The Philippine Islands lie due north of the Indonesian Archipelago where the greatest diversity of marine life exists. The Philippine Archipelago is composed of 7,107 islands. The diving fraternity in the Philippines has benefited from a burgeoning infrastructure in the smaller island destinations, the proliferation of liveaboards which explore the Sulu Sea and the retreat of the US military, leaving once off-limits areas open to the public.
The Sulu Sea is arguably the premiere liveaboard destination in the Philippines. It encompasses a wide body of water that is bound in the North by Cuyo Islands, on the West the mainland of Palawan, on the East is the Island of Panay and on the South, Cagayan de Sulu. This area covers numerous dive spots, the largest and most popular of which are the Tubbataha Reefs. These small tropical Pacific Atolls have vast shallow reefs and plunging walls where large marine animals come to feed and breed. There are numerous overhangs, caves and ledges and the walls are covered with fan corals and barrel sponges. Visibility will often exceed 100ft and when the current is running one can expect to see plenty of Sharks, Tuna, Manta rays, Jacks. These Atolls are not only a nesting ground for turtles but provide home for numerous terns, boobies and frigate birds. Other equally exciting dive spots are Jessie Beasley, Basterra, Bancoran and Arena.
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