Tubbataha Reef

In the Sulu Sea, Philippines – at the geographic centre of world marine biodiversity – lies an underwater nature reserve that is considered both a mecca for scuba divers and model for coral reef conservation. Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is a 97,030-hectare Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Palawan, the westernmost Philippine province. It is located 150km southeast of Puerto Princesa City, at the heart of the Coral Triangle, the global centre of marine biodiversity.

Airport: Puerto Princessa (PPR)

Trip Duration: 6 Days Trip

Liveaboard

Intermediate to Advanced Diver

Destination Info 

A renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site and now an ASEAN Heritage Park, Tubbataha is a 130,028‐hectare protected marine area situated in the middle of the Sulu Sea in Philippines.

Tubbataha’s many beautiful dive sites are mainly made up of walls and drop offs and the marine park’s dive sites – such as Delsan Wreck, Washing Machine, Shark Airport, and the world‐famous Jessie Beazley Reef – are home to colourful array of marine creatures.

What to see

In addition to sea turtles, barracudas, jacks and reef sharks, you can look forward to encounters with large pelagics like whale sharks, manta rays and even dolphins, Tubbataha’s dive season is a small window of just three months in a year (mid‐March through mid‐June), so don’t miss the opportunity to discover the beauty of Tubbataha.

Sample Itinerary
  • Day 1 – Arrive in Puerto Princesa Domestic Airport – Embark Solitude One at the harbour of Puerto Princesa from 1400Hrs.
  • Day 2, 3 & 4 (3 or 4 dives daily)
    – North & South Atoll
  • Day 5 & 6 (3 or 4 dives daily)
    – North Atoll & Jessie Beazley Reef
  • As dive sites in Tubbataha Reefs are in close proximity, dive sites will be scheduled based on tides/currents.
  • Day 7 ‐ No diving, disembarkation (Puerto Princesa) at 1100hrs
  • Last dive has to conform to the boat’s 18 hours no‐fly/no‐altitude policy.
Dive Site Information
  •  Best time to visitMarch till June
  • Water Temp: 26-30°C,
  • Air Temp: 26-30°C
  • Visibility: 10-30 meters
  • Current: medium to strong
Getting There
  • Tubbataha liveaboards depart from Puerto Princess, the capital city of Palawan island. Numerous Filipino airlines operate regular flights from Manila to Puerto Princess which take around 1 hour.
Health & Insurance
  • Dive Insurance compulsory for this trip. We also strongly advise you get adequate travel insurance. Please check your travel insurance policy for your diving needs. If not covered then we recommend DiveAssure for single trip policy cover.
  • Dive Computer compulsoryon this trip.
  • Follow Safe Diving Practices at ALL times plus No Deco Diving and No Solo Diving.

Our Recommendation

The atolls that make up Tubbataha Reefs are all completely uninhabited except for a small ranger station situated on North Atoll. With nowhere to stay on the atolls themselves and with the nearest port around 10 hours away, these spectacular dive sites can only be reached via liveaboard.

All Divers are required to have medical insurance, whose advice will be followed in the event of any emergency. We can sign you up for instant DAN Short Term insurance, valid for either 10 or 30 days