Activities · Destination Guide
Puerto Princesa And Tubbataha Gateway Palawan Philippines
A seasonal liveaboard to UNESCO reef walls, with Palawan nature on shore
Updated Feb 13, 2026 • 12 sources
Puerto Princesa + Tubbataha Gateway (Palawan) Activity Planning
Pick an activity mode to compare signature sites, skill fit, and gear planning notes before you lock your trip.
Scuba
What It Feels Like
Puerto Princesa is the practical gateway for diving Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, a liveaboard-only reef system that opens for a short season each year. Think vertical walls, reef-top coral gardens, and constant motion: drift dives, blue-water entries, and big schools in clear water. The pay-off is a high chance of sharks on almost every day of the trip, with manta cleaning behavior at sites like Black Rock and occasional whale shark drive-bys. Plan this as a dedicated expedition. Most trips run 5 to 7 nights, and the park is far enough offshore that weather and permits dictate everything.
Signature Sites
Start Here
A remote, liveaboardonly reef terrace where multiple whitetip reef sharks are often seen together around {{ 20 | distance:m }}.
A manta ray cleaning station marked by a buoy near a rock at about {{ 8 | distance:m }}.
A steep wall with a colorful coral garden in the shallows around {{ 3 | distance:m }} to {{ 5 | distance:m }}, then a rapid drop to about {{ 60 | distance:m }}.
Level Up
A wall drift where gorgonian fan corals feature prominently, with ledges that can hold nurse sharks and rays plus patrols of reef sharks.
Ranger Station - Tubbataha Reef
North Atoll walls with large schools and frequent pelagic activity.
Advanced
Shallow reef top from about {{ 5 | distance:m }} that slopes to a wall near {{ 23 | distance:m }}, with a crevasse dropping to about {{ 40 | distance:m }} for shelter when current rips.
A wallandwreck style site with a shallow reef top around {{ 5 | distance:m }} and frequent manta sightings at a nearby cleaning station.
A very shallow wreck on the reef top around {{ 3 | distance:m }} to {{ 5 | distance:m }}, famous for easy earlymorning starts and photogenic fish schools.
Planning Playbook
Operator Checklist
- Season is limited. Build your trip around the park's open months and book early.
- Most boats collect the park visitor fee onboard and handle permits with the park.
- If you want maximum bottom time, ask about nitrox availability and any additional charges.
- Pack surface signaling (SMB + whistle) and sea-sickness prevention for the offshore crossing.
- Follow strict reef etiquette. The park is actively enforced and infractions can affect the whole vessel.
Conditions Fallback
- If you want maximum bottom time, ask about nitrox availability and any additional charges.
Avoid
- Do not ignore current and fast drop-offs advisories from local operators.