Tubbataha Reefs
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park covers a pristine atoll reef ecosystem with a very high diversity of marine life.
The park consists of three reef areas: North and South Atoll, divided by 8km, and Jessie Beazley Reef 20km to the north. It is located within the Coral Triangle, a global focus for coral biological diversity.
The Tubbataha Reefs are the largest concentration of coral reefs in the Philippines. Hundreds of different species of vivid corals cover more than two-thirds of the area. This intact and remote ecosystem rivals the Great Barrier Reef - having 300 coral species and 400 fish species. Animal species that inhabit the reefs include whales, manta rays, lionfish, turtle, clownfish, spotted dolphin and sharks.
Aside from being a marine sanctuary, Tubbataha is also renowned for being a bird sanctuary. It holds nesting sites for seabirds.
Map of Tubbataha Reefs
Load mapCommunity Reviews
Juan Antonio G. Menchaca
We arrived aboard the Liveaboard Diveboat Nautica.Great diversity of marine life. Turtles, we saw Pilot whales,lemon sharks and thresher sharks, Manta rays huge shoals of unicorn surgeon fish. Great quantity of sea birds with blue spotted eggs. There is the remains of a ship that had ran aground. Great sunsets. We stayed for a week. Spectacular diving.
Capt. Ingvar T. Swenson
The only experience I have had with Tubbataha Reef is when
I grounded there with a 6000.tons cargo ship in 1973.
The reef was very hard and tore a large hole in my ship.
We had to unload some of the cargo out there and then
proceeded to Iloilo for repairs,
Site Info
- Full Name
- Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
- Unesco ID
- 653
- Country
- Philippines
- Inscribed
- 1993
- Type
- Natural
- Criteria
-
7 9 10
- Categories
- Natural landscape - Marine and Coastal
- Link
- By ID
Site History
2009 Extended
To include Jessie Beazley Reef.
2009 Name change
From "Tubbataha Reef Marine Park, Philippines", to "Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park"
1993 Inscribed
Site Links
Unesco Website
Official Website
In the News
Connections
The site has 17 connections
Constructions
Ecology
Geography
Timeline
Trivia
WHS on Other Lists
World Heritage Process
Visitors
5 Community Members have visited.