Dive Tubbataha

Since divers discovered Tubbataha in the late 1970s, it has become recognised as one of the most
remarkable coral reefs on our planet. The CNN travel website, cnngo.com, ranks it among the top eight
dive sites in the world.

Because of its isolated location, Tubbataha can only be visited on a liveaboard boat. Divers can
experience the reefs' dramatic underwater terrain, awe-inspiring biodiversity and encounter large
marine animals such as sharks, turtles and manta rays.

As a visiting diver you play a key role in Tubbataha's future, as your conservation fees provide the funds
we need to protect the park from illegal exploitation.

Take in dramatic seascapes and watch dolphins skimming alongside you from this ship’s on-deck
loungers and hammocks as you make your way to the world-class Tubbataha Reef in search of big
fish and macro life.

97,000 hectares of marine preserved area in Tubbataha Reef National Park means scuba
diving in a well-preserved marine life with thriving reefs and a high an abundance of marine life
of all shapes and sizes. Scuba diving in

Tubbataha Reef National Park is an opportunity for divers to see the results of an environment
that represents the true beauty of what can be underwater.

Tubbataha is made up three islands; Jessie Beazley Reef, North Atoll and South Atoll, all
of which are uninhabited except the local rangers who patrol the area, and are
considered some of te best dive sites in the world. The north and south Atolls are part of
the marine and bird reserve which was named a UNESCO world heritage site in 1993.
Scuba diving Tubbataha is only available via a dive trip on a liveaboard due to all the
islands being uninhabited and you would always depart from Puerto Princesa which is
around 150 km (93 mi) north of Tubbataha.

MARINE LIFE IN TUBBATAHA

This area is part of the coral triangle; the largest abundance of corals in the world. There
have been estimated to be around 350 species of corals, over 500 species of fish, 13
species of whales and dolphins and 11 recorded shark species. If you are planning a dive
trip to here then do not forget your camera as the turquoise waters, excellent visibility,
vibrant colours and fantastic photo subjects. Some of the marine life here include small
reef fish such as butterfly fish, angel fish and parrot fish whose schools brighten up the
reefs even more, some more unique fish such as lionfish and scorpion fish and then
schools of larger fish including trevally, grouper and tuna. The biggest spectacles
include hawksbill and green turtles which gracefully float through the waters, manta and
eagle rays who fly by you while you are scuba diving, blacktip and whitetip sharks lure in
the deeper areas and the fabulous Hammerhead shark pops up now and then for some
extra excitement.

BEST DIVE SITES IN TUBBATAHA

JESSIE BEAZLEY REEF: this is the smallest reef of the three; stretching only 1.5 km (9 mi)
in width it can be covered in two dives, but they are no ordinary scuba dives! Even
though it falls outside of the marine protected area, it is still flourishing with a coral
covered reef floor sloping from a 7m depth down to 12m which leads to a wall which
drops down 50m. Here you have a chance to see Black and White tips, Hammerheads
and much more.

NORTH ATOLL: In this area is a breeding site for Green turtles and Hawksbill turtles
which mean they are there in a high abundance which is always a beautiful thing to see.
There are also a high abundance of colourful nudibranchs and sea cucumbers scattered
over the sea bed along with endless corals.

SOUTH ATOLL: This dive site is around 24 metres deep (70 feet) with a sea wall
stretching 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) and inhabits numerous schools of fish and interesting
micro sea life. For wreck divers this is the place to go; here Deslan wreck is located for
something a little different. There is a large variety seen during scuba diving trips here.

BEST TIME TO DIVE IN TUBBATAHA

SEASONS AND CONDITIONS: The absolute best time to go scuba diving in Tubbataha
is during the dry season which stretches from March to June. It brings warm, dry and
calm weather and fantastic visibility. From September to December it is typhoon season
which can affect diving conditions. There is a large variation in visibility; it ranges from
5m - 45m (16ft- 148ft) completely depending on the time of the year.

