Mentioning “Tubbataha” to a scuba diver and they get a dreamy look on their face. Divers who haven’t been there, will lament about the difficulty to get a space on a live-aboard. Spaces are sold out years in advance. Divers who have dived there, will tell tales of endless walls, massive schools of fish, untouched corals and the occasional manta or whale shark cruising by.
Tubbataha consists of two atolls in the middle of the Sulu sea. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is part of the Ramsar list of Wetlands of International Importance. It was also nominated as a New 7 Wonders of the World in 2018.
All diving takes place between February and June, when weather permits. And the only way is via live-aboard, most of which depart Puerto Princesa for a 10–12-hour journey to the atolls.
Atmosphere charters one live-aboard week onboard the Philippine Siren of Master Liveaboards each year to Tubbataha. Here in Dauin, we have some of the best diving in the Philippines, and the world even. We do however understand that our guests dream of other dive destinations – as do we!
Top Things to see in Tubbataha
- Whale sharks and manta rays
- Grey reef sharks, white tip reef sharks
- Hawksbill turtles
- Colorful reef fish
- Schools of barracudas and trevallies
- Incredibly healthy reefs
- The shallow Delsan wreck – great for photos
- Occasionally and only deeper: hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, bull sharks
With its rich biodiversity and abundance of marine organisms, Tubbataha promises an unforgettable diving experience.
Photo by Jon Bertsch
Photo by Jon Bertsch
Combine Tubbataha with a stay at Atmosphere – the best of the Philippines
Senior staff from Atmosphere lead these expeditions to make sure that all diving guests receive the Atmosphere star treatment throughout the duration of the cruise. Why not join our team by spending a few nights in Atmosphere before or after your expedition? Any guest joining us at Atmosphere before or after the live aboard adventure will be offered 5 nights for the price of 4.
We have teamed up with one of Asia’s most luxurious and well-renowned dive liveaboard fleet Master Liveaboards, to be able to offer our guests the Atmosphere experience onboard. For more information and pricing of the upcoming trips, follow this link.
Top Things to do in Tubbataha
As Tubbataha is an atoll, and barely stick up above the water’s surface – especially during high tide, the options are limited.
- Visit the Ranger Station and purchase souvenirs – they sell excellent rash guards!
- Circle around Bird Island, where an impressive number of brown-footed boobies (yes that is their name) nest all year round. They will fly over your boat and when the wind is right, the smell is unforgettable.
- Watch turtles and juvenile tiger sharks in shallow water by Bird Islet – from the safety of your dinghy
- Sunbathe onboard your live-abord, reads books, chat to your fellow dive buddies
- Fly a drone – just make sure you have applied for a permit
Tiger shark in the shallow water by Bird islet
Upcoming Tubbataha cruises with Atmosphere
Dates of Atmosphere’s upcoming live-aboard expeditions to Tubbataha on the Philippines Siren of the Master Liveaboard fleet:
- May 15-21 2025
- May 20-26 2026
- May 18-24 2027
The expedition in 2025 is fully booked, but if you wish to get on a waiting list, or book one of the trips in 2026 or 2027, contact [email protected]
All trips depart and disembark in Puerto Princesa in Palawan, which can be reached by a one-hour flight from Manila or Cebu. To travel from or to Atmosphere, two flights are required but it can easily be fit into half a day.
Atmosphere has previously visited Tubbataha onboard the Philippine Siren almost every year since 2018. We have always had fabulous expeditions with stunning weather, flat seas, lots of shark encounters as well as mantas and whale sharks, exhilarating drift dives. Not to mention an amazing crew onboard the Philippine Siren, delicious food, great service and a fun group of divers.
What are you waiting for?
