Top 5 Dive Sites for Liveaboard Diving in Tubbataha Reef

Tubbataha National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and protected marine park, home to one of the main diving destinations in the Philippines with stunning underwater sceneries and vibrant marine life. Located in the middle of the Sulu Sea, this place is a sanctuary for divers all across the globe and offers excellent visibility for underwater explorations. Due to its remote location, we recommend you explore Tubbataha through one of our liveaboard dive trips from March to June. A liveaboard allows divers to access remote dive sites and the chance to witness Tubbataha Reef wonders up close.

One of our liveaboard, Solitude One offers a 7-day, 6-night Tubbataha liveaboard trip that ensures an unforgettable diving journey. In this dive trip, you’ll experience world-class diving sites that have an extraordinary range of marine biodiversity.

Why Choose Liveaboard Diving in Tubbataha, the Philippines? 

A scuba diver is doing solo scuba diving and underwater photography in the Philippines

The only disadvantage of Tubbataha is that it is a bit isolated being in the middle of the Sulu Sea, however, Tubbataha liveaboards make it accessible for divers. The closest gateway is Puerto Princesa in Palawan, which is approximately 150 kilometers away. Because of this, it is quite difficult to get to this diving paradise and a liveaboard is the best and most efficient way to do so. Liveaboard trips are arranged in such a way that you get to Tubbataha directly and spend most of your time in the water and very little time on boats and other transfers. Liveaboards are also very convenient because they provide everything that one would require for a dive trip; from a comfortable place to sleep, good food to eat, well-equipped dive facilities, and all that is required for diving.

A liveaboard trip to Tubbataha allows divers to dive more often and in a more complete way than a day trip. These trips normally take several days to enable the divers to visit several dive sites which can’t be done in a one-day trip. Staying longer on the reef increases the probability of facing all the marine life and beautiful underwater scenery that define Tubbataha. A liveaboard can dive at dawn and dive at night and thus guarantee that nothing about the reef shall be missed.

Selecting a liveaboard for your Tubbataha trip will provide you with a hassle-free and fun diving trip. Now, it is time to look at the individual dive sites that make Tubbataha an absolutely must-visit destination for those seeking to dive in the Philippines.

Top 5 Dive Sites in Tubbataha Reef

Gorgonian Sea Fan

1. Shark Airport

One of the most popular dive sites in Tubbataha, Shark Airport, is best known for the sharks – whitetip reef sharks and grey reef sharks are common here. In the site, the bottom is rather flat and sandy, like an airport that is where these big animals lay down to relax. Divers can also dive to the corals which are full of many species of fish and other marine creatures.

2. Delsan Wreck

The Delsan Wreck is a shipwreck that has attracted divers across the globe, due to the unique shape of the ship’s wreck that has become an artificial reef. This site is home to a lot of jacks, barracudas, and sometimes even manta rays. The site itself is covered with corals and forms part of the spectacular coral reef, thus giving divers a chance to swim through and around a shipwreck.

Shipwreck

3. Malayan Wreck

Another popular dive site is the Malayan Wreck, which is a ship that has been deliberately sunk to form a shipwreck and a home for marine life. Underwater divers are known to be able to swim through the shipwreck and can expect to see various kinds of sea creatures like groupers, lionfishes, and nudibranchs, among others. The structure of what remains of the ship and its surroundings make for some interesting shots when snorkeling and taking photographs.

4. Amos Rock

Amos Rock is characterized by sheer walls that abound with soft corals and Gorgonian Fans. This site is also famous for the pelagic fish like the tuna and barracuda as well as the normal reef inhabitants like the angelfish and the butterfly fish. Due to the steep drop-offs and abundance of marine life, Amos Rock is considered one of the most beautiful dive spots.

5. Jessie Beazley Reef

Jessie Beazley Reef is another interesting dive site and comprises of two large coral atolls, known as the North Atoll and South Atoll. The area is quite untouched and boasts beautiful coral gardens and many sea creatures. It has different species of animals such as turtles, whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, and different colorful fish within the reef. The water is very clear and the corals are heathy to make the diving a most breathtaking one.

Plan Your Tubbataha Dive Trip Today!

Solitude Adventurer ready for action

A liveaboard  to Tubbataha is a perfect way to see one of the best dive sites in the world. From the best spot for diving and the amazing sea creatures that one is likely to meet to other activities that one can do while on the liveaboard, a Tubbataha liveaboard is an experience of a lifetime. It is also possible to dive in other diving spots in the Philippines, particularly for liveaboard if you want to experience more of the Philippines’ underwater.

If you want to dive in one of the most incredible places on the planet, then booking a liveaboard dive trip with Solitude One is the right choice for you and Tubbataha will amaze you.