New 7 Wonders of Nature
Pride of the Philippines
"Tubbataha Reef"

Declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on December 1993.

The reef is composed of two atolls, North and South Reefs. Each reef has a single small islet that protrudes from the water. The atolls are separated by a deep channel 8 km (5 miles) wide.

Tubbataha is considered as the best dive site in the Philippines and the diving dedicated ships that operate during the "Tubbataha Season" are usually booked years in advance especially during the Asian holidays of Easter and "Golden Week"

Vivid corals cover more than two-thirds of the area and the waters around the reef are places of refuge for numerous marine lives.

In 1993, the United Nations designated Tubbataha as one of the two World Heritage Sites found in the Philippines . The other site is the Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao.

Aside from being a marine sanctuary, Tubbataha is also renowned for being a bird sanctuary. A lighthouse islet, at the southern tip of the South Atoll, supports a large number of seabirds which nest there. Around the Tubbataha, there are tens of thousands of masked red-foot boobies, terns, and frigate birds resting during their annual migrations.

 “As a World Heritage Site, Tubbataha should be protected and preserved so that future generations will also have the opportunity to see one of the greatest wonders of the world.”

More Tubbataha Reef Info