Tubataha Reef

Tubataha Reefs Natural Park is home to some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. Rising from the volcanic depths of the Sulu Sea in the western Philippines, these magnificent atolls encompass an astonishing diversity of marine life.

It is home to nearly 400 species of fish and bird species, enough reason to declare Tubbataha as a National Marine Park through Proclamation No. 306 on August 11, 1998 this makes commercial fishing or the collecting of corals illegal within 33,2000 hectares of its reefs and surrounding areas.

In 1994, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated Tubbataha as World Heritage Site, one of three in the Philippines ( the others being the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park and Banaue rice Terraces).

Tubbataha Reef is located in the middle of the Central Sulu Sea, 98 nautical miles southeast of Puerto Princesa City. It is composed of two large shallow reef platforms enclosing a sandy lagoon. On the seaward portions of the reef platform are steep, often perpendicular reef walls extending to 50 feet. Most of the park area is submereged, with only a few permanent emergent sandy islands.

The two atolls are named the North and South Reefs or Islets. The former is a large, oblong-shaped continous reef platform about 4-5 km wide and compeletely encloses a sandy lagoon. The reef is shallow and emergent in some places at extreme low tide. The South Reef likewise is a small triangular-sahped reef about 1-2 km wide . Like the North Reef it consists of a shallow platform enclosing a sandy lagoon. On the souther tip of this reef is a 2-3 ha. Coral line-sand island, the South Islet where the lighthouse stands. This islet is a rookery site for birds and turtles.

There are no permanent inhabitants except during fishing seasons, when fisherment from other parts of the Philippines establish temporary shelters in the area. Activities include traditional hook and line, commercial trawling for tuna, spear fishing, offshore long lines and aquarium fish collection.
Despite its remote location from Puerto Princesa City and an overnight voyage by ship, Tubbataha has become a popular site for seasoned sport divers. Underwater visibility can often exceed 30-meter seascape with underwater caves and leges teem with marine life. Tubbataha's trademark among the world divers is its coral walls with extensive colonies of fish.

Unfortunately, Tubbataha's pristine and unspoiled nature also attracted not just well wishers but problems as well. As the huge reefs fame has spread worldwide, the number of sports divers visiting it is increasing yearly, adding pressure to the fragile nature of the reefs.

To manage tourism, the Protected Area Management Board was formulated where the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff acts as Secretary, a Master Plan which was approved that includes zoning and charging of entrance fee for dive boats and making the area a no-fishing zone. The money that will be collected will directly be used to cover various conservation programs. For the year 2000, the PAMB has collected P 1.6 million. Part of this amount went to the construction of new ranger station to strengthen monitoring activities in Tubbataha.


Tubataha supports an unparalleled variety of marine creatures. Colorful reefs crowd corals growing in the shallows while sharks and pelagics haunt the steep drop offs to the open sea.

A team of rangers are stationed on the reef year-round and, from March until June, divers visit Tubataha to experience the wonders of this unique underwater world.

Famous Diving Sites in Tubbataha Reef Philippines

Tubbataha Reef North Atoll dive sites:
Bird island (Tubbataha north face)
Malayan Wreck
Amos Rock (Southwest Rock)
South Rock

Tubbataha Reef South Atoll dive sites:
Black Rock
Lighthouse islet

Jezzly Beazeley Reef - This reef lies about 23 km northwest of the Tubbataha reefs. The reef is covered with corals and gorgonians and large schools of fish.

How to get there:

Tubbataha Reefs is accessible only by sea transport. It takes more or less 10 hours to get to the park from Puerto Princesa. To reach the Park, tourists generally take an hour flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa City. From the airport, proceed to the Puerto Princesa Pier, where dive boats await. The best time and safest months to visit Tubbataha Reef is from the end of March to June.