By Air

DIVE SITES and SCENIC LOCATIONS

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By Air (Main Routes)

Manila - Caticlan - Culasi

Several domestic flights from Manila to Caticlan (daily)
Once in Caticlan you can use private car, jeepney, or bus to Culasi

Manila - Kalibo - Culasi

Philippine Airlines with up to four flights daily
Cebu Pacific with one to two flights daily
Air Philippines with one to two flights daily
Rental Vans w/driver will drive you to Culasi
Jeepney transports from Kalibo to Culasi run 3 times daily

Cebu - Caticlan

Asian Spirit with one to two flights weekly
Sea Air with one to two flights weekly
Caticlan - Busuanga (Coron Isl./Northern Palawan)
Sea Air on demand
Once in Caticlan take a rental van w/driver to Culasi
Jeepney transport from Caticlan to Culasi run 2 times daily

Alternate Arragements (Land or Sea)

From Iloilo (or Kalibo) to Culasi
Ceres Bus has regular bus schedules, some of them air conditioned, from Iloilo to Kalibo and three times daily to Culasi. GM Liner is another bus company plying the route Iloilo - Caticlan with air-conditioned buses twice daily in both directions. Alternatives are the mini-vans from Iloilo to Kalibo and another mini-van from there to Caticlan. Another alternative is to rent a taxi from Iloilo directly to Culasi. The trip Iloilo to Culasi takes between 4 to 5 hours.

Ship Manila to Lipata

LIPATA PORT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION - REOPENS IN MARCH 2008

MBRS Shipping Lines have two boats plying the route from Manila to Lipata. The ships leave Manila's North Harbor, Pier 8, every Friday, Monday and Wednesday at 5 PM. Arrival time in Lipata is the next day between 10 and 11AM.

Other shipping companies service the route Manila to Dumaguete, half an hour east from Kalibo. The companies are WG&A and Negros Navigation.

By Car from Luzon
RORO - Caticlan, the entry point for Boracay, can be reached also by private cars or air-conditioned buses, via the 'strong republic nautical highway', stretching from Batangas, Luzon, to Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao. A RoRo (Roll On - Roll Off) vessel leaves Batangas daily at 8.30 AM to Calapan, Mindoro. From there drive your own car or board a mini-van or air-conditioned bus to Roxas, Mindoro, where another RoRo vessel leaves at 2 PM for Caticlan, where the boat arrives at 6 PM. From there you can drive down the coast rode (NATIONAL HIGHWAY) to Culasi. The same RoRo vessel leaves Caticlan daily at 9 AM. Contact number: Montenegro Shipping Lines, Inc., Main office Batangas City, Tel.: 043 723 7975/ 723 7598 and 723 2964.

The Way to
Paradise...

The nearest airports are in CATICLAN and KALIBO

Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines, Seair and Asian Spirit are arriving at these Airports.

With a Shuttle Service between 45 to 65 minutes to Phaidon Beach Resort in Pandan / Antique, depending at arrival airport.

Flight: Manila - Kalibo
(6 or more daily flights – flight time approx. 45 minutes).

Flight: Manila - Caticlan
( 20 and more daily flights – flight time approx. 35 to 60 minutes).

By boat:
with RoRo (Roll on - Roll off Ferry boats) from Manila via Mindoro to Caticlan daily, Dimple Star, Gasat, Ceres liner.

From Ilo Ilo:
Busses like Ceres liner 6 x daily, the Bus station is at our Entrance gate

Shuttle service from the Airports (one way):

Catiklan (48km) 38.00 USD - 25.00 Euro

Kalibo (67km) 48.00 USD - 35.00 Euro

Pickup Service from the airport is per Van (max. 7 pax)

Located on Panay Island, Culasi is just 380 km south of Manila. While the topography of the island is as stunning as it is diverse, it's the wide range of activities above and below the surface of the Sulu Sea that brings visitors back time and time again.

With volleyball, sailing, windsurfing and kite-boarding, swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, and of course, sunbathing all available on Panay's seemingly never-ending powdery white beaches and black volcanic sand beaches, there's something for all the family — including a golf course! Further inland, visitors can also try horse-riding and trekking. The fun doesn't stop when the sun goes down, as pulsating rhythms break the stillness of night and the island takes on a party groove!

Panay Island also offers a wide range of dive sites suitable for all levels of expertise. The rich hard and soft coral reefs with its abundance of marine life will provide divers the opportunity to encounter manta rays, turtles, and even sharks.

GETTING THERE

The most convenient route by air is to fly with Sea Air from the domestic airport in Manila or Cebu to Caticlan, an airport on the island of Panay. Alternatively, you can fly with Philippine Airlines from Manila domestic airport to Kalibo airport.

DIVING SEASON

There are two main seasons, wet and dry. The dry season falls between late October and May, and this is the preferred season for diving when light winds blow over calm and warm seas. A 3mm suit or equivalent should be sufficient. During the wet season, Panay experiences slightly lower air temperature, but watch out for typhoons, which can occur during this season but only last around 3 days.

PASSPORTS/VISA REQUIREMENTS

Holders of Hong Kong and Taiwan passports must acquire special permits in order to enter the Philippines. These are obtainable from the Philippine Embassy and Consulate. Visitors from most other countries are permitted to stay for up to 21 days without a visa, but it's best to check the list of applicable countries prior to your departure.

CELL PHONE SERVICE

Domestic GSM network and international roaming. Internet access is widely available.

plug socket

220V, 60Hz

CURRENCY

Philippine Peso, but US Dollars are also widely accepted. Major credit cards are accepted in most places. (Exchange Rate)

Tipping is optional. The standard practice is 10% for an appreciated service.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

There are no recommended vaccination requirements. However, a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required for visitors coming from infected areas. Malaria and dengue fever is not uncommon in the area, so mosquito repellent to keep biting insects away might be a good idea.

TIMEZONE

GMT + 8 hrs