HomeColombiaFerox, Colombia
Gallery image
1 / 16

Ferox Liveaboard, Colombia

from
USD
458
per day
Book now
Exclusive Malpelo access
Complimentary Nitrox required for all divers, with certification available onboard
Former ice-class Navy vessel built for demanding open-ocean conditions
Ferox is a 32-metre expedition-style liveaboard operating along Colombia’s Pacific coast, with itineraries to Malpelo Island and Gorgona Island. Built in 1991 and renovated in 2017, the vessel was originally designed as an ice-class Navy ship and later refitted for diving expeditions. Its strong construction, rolling chocks, paravane stabilisers, and rescue boat setup make it suited to remote Pacific routes where safety, range, and stability are central to the experience.

Malpelo Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Colombia’s most remote diving destinations. Access is highly restricted, with only one boat allowed in the reserve at a time, giving Ferox guests an unusually exclusive setting for frontier-style diving.

Cabin Types

Ferox accommodates up to 12 guests in 8 cabins, with 2 couple rooms and 8 individual options listed. Cabins are air-conditioned and include private bathrooms, offering space and privacy for long-range expeditions.

Single Cabin Lower Deck

This cabin category is designed as an individual accommodation option, providing a private space during the voyage.

Single Cabin Main Deck

This cabin category offers individual accommodation on the main deck, suited to guests travelling alone.

Queen Cabin Lower Deck

The Queen Cabin is one of the couple-room options, offering shared accommodation for two guests.

Full Cabin

The Full Cabin is listed as one of the available accommodation types and forms part of the vessel’s small-capacity cabin layout.

Boat Interior

Between dives, guests can spend time in a cosy lounge furnished with banquette-style seating and a large flat-screen TV. Meals can be served on the covered deck, where bar-style furniture and benches create a relaxed dining area. The upper deck provides additional open-air space for ocean views during surface intervals.

Food & Drinks

Meals aboard Ferox combine Colombian and international influences. Dining may take place on the covered deck, supported by casual bar-style seating and benches.

Dive Deck

Ferox is equipped with modern dive facilities, including a camera table, camera rinse tank, low-pressure air hoses, gear storage, and showers. Dive equipment and tanks remain on the tenders throughout the trip, helping streamline dive operations and reduce handling between dives. Rental gear from Sherwood and Scubapro is available, including dive computers.

The vessel uses dive tenders for site access, and up to 3 dives are offered per day. Additional night dives may be available on Gorgona Island itineraries. All divers are issued Personal Locator Beacons.

Safety

Ferox is described as one of the safest and most robust liveaboard dive boats operating in the region. It meets and exceeds many SOLAS requirements applied to larger passenger vessels. Safety features include rolling chocks, paravane stabilisers, 3 self-righting fast rescue boats, and Personal Locator Beacons for divers. The vessel is also equipped for open-ocean conditions along Colombia’s Pacific coast.

Itineraries

Ferox offers diving safaris to Malpelo and Gorgona, two remote Pacific destinations with very different marine profiles. Malpelo is known for intense pelagic action created by the convergence of 5 currents. These nutrient-rich waters attract hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, silky sharks, Galapagos sharks, rays, groupers, moray eels, horse mackerel, barracudas, and other species. The island’s restricted access adds to the sense of remoteness, with only one vessel permitted at a time.

Gorgona Island itineraries add another dimension to the route, including access to areas associated with humpback and orca congregations. Night dives may be offered on Gorgona itineraries, giving the trip a different rhythm from the Malpelo-focused expeditions.

