British dive yacht operator Worldwide Dive and Sail will operate a dive yacht to tour the country’s best dive sites starting November next year.

The S/Y Philippine Siren, is 40-meters long and can accommodate 16 guests per trip.

Built in Sulawesi, the Siren is a traditional "gaft rigged Phinisi" handcrafted from ironwood and teak, constructed with the approval of Lloyds Standards, the leading international body of maritime safety standards.

The Department of Tourism said the yacht to be owned and managed by experienced divers and sailors, Mark Shandur, Frank Van Der Linde, Steve Wessel and Brett Robertson, will cover dive site routes of South Visayas from Mactan to Apo Island, Southern Leyte to Bohol, Boracay via Apo Reef to the wrecks of Coron and Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park.

Tourism secretary Ace Durano said yacht dive tour will offer reefs, drift dives, wrecks, coral gardens, night diving, caves, big and small fish.

The dive package starts from 2,400 euro per person for 10 days and 10 nights, the Philippine Siren caters to divers of all levels, from the novice to the most fussy.

"Liveaboard vessels like the Philippine Siren tap the high-spending tourists with frequent returns, averaging at ten times per person," Durano said.

Aside from being a diving haven, the country’s warm waters are ideal for kayaking, fishing, wakeboarding and waterskiing, activities which the Philippine Siren also provides.

The 40-meter yacht is the biggest member of Worldwide Dive and Sails’ fleet, accommodating 16 guests each trip. It is equipped with 7 sails, an expansive leisure deck area, covered outdoor dining area, air-conditioned saloon with cocktail bar, 42 inch flat screen & computer server supporting the inter-cabin network, larger air-conditioned cabins with a personal computer, and audio-visual entertainment system.