Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (UNESCO) – Philippines Dive Region

About Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (UNESCO)

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Philippines' crown jewel of marine conservation, a remote pair of coral atolls rising from the depths of the Sulu Sea over 150 kilometres from the nearest port. The North and South Atolls enclose a pristine lagoon with walls dropping thousands of metres into the abyss, supporting some of the healthiest and most biodiverse coral reef ecosystems on Earth. Wall Street on the North Atoll delivers steep walls patrolled by grey reef sharks and silvertips with seasonal whale sharks, while Shark Airport provides an extraordinary cleaning station where dozens of whitetip sharks congregate. The South Atoll's Delsan Wreck offers excellent wreck diving at 18 to 24 metres while Triggerfish City hosts massive titan triggerfish nesting colonies. Jessie Beazley Reef, an isolated seamount between the atolls, attracts schooling scalloped hammerheads from March to June in one of the world's most reliable hammerhead encounters. Accessible exclusively by liveaboard from March to June, Tubbataha delivers a world-class diving experience with pristine walls, abundant megafauna, and the profound sense of visiting one of Earth's last truly wild marine sanctuaries.

Highlights

• ✓Wall Street offers steep walls patrolled by grey reef sharks, silvertips, and seasonal whale sharks on the North Atoll
• ✓Jessie Beazley Reef attracts schooling scalloped hammerheads from March to June in one of the world's most reliable encounters
• ✓Shark Airport is an extraordinary cleaning station where dozens of whitetip reef sharks congregate with pygmy seahorses on giant gorgonians
• ✓Triggerfish City hosts massive titan triggerfish nesting colonies with turtles and diverse reef fish on the South Atoll
• ✓UNESCO World Heritage protection ensures pristine coral health with extraordinary biodiversity including over 600 fish species and 360 coral species

Getting There

Accessible exclusively by liveaboard vessels departing from Puerto Princesa, Palawan during the March to June season only. The boat journey takes approximately 10 to 12 hours. The park is closed to all access from July to February. Advance booking essential as spaces are extremely limited.