Diving Requirements

Nitrox certification is required to join these voyages, and Nitrox is complimentary throughout the trip. Divers who need certification can complete it onboard. The vessel’s guides bring more than 30 years of experience in Malpelo, supporting dive planning around conditions and marine movement
This liveaboard is unavailable for individual bookings or available only for charters.You can explore other liveaboards in Colombia  or send us a Group Request

Cabins

Single Cabin Portside
Main Deck

Single Cabin Portside

2 Guests
Single Cabin A
Lower Deck

Single Cabin A

1 Guest
Single Cabin B
Lower Deck

Single Cabin B

1 Guest
Queen Double Bed
Lower Deck

Queen Double Bed

2 Guests
Full Cabin
Lower Deck

Full Cabin

1 Guest
Single Cabin Starboard Side
Main Deck

Single Cabin Starboard Side

1 Guest
Boat plan
Boat deck plan

Boat Specification

Year built / Renovation
1991 / 2017
Number of cabins
10
Dive guides to divers ratio
12:2
Groups or charters
Yes
Gear rental
Surcharge
Wi-Fi
No
Nitrox
Free
Fleet/Managing company
Malpelo Tours
Length and width
32 m / 8 m
Capacity
12
Tenders
2 AVON SR 6 & 1 DELTA
Material
Steel
Languages crew speak
English, Spanish
Engines
2x SCANIA DS11 57M22U 230 Kw / 308 HP@ 1800 rpm
Generator
DIESEL
Tech diving friendly
No
Handicapped Friendly
No
Compressors
Nuvair 26
Nitrox Membrane
Nuvair LP420

Dive Facilities

  • Compressors
  • Tenders for Diving
  • Dive Deck

Boat navigation & safety

Full safety

Food & Drinks

  • Western Food
  • Local Food
  • Dietary Restrictions
  • Buffet Style
  • Alcoholic Beverages and Spirits
  • Hot & Cold Soft Drinks
  • Snacks All Day

Onboard Facilities

  • Audio & Video Entertainment
  • Air Conditioned Saloon
  • Sun Deck
  • Indoor Saloon
  • Bar

Ferox Liveaboard Itineraries

Malpelo (9 nights) (Buenaventura-Buenaventura)

9 nights nights, ±18 dives,
Buenaventura
Alfonso Bonilla Aragon International Airport (CLO)
17:30-17:30
Buenaventura
Alfonso Bonilla Aragon International Airport (CLO)
09:00-09:00
Requirements: Minimum 50 dives, AOWD or equivalent

Included

  • Transportation (50minutes) from the Cali Airport to the Hotel and then back to Airport
  • Transportation (2 ½ hours) from Cali to Buenaventura and then back to the Hotel in Cali
  • During the trip in the live-aboard all the meals, drinks (No Alcohol) and snacks
  • Two nights (one night before the expedition and one afterward) at a 4 Stars Hotel in Cali includes breakfast
  • Free NITROX
  • Free short-term DAN diving insurance (upon request)

Obligatory surcharges

  • Diving/Travel insurance
  • National Park Fees: 400.00USD per trip, to be paid in advance

Extra cost

  • Rental diving gear
  • Tips for the crew
  • Full Set (BCD, regulator, wetsuit, fins and mask): 200USD per trip, to be paid in advance, on board
  • BCD: 15USD per day, to be paid in advance, on board
  • Regulator: 15USD per day, to be paid in advance, on board
  • Fins (open heel) & Mask (we don’t provide boots for open heel fins): 10USD per diving day, to be paid in advance, on board
  • Wetsuit (5mm): 15USD per day, to be paid in advance, on board
  • Dive Computer: 15USD per day, to be paid in advance, on board
  • Flashlight: 15USD per day, to be paid in advance, on board
  • 15 Liter/100 CU tanks: 10USD per day, to be paid in advance, on board

Program

Extraordinary shark populations
Hammerhead sharks, tiger shark, silky sharks, whale sharks
Various ocean currents
Using of nitrox is mandatory due to diving conditions

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. 
Transfer from Cali to Buenaventura (approx. 3 hours). After arrival, guests are taken to the Ferox at anchor, followed by vessel check-in and mandatory safety drills.

Day 2:
Transit to Malpelo
General dive briefing, national park briefing, and equipment setup while the vessel continues toward Malpelo.

