Welcome to Moalboal & Bohol

This retreat takes place across two of the Philippines' most extraordinary destinations — Moalboal in Cebu, where millions of sardines move in formation just metres from shore and sea turtles graze on shallow reef, and Bohol, where dramatic underwater fissures, sacred submerged statues, and one of the world's most famous marine sanctuaries await.

It's designed for people who feel drawn to the ocean but haven't yet taken the step — solo travellers, first-time freedivers, and curious explorers who want more than a holiday. Over eight days, you'll earn your freediving certification, encounter wildlife on its own terms, and move through some of the most quietly extraordinary underwater environments on earth.

No experience needed. Just the willingness to go a little deeper.

Where You’ll Stay

You'll stay in two carefully chosen boutique properties — one in Moalboal close to the reef, one on Panglao Island in Bohol within reach of the water. Both are small, calm, and intimate. Not resorts. Not hostels. The kind of places where you wake up slowly, eat breakfast with the group, and walk to the ocean in minutes.

Every guest has their own private room. Exact properties may vary depending on availability, but the spirit stays the same: quiet, close to the sea, and designed for rest between dives.

Ocean Path Options

During the retreat, you choose the experience that fits your level and curiosity. Everything is guided with care and adapted to where you are — there's no pressure to perform, only space to progress. We work with trusted partner schools offering AIDA, Molchanovs/WAVE, SSI, and PADI certifications.

The agency and level will depend on coach and school availability during the retreat dates to ensure the group trains well together. If you join a certification course, you'll need to complete the official e-learning before you arrive in the Philippines. Please don't purchase it independently — once your place is confirmed, your school will send you the correct link directly.

Freediving options:

• Intro to Freediving

• Freediving Level 1

• Freediving Level 2

• Freediving progression or coaching (if already certified)

Scuba Diving options:

• Intro Dive / Baptism

• Open Water Diver

• Advanced Open Water

• Fun dives (if already certified)

Carry the Ocean Home With You

The Philippines has a way of producing moments you want to hold onto — a turtle rising to the surface, a wall of sardines parting around you, light falling through a reef crack into blue silence. A photographer joins selected moments of the retreat to capture these in elegant underwater portraits of each guest. You'll return home with beautifully curated images that honour your time in the water.

For guests on the freediving path, we also offer awra freediving photoshoots. Awra is a style of movement practised widely in the Philippines — not a performance, not a technique to master, but a way of being in the water. Gliding. Turning slowly. Letting the ocean carry you. These sessions are about feeling at home beneath the surface, and the images that come from them reflect exactly that: calm, fluid, and completely your own.

Who This Retreat Is For

This retreat is for people who feel the pull of the ocean but haven't yet answered it. Solo travellers who want to do something that matters. Beginners who are ready to learn in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Anyone who has looked at the sea and wondered what it would feel like to belong there.

You don't need experience. You don't need to be fit or fearless. You need to be curious, open, and willing to show up. The ocean, the group, and the guides will take care of the rest.

Over eight days across Moalboal and Bohol, you'll learn from trusted instructors, explore marine sanctuaries and underwater statues that exist nowhere else, share meals and dives with a small group of like-minded people, and return home with a certification, a set of portraits, and a relationship with the ocean you didn't have before.This retreat is designed to shift something inside you. Each day blends ocean training, island exploration, and the gentle rhythm of life across Cebu, Siquijor, and Bohol, helping you reconnect with yourself in a deeper way. You’ll learn from trusted instructors, explore beautiful marine sanctuaries and island landscapes, share meaningful moments with a small group of like-minded travellers, and feel supported every step of the journey. It’s a chance to grow, to breathe, and to experience the Philippines with intention.

The Ocean Sanctuaries

The Mermaid — Moalboal, Cebu A human-sized mermaid statue rests in 5 to 6 metres of water just off the Panagsama shoreline, surrounded by the sardine run. A favourite site for awra freediving portraits — elegant, shallow, and surrounded by one of the ocean's most extraordinary natural phenomena.

The Five Guardians — Alegria, Cebu A short trip from Moalboal, five life-sized statues stand together on the seafloor: Poseidon, Medusa, a Templar Knight, Buddha, and Mother Mary. Placed to deter illegal fishing, their surfaces are now encrusted with coral. Schools of fish circle them like a slow orbit.

Napaling & The Crack — Panglao, Bohol Napaling Reef is home to one of Bohol's most striking natural formations — a dramatic underwater fissure where light enters the deep like a cathedral. Explored on the crossing day, it's a first taste of how different Bohol's underwater world feels from Cebu's.

The Danajon Bank Grotto — Bien Unido, Bohol In the only double barrier reef in the Philippines, 14-foot statues of the Virgin Mary and the Holy Child stand in open water, placed in 2010 to protect the area from dynamite fishing. They have succeeded. The reef around them is thriving, and the silence down there is complete.

