The
Tubbataha Reef in Palawan, Philippines is a spectacular natural
site.
While it is well known as a top diving location in the
Philippines, it should not be forgotten that it is also considered
one of the world’s most pristine coral reefs.
This world-renowned underwater site occupies an area over
130,000 hectares and consists of three atolls and a large
deep sea area where numerous marine habitats can be found.
Tubbataha Reef is considered one of the top diving spots in
the world for good reasons: It offers a magnificent underwater
world that is made grander by its turquoise, clear, and pristine
waters that will let you see corals and fish even at 10 metres
below!
While a popular diving spot, Tubbataha’s dive season
is only from March to June. Diving activities in the area
are conducted under the guidance of the rangers and the money
earned from this tourist activity goes into the preservation
of the reefs.
The
Tubbataha Reef and its underwater formation was created from
the eruption of undersea volcanoes and eventually became one
of the biggest marine ecosystems in the world.
The name Tubbataha is derived from the ancient language Sama-Bajau
which translates to ‘long reef exposed at low tide.’
Whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles, and Napoleon wrasse are
some of the marine life that you can find in the Tubbataha
Reef area. Aside from the huge range of fish life there are
over 360 types of coral present.
Tubbataha Reef helps sustain a high diversity of marine life.
It is a habitat of fish and invertebrate larvae that benefit
the Sulu Sea and the eastern coastline of Palawan.
Aside from providing a marine habitat, Tubbataha Reef is also
essential in the process of reproduction, dispersal, and colonization
by marine organisms in the entire Sulu Sea system.
It
also houses numerous species of seabirds: Ground nesters and
tree nesters can be found in this natural reef. Some of the
ground nesters include the Brown Booby, Brown Noddy, Great
Crested Tern, and Sooty Tern.Tthe tree nesters include the
Red-footed Booby and the endemic Black Noddy.
The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park was announced as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site in 1993. With this recognition, Tubbataha
is given massive seascape complete protection from all sorts
of destructive activities.
National protected areas legislation and different environmental
legislations govern the Tubbataha Reef in Palawan. This makes
it possible for actions to be taken against threats such as
marine debris removal and illegal fishing. A ranger station
to ensure the protection of the marine ecosystem is situated
permanently on the north atoll.
Below
is a likely itinerary of the upcoming Tubbataha Expedition.
The proposed dates dates are April 21st to May 6th. This
may have to change due to airline schedules etc. We must
be in Puerto Princessa by the 24th in order to be able
to board the Agrressor II on the 25th. The actual charter
is from April 25th to May 2nd (fixed dates and already
sold out).
Departing
on the 21st would give us two nights in a Manila hotel.
This would give us breathing space after the long haul
flight from London to Manila which is around 15 hours.
Arriving in the evening and then flying down to Palawan
the next morning would be a bit hectic.
The Manila hotel we will be using before transferring
to Palawan is the Belmont
Hotel because it is very close to the airport. Some
of us stayed there during the 2018 Puerto Galera trip.
We are travelling at the best times for weather, sea conditions and diving.
There will be the option of an extension to the trip for
more diving or just tourism within the Philippines.
The
bold red highlights are actual web links to the relevant pages.
An
estimated “ball park” costing is around £6000
but this is based on estimated flights and hotel costs. It
is too early to get exact figures. The cost could likely decrease
when they become available.
We
are also travelling aboard probably the best boat available:
The
Philippines Aggressor II is 140 feet long with a 26 ft. beam,
built and powered for comfort, safety and stability. There
is a beautiful spacious salon, sun deck with shading, chaise
lounges and deck chairs, bar, and grill. The yacht is diesel
powered, cruises at 8 knots and has 220V and 110V power onboard.
Our cabins (1 to 8) are described as Deluxe Staterooms: A
comfortable room with 2 single side by side beds (Staterooms
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 can be made into a king bed or kept as two
single beds). Every room has a panoramic window and comes
with a private bathroom & shower. All rooms have individual
climate control, a TV monitor with a media player and a hair
dryer. Room Size: 10' x 14'. Single Bed size: 36 x 76 inches.
This
is diagram of the boat layout. We have block booked the 8
cabins on the lower deck.
Each
stateroom has ample storage and individual climate controls.
Staterooms have a safe aboard to store valuables such as passports,
cash, credit cards or anything else.
There is a variety of nightly entertainment, including diving,
fish identification presentations, movies, games and more.
If you have a favourite movie or presentation to share, we
encourage you to bring it along. A small library of books
for exchange is maintained onboard as well as fish identification
books for reference.
All meals, snacks and beverages are provided. Board Basis
is full board, for drinks they state “The Aggressor’s
beverage selection includes fruit juices, soft drinks, iced
water, iced tea, coffee, and a limited selection of local
beer and wine, which are complimentary. You are also free
to bring your own alcohol aboard.
Fifteen crew are on hand to cater to guests, providing guided
dives, evening entertainment and chef-prepared meals. Other
amenities include a hot tub and wet bar, indoor lounge and
restaurant, and state-of-the-art scuba facilities include
nitrox fills and two dive tenders.
Here
are some underwater images taken from the Aggressor website
The
Aggressor II sails from Puerto Princesa the capital of Palawan
Island and is about an hour long flight from Manila.
