Divers, behold!

In an earlier article, I wrote about the great team-up of summer and diving. I ended by telling you a bit about my friend’s fantastic boat. Listen closely to what I have to say for this might just be your chance to really enjoy your summer vacation.

The name of this boat is the M/Y Tristar, M/Y standing for "motor yacht." I truly believe my trip wouldn’t be memorable if I wasn’t on this boat.

First of all, the boat and its crew are known for service. The whole time I was aboard, I felt so pampered, truly relaxed and comfortable. The M/Y Tristar is a steel-hulled dive yacht that has been operating around Philippine waters since 1983. It is staffed by 16 very well-trained individuals who make every passenger feel safe and secure. The Tristar accommodates up to 26 passengers in fully air-conditioned staterooms and cabins. The vessel is also equipped with two sun decks that are perfect venues for tanning, watching the sunset, and stargazing at night. Also, the Tristar has a full-width dining room where world-class cuisine awaits. There’s also a really cool function room complete with a home theater system and library. The boat had major renovations in 2000 and is back with totally new interiors. It is all set to take you on a comfort cruise to the best dive sites the Philippines can offer. What more could you ask for?

There are always dive masters on the trip with you to guide you through all your dives. The boat also rents out high-quality equipment and dive gear. And don’t sweat if you don’t dive. There’s a whole bunch of other things that you can do on the Tristar. You can rent a boat to do a private charter and you can go island hopping to enjoy the many different beaches of the Philippines with family or friends. It’s actually a great idea and travel the country aboard this boat. Try going to Boracay or to Palawan in the Tristar! Aside from being a new and exciting way to travel, you don’t have to think of reserving a place to stay at some expensive resort or inn. And you can always opt to snorkel, right?

Be creative and think about cool things to do aboard and with the M/Y Tristar. You can actually rent the boat with your friends for day trips, which can take you to a near destination like Corregidor and then back to Manila. The Tristar has also hosted some of the most memorable parties. Someone used the boat to throw an engagement party. Hey, isn’t that a great idea? A debut or a graduation party on the boat with all of your special friends would be so cool, too. You leave Manila for a while, go to a different destination to get away from the city. There you can have your party on the boat, and be back before the sun rises! You might like to know that the boat also has tie-ups with the best catering services such as La Tasca. Now you really can’t go wrong!

Here are a few more things you might want to know. The M/Y Tristar and its crew all have a strong sense of environmental awareness. They do clean-ups once a year in Anilao in an effort to preserve the underwater ecosystem for the many generations to come. The Tristar’s mission in preserving the ecological system of the Philippines is also supported by world-class photographers, such as Eduardo Cu Unjieng, Robert Yin and Scott "Gutsy" Tuason. All images were brought to you by Gutsy. His website can be found at this URL: www.gutsytuason.com. Also, you can learn how to dive with the Tristar’s very own dive instructor, Miguel Matute, and be a certified open-water diver. For more information and reservations you can check out their cool and easy-to-navigate website, www.divetristar.com. You can contact them through 752-25-52 and 888-25-89 and look for Lettie. UG48 Cityland Pasong Tamo Building, 6264 Estacion Street, Makati City. To contact Miguel Matute about diving lessons, e-mail him at learn-to-dive@divetristar.com.

This summer the boat will be chartering to Palawan! You have got to try diving and riding on the M/Y Tristar. It was a great experience that I will never forget. I am sure it will be one that will be most memorable to you, too. Hope to see you on the Tristar soon! Enjoy your summer!