Philippines

5 Jun – 11 Jun 2027
Busuanga, Philippines
From £2,599pp

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Based in Busuanga, Northern Palawan - this trip offers the chance to swim with dugongs, explore vibrant marine sanctuaries, cross between islands, and plunge into dramatic freshwater lakes. Wild, tropical swimming at its most breathtaking.

Duration

6 Nights

Distance per day

2-4km

Water temperature

26-29°C

Max. group size

Ability level

All Abilities

Swim type

Lake, Sea

Technique coaching

Included

This trip has been designed to provide an exciting mixture of swimming experiences in this most magical part of the world. The ocean here is clear, calm and warm, with exceptional visibility – ideal for open water swimming. With hundreds of small limestone islands, hidden beaches, and turquoise lagoons, Busuanga offers stunning island-hopping swim routes, round-island swims, and protected bays perfect for exploration.

The Philippines is an archipelago of over 7000 islands divided into three regions: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Based in Luzon, Busuanga is the largest island in the Calamian Group, found in the northern part of Palawan province.

Highlights

Swim with wild dugongs

These gentle, manatee-like creatures are truly rare to encounter up close, and the local boat partners have been running this eco-tourism programme since 1998 - giving it a genuine, responsible feel.

Secluded paradise

The resort is nestled in a secluded spot - a true SwimQuest sanctuary for those seeking tranquility and aquatic adventures. An amazing place to relax with a massage after a day in and on the water.

Spectacular coral reefs

The coral reefs are teeming with life, offering a spectacular display of biodiversity that is a testament to the area's conservation efforts.

Coron's Lakes

Dip in the magical lakes of Coron, hidden among towering limestone karsts and filled with impossibly clear emerald water.

Itinerary

Day 1

Saturday

A representative will meet you at Busuanga airport and take you to the resort. You can settle into your room, and meet your fellow guests and guides for a welcome and briefing. Our first swim will be a gentle coastal swim along El Rio'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 during the week.

Day 2

Sunday

This morning we head out for our first swim, between the stunning islets in Maricaban bay, before stopping for lunch on one of the beautiful beaches in the area. In the afternoon, we will swim our first circumnavigation (1-1.5km) taking in some of the incredible reefs around the shoreline, before heading back to the resort for sundowners and dinner.

Day 3

Monday

Today will be a full day out, as we venture out to to best place in the world to swim with Dugongs. Dugongs are gentle marine mammals, closely related to the manatee. Our local boat partners were the first operators in the Philippines to start the eco tourism programme for Dugongs (in 1998) and will help us navigate this incredible experience. During the day we will visit several feeding grounds for this gentle ocean creatures, as well as a swim along the coastline of Dimipac Island.

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Accommodation

WIFI RESTAURANT POOL MASSAGE AIR CON

We chose El Rio Y Mar to be our SwimQuest resort partner because they offer a fantastic, friendly level of service in a perfect location to springboard our swimming adventures. The resort is well situated for our swimming itinerary, minimising transfer times to swim locations.

Rooms

The base trip price is based on you sharing a twin or double superior cabana. If you are travelling solo we'll pair you with a same-sex roommate, or if you’d like a room to yourself, choose a sole use room when booking.

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What's included

Included

Six nights accommodation
Breakfasts
Lunches
Busuanga airport transfers
All marine sanctuary fees
A fully guided swimming itinerary, based on two swims a day
A one hour, traditional Hilot massage in the resort spa
Qualified SwimQuest guide/s
Boat and land travel and boat safety cover, including a local ocean guide
Optional stroke video analysis and one-to-one swim coaching sessions
All government taxes
A SwimQuest swim cap and gift
VAT

Not included

Travel to and from Busuanga airport
Additional drink and alcohol purchases
Evening meals
Local tips
Any additional items or activities you may wish to participate in outside of the tour schedule (e.g. additional spa treatments, scuba dives etc).

Getting there

Trip begins at 4pm

Flying to Busuanga Airport (also known as Francisco B. Reyes Airport)

The easiest way to get to El Rio y Mar is by flying into Busuanga Airport (also known as Francisco B. Reyes Airport). Most international flights arrive in Manila (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) or Cebu. From Cebu you can take a direct domestic flight to Busuanga, which takes approximately 1 hour.

Note: If your international flight lands in Manilla you will take a domestic flight via Cebu and you may need to spend the night in Manila before continuing your journey the next morning.

Van transfer

Once you land at Busuanga Airport, the El Rio y Mar team will greet you. Your journey continues as follows:

Van transfer from the airport to the nearby San Jose pier (approx. 20–30 minutes)

Boat transfer

Boat transfer from San Jose to the resort’s private jetty (approx. 15–20 minutes)

These transfers are included in your booking, but we kindly ask that you send us your flight details in advance so we can arrange everything for you smoothly.