Home / Booking terms
These are the terms we book on. They are written in plain language, and they describe how deposits, refunds and weather cancellations work on a Balabac expedition.
Booking and deposit
- A booking is confirmed once we have received the deposit and confirmed your dates in writing
- The deposit amount and accepted payment options are set out when we quote
- The balance is payable on the schedule we agree with you before departure
- Prices are quoted per person and depend on group size and the route selected
Cancellations and refunds
Our cancellation and refund policy is short, and we apply it without exception.
If the Philippine Coast Guard advises us in advance that the tour is cancelled, and you have not yet travelled to Buliluyan: we refund the transport fee.
If you have already arrived at Buliluyan and the tour is then cancelled: the transport fee is not refundable. The van is reserved in advance for your date, and the fare from Puerto Princesa to Buliluyan has already been paid out by the time you reach the port. We cannot recover that money, so we cannot return it to you.
We would rather set this out plainly before you pay than explain it to you after a cancellation.
You pay the transport up front. You do not pay for the tour until you are there.
The amount paid in advance is the reservation, and the reservation is the transport from Puerto Princesa to Buliluyan. The balance is paid after you register at Buliluyan and before the tour starts. We do not ask guests to pay in full in advance for a trip that sea conditions might cancel, and we could not in good conscience hold money for a tour that never sailed.
So what do you actually lose if the Coast Guard cancels?
- Cancelled before you travel: we refund the transport fee. You have paid nothing else.
- Cancelled after you reach Buliluyan: the transport fee is not refundable, because the van was reserved for your date and the fare has already been consumed. But you have not paid for the boat and you have not paid for the tour. The boat does not sail either, because the Coast Guard has stopped it. There is no tour fee to refund, because none was paid.
Your exposure on a cancelled Balabac tour is the transport you have already used to get there. Nothing more.
- Full refunds are available for cancellations made more than 14 days before your tour date
- Cancellations inside 14 days are handled case by case - talk to us as early as you can
- If you need to move your dates we will accommodate it where availability allows
- Refunds are returned by the same method used for payment
Weather and Coast Guard decisions
Balabac is a sea destination and the Philippine Coast Guard is the final authority on whether a crossing is permitted. We follow its advisories without exception. If conditions are unsafe we will change the itinerary, delay departure or cancel.
If a crossing is cancelled, the refund rule above applies. We will also discuss rebooking with you directly, and we would rather move your trip than lose it.
No itinerary in Balabac is guaranteed. The final island list is confirmed on the day by sea conditions, tide and Coast Guard clearance. A visit to Onok Island is the one commitment we make.
What the price includes
- Round-trip van transfer from Puerto Princesa to Buliluyan Port
- Private, roofed boat with a licensed captain and local guide
- Coast Guard clearance obtained before every trip
- All meals from Day 1 breakfast onward
- Camping tent with mattress, or a hut upgrade
- All island entrance and environmental fees
- A beachfront campsite run by a local family at Punta Sebaring
- A stop at Onok Island
What the price does not include
- Flights to and from Puerto Princesa
- Travel insurance - arrange it in your own country, we do not provide it
- Personal snacks and drinks
- Gratuities for the crew
Your responsibilities
- Tell us before booking about any health conditions, mobility limits, swimming ability and the ages of everyone travelling
- Follow the captain and guide safety instructions at all times
- Be aware there is no mobile signal at camp and no hospital on the islands
- Bring cash - there are no ATMs and no card payments on the islands
- Pack light, as all luggage travels on the boat
Questions about any of the above? Message us on WhatsApp and we will answer them before you pay anything.
Ask us anything about these terms
We would rather answer a question up front than have it become a dispute later.
Where we are
We are not an online-only operation. We have a physical office in Balabac and a second office in Puerto Princesa, and you are welcome to come and speak to us before you book.
We do not hold Department of Tourism accreditation, and we have not found it necessary: our guests are international travellers, and what they ask for is a published price, a written cancellation policy and a crew they can reach. If you want to verify what we hold, our offices are where to do it.