WATER TEMPERATURE: The temperature of the water also varies, but is always at a
pleasant temperature. The temperature at its lowest is 23 C (73 F) and heats up to 30 C
(86 F), all for which you only need a wetsuit, and in the dry season with the warmest
water temperatures a shorty wetsuit will suffice, or even no wetsuit!

EXPERIENCE LEVEL FOR DIVING TUBBATAHA

Diving in Tubbataha National Park means seeing some of the best dive spots in the
world, and it is possible for everyone of any level of diving. There are numerous dive
sites in each dive area, an each with their own level of difficulty. In general, it is very
beneficial for you if you have your Open Water Certification and for some dives
including wreck dives a further certification is needed.

Tubbataha Reef Diving Holidays: An Overview

Reached only by liveaboard, the Tubbataha Reef is located bang in the middle of the
Sulu sea and is home to the very best diving found anywhere in the Philiipines.
Please note that Original Diving are not currently offering trips to Tubbataha Reef.

The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is a World Heritage Site located in the middle of the
Sulu sea, and is made up of almost 100,000 hectares of Marine Protected Area. Since it
was discovered in the 1970s, the Tubbataha has become well known as the very best of
the Philippines diving and one of the top spots for diving worldwide. Being located in the
middle of the Coral Triangle, the highest marine biodiversity on earth, the plethora of
marine life found here is simply astonishing.

One of the things about this marine park is that it is so isolated that it can only be
reached by liveaboard (around 14 hours from Puerto Princessa), naturally preventing
day trippers or overcrowding and conserving the reef more than if it were located close
to land. The park itself is made up of two coral atolls - the north atoll and south atoll -
and the Jessie Beazley reefs located a little further north. These reefs are home to a
very high density and biodiversity of marine life and thus a diver's absolute paradise!

The reef system has over 600 species of fish and 300 coral species, as well as being a
nesting site for hawksbill and green turtles and many species of bird. The North Atoll
has a field station that is manned year-round by rangers and often trips involve a visit to
discover about the conservation and protection of this delicate marine system. The reefs
are made up of endless reef flats and vertical walls dropping to over 100m in depth, as
well as large areas of deep sea. Thresher sharks, hammerheads and whale sharks can
be seen on the walls, whilst the shallow reef tops are overflowing with colour reef fish,
sting rays, manta rays, turtles and much more. Huge schools of jack fish and snapper
hang out with a large barracuda presence as well.

Diving can be challenging in the Tubbataha and there is only the small window of March
to early June that the liveaboards can actually get out there, when the sea conditions
are calm enough. However, if you can make it out there during this brief window, this is
likely to be one of the best dive experiences you can have.
Since it was discovered by divers in the late 1970s Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) has been
considered one of the most extraordinary dive sites in the world, a dream trip for most scuba divers.
Recently, it was ranked eighth best dive site in the world by the CNN travel website, cnngo.com.
Tourism plays a key role in the conservation of Tubbataha, as park entrance fees provide the
necessary funds to manage and patrol the Park. Income also goes towards education campaigns,
increasing awareness and support for the reefs' protection locally and internationally.
How the Philippines’ Coral Heart
Keeps Beating
As corals worldwide find themselves besieged, Tubbataha Reef remains
shockingly pristine. Why?
4 MINUTE READ

BY MICHAEL GRESHKO

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JENNIFER HAYES AND DAVID DOUBILET

National Geographic produced this content as part of our partnership with Rolex, formed to
promote exploration and conservation. The organizations will join forces in efforts that support
veteran explorers, nurture emerging explorers, and protect Earth’s wonders.

The year was 1981, and Angelique Songco, then an employee of a dive
boat, found herself marveling at the atolls before her, the coral heart of
the Philippines. But over the next few years, she saw humans’ shadow
creep over the waters of the Sulu Sea.

Fishermen from as far away as the province of Quezon, some 370 miles
distant, filed into Tubbataha Reef, one of the world’s most biodiverse—
for their livelihoods’ sake. The results were devastating. Dynamite killed
fish where they swam; cyanide squirted over corals stunned fish into
submission. On the reef’s islets, fishermen gathered seabirds and their
eggs.

