Tubbataha Reef , The World Heritage Site

In the center of the Sulu Sea, about 98 nautical miles (181 km) southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines, lies the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park. Declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on December 1993.

The word “tubbataha” is a combination of two Samal words which means “a long reef exposed at low tide”. These picturesque tropical atolls, known as North and South Tubbataha, 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..


Over one thousand species can be found in the reef "an amazing variety of reef"; many are already endangered species. Animal species found include manta rays, lionfish, pawikan or tortoise, clownfish, and sharks. It also hosts giant jacks, hammerhead sharks, barracudas, manta rays, palm-sized moorish idols, parrot fishes, and moral eels and a lot of school of fishes.

Aside from being a marine sanctuary, it was also renowned for being a bird sanctuary.

The Tubbataha Reefs can only be reached by liveaboard boats, about twelve hours by boat from Puerto Princesa City and only from the end of March to June. The ships must use the moorings or cruise and may not anchor in the park area. If the weather is bad with a lot of wind and high waves it is nearly impossible to moor around the Tubbataha reefs, because there is no shelter what so ever.

Because of its uniqueness , Tubbataha Reef is one of the choices for the new "New Seven Wonders of Nature”. Visit http://www.new7wonders.com/. Voting is ongoing for the “New Seven Wonders of Nature” it is still open until Dec. 31. Afterward, a panel of experts will trim the 77 nominees to 21 and the last round of voting will be held until the end of 2009.

Fellow bloggers and readers, I’m asking you to please vote Tubbataha Reef as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.