Angelique Songco Mama Ranger... It's a country that has so much to offer the traveling diver and underwater photographer. But there are certain exceptional locations in the Philippines that really stand out. And top of the list has to be the remote reefs and atolls of Tubbataha! Pronounced Toobahtaaha…The name means “long reef exposed at low tide” in Simal. The language of the nomadic Philippine Sama-Bajau sea gypsies, who are believed to have first discovered the area. Physically the TRNP (Tubbataha Reefs National Park) consists of two atolls and one coral reef. Which are located in the middle of the Sulu Sea - effectively the core …
Philippines
Conserving Tubbataha
Conserving Tubbataha... These remote reefs in the Sulu Sea enjoy a stellar reputation for their pristine quality and the random pelagic encounters that often happen there. And… having experienced them personally on my first post-pandemic international trip. I can personally vouch for the exceptional diving. It really was an awesome experience to be in the crystal clear. Almost iridescent blue waters of the Sulu Sea exploring those reefs. So much so that I would often find myself pausing in wonder at just how good they were! But there is much more to the Tubbataha story than being a bit star-struck. Because in an isolated part the …
Diving Tubbataha – The Heart of the Coral Triangle
Diving Tubbataha... Maybe I should have started a bit lower down the food chain. After all with over 7000 islands and located in the northern part of the Coral Triangle, the Philippines has much to offer the traveling diver. But when a long-time diving buddy told me that he was looking for experienced, sympatico divers to fill two back-to-back trips to Tubbataha on a special charter of the Philippine Siren it just seemed too good to miss! I had heard many stories about the intense biodiversity of Tubbataha’s reefs. Which are generally renowned for both what you will see, together with what you might see... and I was sorely tempted. …