Approximately 180km from Puerto Princessa, Palawan, in the middle of the Sulu Sea lie two coral atolls known as the Tubbataha Reefs. Comprising over 95,000 hectares of water, Tubbataha, meaning ‘a long exposed reef’ is recognised as being probably the best diving in the Philippines and amongst the best in South East Asia.

Tubbataha is a hugely important stretch of water where tropical marine life proliferates and as such it is both a National Marine Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are no permanent residents here and the reefs are only accessible by liveaboard dive boats. The season for diving is limited to just three months, trips only run from March to June, as the rest of the year brings unpredictable weather conditions.

Divers come here for the incredible corals, huge schools of fish and the chance to see the big stuff like sharks and manta rays. The diving really is fantastic and Tubbataha is top of many peoples wish list of diving destinations. Boat licenses for the reefs are very limited and consequently there are very few operators on the reefs. Liveaboard trips generally run for 5 days and 4 nights and accommodation is always on the boat. All the liveaboard boats depart from and return to Puerto Princessa.