This journey goes far beyond the surface. Across Moalboal and Bohol, you'll move through four underwater sanctuaries — places where marine life, coral, and submerged sculptures have quietly become one. Many of these statues were placed to protect the reef from illegal fishing, anchored in local faith and culture. Over time, the ocean has claimed them. They are no longer just art or protest. They are living reef.

Moving through these spaces on a single breath changes how you experience them. Slower. Quieter. More present.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best time to visit Moalboal and Bohol? The best time is from December to May. December to February brings cooler, pleasant temperatures ideal for both land and ocean activities. March through May is the heart of the dry season — calmest seas, highest underwater visibility, and the clearest sardine run. The rainy season officially begins in June, but the Central Visayas generally stays drier than the rest of the country.

Which country are these islands in? Cebu and Bohol are provinces of the Philippines.

Do I need a visa? Most travellers — including those from the EU, UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand — can enter the Philippines visa-free for up to 30 days. You'll need a passport valid for at least six months and a return or onward ticket.

What is the eTravel card? You must register for the eTravel card within 72 hours before your arrival. It's a free government requirement that generates a QR code for immigration. Register here: etravel.gov.ph

What currency is used? The Philippine Peso (PHP). Most areas operate cash-only. Withdraw enough Pesos in Cebu before travelling to Bohol, as ATMs in smaller areas can run out of cash.

Are euros or dollars accepted? Payments should be made in local Pesos. Larger hotels and dive shops in Cebu City and Panglao may accept credit cards, but cash is essential everywhere else. Come prepared.

What language is spoken? The local language is Cebuano (Binisaya), but English is an official language and spoken fluently by almost everyone in the tourism and diving industry.

What is the weather like? Warm and tropical year-round. Air temperatures range from 27–32°C. Water temperature is 27–29°C. Seas are generally calm during the dry season, with nutrient-rich waters that support extraordinary marine life.

Where do we stay? In two carefully chosen boutique properties — one in Moalboal (Cebu) and one on Panglao Island (Bohol). Both are small, calm, and close to the water. Every guest has their own private room.

Can I stay in my own villa or hotel instead? Yes. If you prefer to arrange your own accommodation, we can adjust your retreat to cover logistics, equipment, and activities only.

Is this a resort or a boutique hotel? Neither. We choose small, intimate boutique villas and eco-lodges — calm, authentic spaces rather than busy, impersonal resorts.

Are meals included? Daily breakfast is included. Lunch is provided during major boat expeditions such as the Balicasag Island day. Dinners are left open so you can explore local restaurants at your own pace.

Do I need travel insurance? Yes — it's essential. Your policy should cover medical emergencies, boat transfers, and diving or freediving activities.

Is equipment included? Yes. All standard diving and freediving equipment is included for your sessions.

Do I need experience? No. Beginners are welcome. Moalboal's shore-entry sites and calm reef walls make it one of the best places in the world to learn to freedive or scuba dive for the first time.

What if I have asthma or can't hold my breath? Both are more common than you'd think, and neither rules you out. We focus on relaxation and safety — never records. Scuba divers breathe normally throughout. If you have asthma, check with your doctor beforehand and bring your inhaler. Our instructors will always work with your body, not against it.

What are the underwater sanctuaries with statues like? They are more than dive sites. The statues were placed — in most cases — to protect reefs from illegal fishing, grounded in local faith. Over time the ocean has made them its own: coral-encrusted, fish-surrounded, quietly extraordinary. They sit in shallow, clear water between 4 and 14 metres, accessible to both freedivers and scuba divers.

Will I see whale sharks, sardines, jackfish, or turtles? — Sardines: Year-round in Moalboal. Best visibility November to May. — Sea turtles: Almost guaranteed in Moalboal and Balicasag, year-round. Clearest views in dry season. — Jackfish tornado: Year-round at Balicasag Island. Best December to May. — Whale sharks: We do not visit the Oslob whale shark tours. The feeding practices there are not ethical. We only support wild, unstaged encounters — if they happen naturally during a session, that's a gift.

Who is this retreat for? Solo travellers and ocean lovers who want to experience the Philippines with intention — not as tourists passing through, but as people genuinely engaging with the sea.

Can I come alone? Yes. Most guests join solo. The group is small by design, and the shared experience of learning to dive together creates a warmth that's hard to manufacture and easy to feel.

Will I get underwater photos? Yes. A photographer joins selected moments of the retreat to capture underwater portraits — particularly during the Moalboal sardine run and awra freediving sessions.

What is the cancellation policy? All bookings are final and non-refundable. High-quality travel insurance is not optional — it's the thing that protects your plans if something changes.

Is there Wi-Fi? Yes, at both properties. Coverage is reliable in Cebu and solid in Bohol. Good enough for messages, calls, and light work.

💖💕Wall of Love 💕💖

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