authorities have classified the Philippines as having a risk of Zika virus transmission. For information and advice about the risks associated with Zika virus, visit the National Travel Health Network and Centre website. Mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis (JE) and chikungunya virus occur all year round. There were increased levels of dengue cases in 2016. There’s a heightened risk of dengue fever during the rainy season (June to October). You should take appropriate precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

INSURANCE

As a SwimQuest guest, you are required to have in place travel insurance that covers you for all activities you will be taking part in during your trip. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fully covered for these activities. The availability of medical care varies across the Philippines, and may not meet the standards of care in the UK. Although adequate in major cities, medical care is limited in more remote areas. Even some of the more popular tourist destinations have limited and basic medical provisions. This may result in a delay when seeking urgent medical attention in an emergency. Private hospital treatment can be too expensive for many people, eg the daily cost in intensive care units can be more than £1,000 per day. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation. If you need emergency medical assistance during your trip, dial 911 and ask for an ambulance. You should contact your insurance/medical assistance company promptly if you are referred to a medical facility for treatment.

Whatever travel policy you decide on, you will need to bring a copy of your current Certificate of Insurance to the safety briefing at the start of your SwimQuest holiday. Your swim Guides will need to take a note of your insurer, policy number and the number to call in case of an emergency claim.

 

World Nomads travel insurance has been designed by travellers for travellers, with coverage for more than 150 activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

World Nomads do not offer cover over 65s, however if you are over 65 and looking for insurance, you may wish to browse some of the below price comparison sites. Please note – we are unable to advise on the suitability of any particular insurance policy.

United Kindom:

If you are travelling from the US or another country, we suggest you use a travel insurancecomparison site based in your own country to decide on a suitable policy.

CLIMATE & ATMOSPHERE IN THE PHILIPPINES

The climate of the Philippines is tropical, with moderate to high temperatures and moderate to high humidity. Typically, the Manila-region has two distinct seasons: the dry winter season which runs from December to June and the slightly wetter summer season running from July to November. Atmosphere in Dumaguete is located much further south and therefore has less distinct seasons with less rain and a longer dry period. The dry season brings moderate seas and on-shore breezes and the wetter season has glass-flat seas and minimal offshore winds. The coolest month falls in January and the hottest, in May. Water temperatures vary between 26-30 degrees. There is usually no need to bring warmer clothes for evenings, but a long sleeved garment can come in handy on windy or rainy evenings.

READY TO BOOK?

We’re excited about meeting you on tour. To book your swimming holiday, simply fill in the booking form below. Once you have submitted the form, Sarah (our bookings co-ordinator) will be in touch to request payment and to help you with any additional requirements.

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