Tour Z Palawan marine operations on the water
Marine Operations Team

Tour Z Palawan Crew

The people behind our boats, wildlife spotting, safety briefings, reef etiquette and field observations in Puerto Princesa and Port Barton.

83+Combined Water Years
2Operating Areas
8Named Crew
WildNo Feeding
LocalPalawan Knowledge
Operational Expertise

Real crew, specific roles, first-hand water experience.

This page exists for transparency: who operates the boats, who reads the sea, who spots wildlife, and what standards guide decisions on the water.

01

Management team across both operations

CEO

Johann M.

Hometown
Bordeaux, France
Experience
5 years on the water
Specialties
Scuba diver; whale shark spotter; wildlife conservation and behaviour
Favourite encounter
Whale shark, dolphin and dugong
Languages
French, English

Builds the whale shark tracker and field systems used to log sightings, sea state and wildlife behaviour.

General Director

Sarah U.

Hometown
Alabama, USA
Experience
2 years on the water
Specialties
Scuba diver; whale shark spotter; guest operations
Favourite encounter
Whale shark
Languages
English

Coordinates guest experience standards and helps keep wildlife encounters calm, clear and transparent.

General Manager

Ivy A.

Hometown
Taytay, Palawan
Experience
2 years in tour operations
Specialties
Tour coordination; Palawan guest communication; schedule control
Favourite encounter
Whale shark
Languages
Tagalog, English

Connects bookings, crew readiness and day-to-day logistics across Puerto Princesa and Port Barton.

02

Puerto Princesa whale shark crew

Boat Captain

Jayson S.

Hometown
Puerto Princesa, Palawan
Experience
15 years on the water
Specialties
Boat handling; Puerto Princesa Bay navigation; whale shark behaviour
Favourite encounter
Whale shark
Languages
Tagalog, English

Operates the whale shark boat with propeller awareness and calm positioning around surfacing animals.

Wildlife Spotter

Romeo S.

Hometown
Puerto Princesa, Palawan
Experience
12 years on the water
Specialties
Whale shark behaviour; dolphin spotting; open-water wildlife search
Favourite encounter
Dolphins
Languages
Tagalog, English

Reads surface movement, birds, baitfish and animal behaviour during the morning search window.

03

Port Barton island hopping crew

Boat Captain

Wilsam H.

Hometown
Port Barton, Palawan
Experience
25 years on the water
Specialties
Navigating Port Barton waters; route timing; turtle area approach
Favourite encounter
Green turtles
Languages
Tagalog, English

Born into the waters of Port Barton and experienced in timing reefs, sandbars and Turtle Point around current and crowd levels.

Engine Specialist

Nicholson H.

Hometown
Port Barton, Palawan
Experience
18 years on the water
Specialties
Boat engines; Port Barton wildlife; coral reef conditions
Favourite encounter
Rays
Languages
Tagalog, English

Keeps the bangka running reliably and helps assess reef and wildlife conditions during the day.

Tour Guide

Dhoudz H.

Hometown
Port Barton, Palawan
Experience
4 years on the water
Specialties
Port Barton wildlife; coral reef guiding; sea turtle encounters
Favourite encounter
Sea turtles
Languages
Tagalog, English

Guides guests through reef etiquette and wildlife observation at Turtle Point, Twin Reef and island stops.

Ethics Standards

Wildlife-first rules, not brochure language.

  • No whale shark feeding, baiting or chasing.
  • Safe distance rules around body and tail.
  • Propeller awareness near surfacing wildlife.
  • Dolphin parallel cruising only.
  • Passive turtle observation at Turtle Point.
  • IUCN-aligned whale shark behaviour standards.
Marine Knowledge

How the crew reads Palawan water.

Puerto Princesa trips focus on plankton blooms, moon phase, bird activity, baitfish, dolphins, wind and surface conditions. Port Barton trips focus on reef visibility, current, turtle behaviour, seagrass feeding areas, coral etiquette and crowd timing.

Why Different

Specific operating choices.

Puerto Princesa uses a quieter speedboat and small group limit for wildlife positioning. Port Barton uses local route timing to avoid crowded reef stops. Both operations prioritise local navigation knowledge over scripted mass-tour routing.

Local Roots

Palawan waters are not abstract to this crew.

Most of the boat crew grew up in Palawan and have spent years navigating Puerto Princesa or Port Barton waters. That continuity matters when weather, current, visibility and animal behaviour change day to day.

Safety Infrastructure

How decisions are made before and during every tour.

Weather checksWind, rain, wave height, visibility and captain judgment before departure.
Guest briefingsWildlife distances, boat movement, snorkeling entry, reef etiquette and emergency signals.
Life vest standardsLife vests provided for every guest; non-swimmers remain welcome with guide support.
Rescue readinessBoat crew monitor swimmer position, current, fatigue and weather changes throughout the tour.
Emergency protocolsRoutes remain flexible so the captain can change course, shorten water time or cancel for safety.
Field logsWhale shark, dolphin, turtle, reef and sea condition observations are recorded to improve future decisions.
Crew Observations

Field notes that shape our tours.

These are operational observations from working the same water repeatedly, not guarantees.

Puerto Princesa

Whale shark searching is strongest when the crew can combine calm morning water, readable surface activity, plankton signs and recent sightings.

Honda Bay

Dolphin pods are most often assessed early in the day, before wind and boat traffic make surface behaviour harder to read.

Port Barton

Turtle Point works best when approach timing avoids crowd pressure and guests stay passive in the water.

Reef stops

Visibility and current decide the order of reef stops more than a fixed script. The route changes when the water says it should.

Crew FAQ

Operational questions guests should ask.

Who guides the tours?

Tour Z tours are run by a named operations team: management, captains, spotters, engine specialists and guides assigned by operating area.

Are your boat captains licensed?

Boat licensing and required operating documents are handled locally for each vessel. Certification details vary by boat and will be updated here as documents are standardised for publication.

Are guides local to Palawan?

Yes. The boat crew are based in Palawan, with Puerto Princesa crew operating the whale shark route and Port Barton crew operating island hopping.

What wildlife training does the crew follow?

The crew follows practical wildlife rules: no feeding, no chasing, safe distances, propeller awareness, dolphin parallel cruising, passive turtle observation and reef-safe snorkeling behaviour.

How experienced are the spotters?

Puerto Princesa spotters read surface activity, birds, baitfish, dolphins, wind and recent field logs. Port Barton guides read reef visibility, turtle behaviour, current and crowd levels.