“Without even understanding the ecological value of the marine

environment, I was convinced that such beauty must be protected,”
Songco told the World Wildlife Fund in 2015.

In 2001, Songco applied to be park manager of Tubbataha, designated a

protected area in 1988. Ever since, she has devoted her life to protecting
the reef. Her efforts have paid off: As reefs worldwide find themselves
under siege, Tubbataha has remained shockingly pristine.

“The first thing that strikes you is that you are in an ocean wilderness,”
say National Geographic photographers David Doubilet (who is also
a Rolex Ambassador) and Jennifer Hayes, who visited the reef in May
2017. “You encounter the sea and marine life here on their terms, not
yours.”

Here, among undersea coral walls that plunge more than 300 feet deep,
nature’s chaos reigns. Schools of jack dart and dazzle; marble rays
patrol the deep. Tiger sharks, usually thought of as lone predators, are
even rumored to swim in groups at Tubbataha.

In all, some 600 species of fish and 360 coral species—about half of all
known species—call Tubbataha home. The park’s islets also host the last
seabird rookery in the Philippines, providing refuge to 100 species of
birds.

“All of the signs are that Tubbataha Reef is nearing what we believe to
be the true natural state,” says John McManus, a marine biologist at the
Rosenstiel School at the University of Miami. “This is an amazing thing
that’s happened.”
Protecting a Natural Treasure
The peace that nature and humans have brokered at Tubbataha stands
out within the Coral Triangle, a richly biodiverse corner of Southeast
Asia, where overfishing and international shipping are increasingly
common.

How has Tubbataha avoided the fate of overfished reefs nearby? In part,
its isolation. Tubbataha sits near the center of the Sulu Sea, more than
90 miles away from the nearest inhabited islands. Neither of its two
islets has fresh water.

EXPLORE ONE OF THE MOST PRISTINE CORAL REEFS IN THE

WORLD

But in the 1980s, local fishermen began using motorized boats

called bangkas, letting them ply the reef’s rich waters as never before. As
fishermen assailed Tubbataha, activists begged the Philippine
government to take action.

In 1988, President Corazon Aquino designated Tubbataha a national

marine park—the first in the Philippines’ history. Five years later,
UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site.

Declarations made in Manila or Paris, though, mean little unless they

hold weight in the middle of the Sulu Sea. That’s where Songco comes
in. For the last 16 years, she has worked to build public support for the
reef, commanding attention with a public persona McManus likens to a
fairy godmother’s.

ASIA
MAP
AREA
Manila
 Philippine
Sea
South
China
Sea
PALAWAN
Puerto
Princesa
Sulu
Sea
TUBBATAHA REEFS NATURAL PARK
100 mi
MALAYSIA
100 km
CLARE TRAINOR, NG MAPS.
SOURCE: WDPA

Songco also has the law on her side. The Philippines has prohibited
fishing in Tubbataha, and in partnership with UNESCO, the country
recently secured extra protections for the reef against shipping. What’s
more, vigilant park rangers, some of them members of the Philippines’
military, have protected Tubbataha since 1995. They live two months at
a time at Tubbataha in total isolation. Their only place of refuge: a spit
of sand and concrete jutting from the water.

These extraordinary efforts safeguard Tubbataha’s extraordinary

benefits. For one, it’s considered one of the world’s best dive sites,
drawing in tourists worth many times more than fishing the reef would
bring. Tourism also provides nearly half of the park’s funds, and
revenue-sharing agreements help fund the local government.

Tubbataha also boosts the Philippines’ coral-reef fisheries, which

contribute up to 29 percent of the country’s total fisheries production.
According to Silliman University biologist Angel Alcala, ocean currents
carry huge numbers of marine larvae from Tubbataha to the rest of the
Sulu Sea. The influx helps to replenish fished waters and ensures the
country’s food security.