Days 3-7:
Malpelo diving
Arrival at Malpelo, followed by dive briefings and safety checks before dive operations begin. Up to 3 dives per day, with sites and timing adjusted to conditions.

Day 8:
Return day
Up to 2 dives are scheduled before the vessel starts the return to Buenaventura.

Day 9:
Crossing day
Full transit day back toward Buenaventura.

Day 10:
Check-out from the yacht. Arrival in Buenaventura after approximately 30 hours of navigation, followed by transfer back to Cali.

 

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Departure
  • You should arrive in Cali, Colombia (CLO), which is the city from where we start all the Malpelo experience.
  • The best way to avoid problems, missing the trip to Malpelo or the flight back home, is to arrive one day before Cali and to book your flight out from Cali one day after the expedition

 

Return
  • After the disembarkation, the boat's crew will transfer you back to Cali.
  • You are recommended to plan your air flight one day after the boat returns to the port

Malpelo (11 nights) (Buenaventura-Buenaventura)

11 nights nights, ±22 dives,
Buenaventura
Alfonso Bonilla Aragon International Airport (CLO)
17:30-17:30
Buenaventura
Alfonso Bonilla Aragon International Airport (CLO)
09:00-09:00
Requirements: Minimum 50 dives, AOWD or equivalent

Included

  • Transportation (50minutes) from the Cali Airport to the Hotel and then back to Airport
  • Transportation (2 ½ hours) from Cali to Buenaventura and then back to the Hotel in Cali
  • During the trip in the live-aboard all the meals, drinks (No Alcohol) and snacks
  • Two nights (one night before the expedition and one afterward) at a 4 Stars Hotel in Cali includes breakfast
  • Free NITROX
  • Free short-term DAN diving insurance (upon request)

Obligatory surcharges

  • Diving/Travel insurance
  • National Park Fees: 480.00USD per trip, to be paid in advance

Extra cost

  • Rental diving gear
  • Tips for the crew
  • Full Set (BCD, regulator, wetsuit, fins and mask): 200USD per trip, to be paid in advance, on board
  • BCD: 15USD per day, to be paid in advance, on board
  • Regulator: 15USD per day, to be paid in advance, on board
  • Fins (open heel) & Mask (we don’t provide boots for open heel fins): 10USD per diving day, to be paid in advance, on board
  • Wetsuit (5mm): 15USD per day, to be paid in advance, on board
  • Dive Computer: 15USD per day, to be paid in advance, on board
  • Flashlight: 15USD per day, to be paid in advance, on board
  • 15 Liter/100 CU tanks: 10USD per day, to be paid in advance, on board

Program

Extraordinary shark populations
Hammerhead sharks, tiger shark, silky sharks, whale sharks
Various ocean currents
Using of nitrox is mandatory due to diving conditions

Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. 
Transfer from Cali to Buenaventura (approx. 3 hours). After arrival, guests are taken to the Ferox at anchor, followed by vessel check-in and mandatory safety drills.

Day 2:
Transit to Malpelo
General dive briefing, national park briefing, and equipment setup while the vessel continues toward Malpelo.

Days 3-9:
Malpelo diving
Arrival at Malpelo, followed by dive briefings and safety checks before dive operations begin. Up to 3 dives per day, with sites and timing adjusted to conditions.

Day 10:
Return day
Up to 2 dives are scheduled before the vessel starts the return to Buenaventura.

Day 11:
Crossing day
Full transit day back toward Buenaventura.

Day 10:
Check-out from the yacht. Arrival in Buenaventura after approximately 30 hours of navigation, followed by transfer back to Cali.

 

Routes can be affected by adverse weather conditions and unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons

Departure
  • You should arrive in Cali, Colombia (CLO), which is the city from where we start all the Malpelo experience.
  • The best way to avoid problems, missing the trip to Malpelo or the flight back home, is to arrive one day before Cali and to book your flight out from Cali one day after the expedition

 

Return
  • After the disembarkation, the boat's crew will transfer you back to Cali.
  • You are recommended to plan your air flight one day after the boat returns to the port