Puerto Princesa is recognised as the cleanest and greenest city
in the Philippines, It offers a pleasant urban environment nestled
in splendid natural surroundings that include great beaches
and pristine forested hills.
Located in the western Philippine province of Palawan it is
the westernmost city in the Philippines and is the least densely
populated city in the Philippines. Puerto Princesa city is the
second largest geographically after Davao City and covers an
area of around 920 square miles.
Palawan is one of those places on Earth that you have to go
and experience for yourself, because it is hard to describe.
It is not only the absolutely stunning scenery, the nature and
the lovely people that live there, it is the vibe and the atmosphere
of the island.
Palawan won the title of “The Most Beautiful Island in
the World” three times in a row, however, the hordes of
tourists haven’t come here yet, so it still feels very
pristine and untouched. Palawan is also known as “The Last
Frontier” for its unique ecological balance, being every
nature lover’s sublime haven, where you can really feel
the connection with nature and the environment.
Puerto
Princesa’s claim to fame goes way beyond its beautiful
beach resorts and stunning scenery.
The Underground River wows visitors with its low-hanging stalagmites
and stalactites, and a cave that—due to its sheer size
and rock formations is likened to a cathedral.
The Puerto Princessa Subterranean River National Park is a protected
area of Palawan located about 50 miles north of the city. It
is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 2012 was voted
as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.
It is the world’s longest underground river with amazing
formations of stalagmites and stalactites, a few big chambers
and unique fauna and flora. It is navigable only by motor-free
boat.
The Underground River is a great one-day trip from Puerto Princesa.
It only costs about £30 and the tour includes a van ride,
tour guide, national park fees and a buffet lunch.
Below are some photos of Palawan to give some idea of the beautiful
scenery there.
Palawan
Island
Puerto
Princesa is the main city on Palawan island and has a natural
harbour from where the boats leave for Tubbataha
For
those wanting to stay longer and are able to do so there is
an option to stay on in the Philippines and do more diving
in Puerto Galera.
There will obviously be an extra cost for this extension but
the internationl flight costs will remain the same.
As soon as I have information about this extra cost, I will
publish it here and on the Tubbataha WhatsApp page.
If
you just want an extension to the trip without diving, let
me know as this can also be arranged.
We will be booking the flights at the end of June '25 so I
must know if anyone wants to do the extra time before then
so Lydia can book the return flight dates.
I can now announce a dive package for the proposed extension:
We will be travelling to Puerto Galera and staying and diving
with Scandi Divers in La Laguna Beach. (La Laguna beach is
next to Sabang Beach).
For
some info on Puerto Galera visit the Philippines
2018 page on here.
The
extension also includes three nights in Manila (Makati) before
flying home to the UK. (These last 3 nights are also an option
but recommended) and it will be possible to fly out directly
on return from Puerto Galera).
The extension calendar will look something like this:
May
2026
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
4
May
Original
itinerary up
to this
date
14
5
May
Transfer
to Manila
Overnight
Belmont Hotel
Manila
15
6
May
Transfer
from Manila
to
Puerto Galera
Overnight
La Laguna Beach Hotel
16
7
May
Diving
at
Puerto Galera
with
Scandi Divers
Overnight
La Laguna Beach Hotel
17
8
May
Diving
at
Puerto Galera
with
Scandi Divers
Overnight
La Laguna Beach Hotel
18
9
May
Diving
at
Puerto Galera
with
Scandi Divers
Overnight
La Laguna Beach Hotel
19
10
May
Diving
at
Puerto Galera
with
Scandi Divers
Overnight
La Laguna Beach Hotel
20
11
May
Diving
at
Puerto Galera
with
Scandi Divers
Overnight
La Laguna Beach Hotel
21
12
May
Diving
at
Puerto Galera
with
Scandi Divers
Overnight
La Laguna Beach Hotel
22
13
May
Transfer
from Puerto Galera to Manila
Overnight
Makati Hotel
23
14
May
Day
in
Manila
Overnight
Makati Hotel
24
15
May
Day
in
Manila
Overnight
Makati Hotel
25
16
May
Depart
Manila
26
17
May
Arrive
London
27
The
calendar above shows 3extra nights in Manila at the end.
These are also optional with the choice to return home on the
13th May.
This will be the hotel we will be staying in Makati for
the last few nights. Makati is a nice district in Metro
Manila. Many of you will already be familiar with this
hotel since we have used it on previous trips.
The
Filling Station - American Style 1950's Diner -
(100 metres from City Garden)
The
Tubbataha Reef in Palawan, Philippines is a spectacular natural
site.
The
Tubbataha Reef and its underwater formation was created from
the eruption of undersea volcanoes and eventually became one
of the biggest marine ecosystems in the world.
It
also houses numerous species of seabirds: Ground nesters and
tree nesters can be found in this natural reef. Some of the
ground nesters include the Brown Booby, Brown Noddy, Great
Crested Tern, and Sooty Tern.Tthe tree nesters include the
Red-footed Booby and the endemic Black Noddy.
Each
stateroom has ample storage and individual climate controls.
Staterooms have a safe aboard to store valuables such as passports,
cash, credit cards or anything else.
The
Aggressor II sails from Puerto Princesa the capital of Palawan
Island and is about an hour long flight from Manila.
Puerto
Princesa’s claim to fame goes way beyond its beautiful
beach resorts and stunning scenery.
