Narayana, Philippines

Tubbataha is nice and Narayana is a safe and economical way to explore it

Narayana exceeded my expectations. Although the dive deck is pretty crowded, the crew tried their best to make diving convenient to everyone. The rooms have huge panoramic windows, the A/C at night works great, the food is mostly Philippine, which is perfect, as it gives an opportunity to explore new flavors. And the diving was very nice: beautiful corals, plenty of fishes, great visibility…

Recommended for

Crew attentiveness and flexibility, varied itinerary, rooms with huge windows

08 Aug, 2022

Would book again just for the lovely staff. Cabins left something to be desired.

The staff was really very friendly and helpful, though most were shy to speak in English so the foreign divers didn’t feel that as much as I did. I would book again though just to spend time with the staff again cause they really were very lovely. The cook clearly put a lot of love into his dishes, and I think the food would really shine with higher quality ingredients. I appreciated the small group (14 divers max). We had two dive groups and getting into the water was quick and efficient. The cabins were alright, but could be better designed and maintained. Some simple improvements can make a world of difference (thicker mattress, better pillows, doorknob instead of latches, cleaning stains from the windows and switches, etc). The bathroom has a “stale water” smell in my opinion – perhaps some coffee grounds would help neutralize that. But I really appreciated that the bathroom had a bidet! Staff would fix up our cabins every day which I also appreciated. Towels provided would shed like crazy — another easy but big improvement to make. I mostly avoided the cabins and stayed in the common area when I could, which was nice. If there were more space, some lounge chairs would be great. The biggest problems for me were: - The staff didn’t have their own beds or cabins. They had to sleep in the common area when the divers weren’t there. It isn’t comfortable, and it meant that the staff couldn’t rest at all during the day as the divers would be out and about then. I think small renovations to the captain’s area and a reserved cabin with an additional bunk bed for the crew would be great. It would mean 2 less divers could join, but the staff really made the trip for me. I imagine they’d make an even better impression on guests if they were properly rested. - The smoke coming from the engine. I could smell it when we were moving in the common area, and in the cabins as our AC was broken so we kept the windows open. Overall, I had a good time. I may go for a different liveaboard the next time around, but I don’t regret this trip. I loved the staff and the people I met on the group. I got to know them all quite well too since we were only a few people on board. My only recommendation if you join this boat, bring your own towel and a good amount of extra cash to tip the staff!

Recommended for

Staff, small group, toilets had bidets

26 Mar, 2023

Tightly timed Safari

Walhai am Boot.

Recommended for

Ranger visit, good organization, good guide guidance

24 May, 2025