Llantrisant Sub-Aqua Club
www.llantrisantdivers.com




The Tubbataha Reef in Palawan, Philippines is a spectacular natural site.

While it is well known as a top diving location in the Philippines, it should not be forgotten that it is also considered one of the world’s most pristine coral reefs.

This world-renowned underwater site occupies an area over 130,000 hectares and consists of three atolls and a large deep sea area where numerous marine habitats can be found.

Tubbataha Reef is considered one of the top diving spots in the world for good reasons: It offers a magnificent underwater world that is made grander by its turquoise, clear, and pristine waters that will let you see corals and fish even at 10 metres below!

While a popular diving spot, Tubbataha’s dive season is only from March to June. Diving activities in the area are conducted under the guidance of the rangers and the money earned from this tourist activity goes into the preservation of the reefs.

The Tubbataha Reef and its underwater formation was created from the eruption of undersea volcanoes and eventually became one of the biggest marine ecosystems in the world.

The name Tubbataha is derived from the ancient language Sama-Bajau which translates to ‘long reef exposed at low tide.’

Whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles, and Napoleon wrasse are some of the marine life that you can find in the Tubbataha Reef area. Aside from the huge range of fish life there are over 360 types of coral present.

Tubbataha Reef helps sustain a high diversity of marine life. It is a habitat of fish and invertebrate larvae that benefit the Sulu Sea and the eastern coastline of Palawan.

Aside from providing a marine habitat, Tubbataha Reef is also essential in the process of reproduction, dispersal, and colonization by marine organisms in the entire Sulu Sea system.

It also houses numerous species of seabirds: Ground nesters and tree nesters can be found in this natural reef. Some of the ground nesters include the Brown Booby, Brown Noddy, Great Crested Tern, and Sooty Tern.Tthe tree nesters include the Red-footed Booby and the endemic Black Noddy.

The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park was announced as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. With this recognition, Tubbataha is given massive seascape complete protection from all sorts of destructive activities.

National protected areas legislation and different environmental legislations govern the Tubbataha Reef in Palawan. This makes it possible for actions to be taken against threats such as marine debris removal and illegal fishing. A ranger station to ensure the protection of the marine ecosystem is situated permanently on the north atoll.


Below is a likely itinerary of the upcoming Tubbataha Expedition.

The proposed dates dates are April 21st to May 6th. This may have to change due to airline schedules etc. We must be in Puerto Princessa by the 24th in order to be able to board the Agrressor II on the 25th. The actual charter is from April 25th to May 2nd (fixed dates and already sold out).

Departing on the 21st would give us two nights in a Manila hotel. This would give us breathing space after the long haul flight from London to Manila which is around 15 hours. Arriving in the evening and then flying down to Palawan the next morning would be a bit hectic.

The Manila hotel we will be using before transferring to Palawan is the Belmont Hotel because it is very close to the airport. Some of us stayed there during the 2018 Puerto Galera trip.

We are travelling at the best times for weather, sea conditions and diving.

There will be the option of an extension to the trip for more diving or just tourism within the Philippines.

The bold red highlights are actual web links to the relevant pages.

April/May 2026
MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

20 Apr

21 Apr

Depart London

22 Apr

Arrive Manila

Overnight Belmont Hotel
Manila

23 Apr

Day in Manila

Overnight Belmont Hotel
Manila

24 Apr

Transfer to
Puerto Princesa

Overnight
Puerto Princesa hotel

25 Apr

Embark
Philippines Aggressor II

Set sail to Tubbataha

26 Apr

Diving at Tubbataha

aboard Philippines Aggressor II

27 Apr

Diving at Tubbataha

aboard Philippines Aggressor II

28 Apr

Diving at Tubbataha

aboard Philippines Aggressor II

29 Apr

Diving at Tubbataha

aboard Philippines Aggressor II

30 Apr

Diving at Tubbataha

aboard Philippines Aggressor II

1 May

Diving at Tubbataha

return to Puerto Princesa

2 May

Disembark Philippines Aggressor II

Overnight
Puerto Princesa hotel

3 May

Explore Palawan

Overnight
Puerto Princesa hotel

4 May

Explore Palawan

Overnight
Puerto Princesa hote
l

5 May

Transfer to Manila


Depart Manila

optional
extension
available

6 May

Arrive London


7May

8 May

9May

10May

 

An estimated “ball park” costing is around £6000 but this is based on estimated flights and hotel costs. It is too early to get exact figures. The cost could likely decrease when they become available.

We are also travelling aboard probably the best boat available:

Philippines Aggressor II

The Philippines Aggressor II is 140 feet long with a 26 ft. beam, built and powered for comfort, safety and stability. There is a beautiful spacious salon, sun deck with shading, chaise lounges and deck chairs, bar, and grill. The yacht is diesel powered, cruises at 8 knots and has 220V and 110V power onboard.

Our cabins (1 to 8) are described as Deluxe Staterooms: A comfortable room with 2 single side by side beds (Staterooms 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 can be made into a king bed or kept as two single beds). Every room has a panoramic window and comes with a private bathroom & shower. All rooms have individual climate control, a TV monitor with a media player and a hair dryer. Room Size: 10' x 14'. Single Bed size: 36 x 76 inches.


This is diagram of the boat layout. We have block booked the 8 cabins on the lower deck.

Each stateroom has ample storage and individual climate controls. Staterooms have a safe aboard to store valuables such as passports, cash, credit cards or anything else.

There is a variety of nightly entertainment, including diving, fish identification presentations, movies, games and more. If you have a favourite movie or presentation to share, we encourage you to bring it along. A small library of books for exchange is maintained onboard as well as fish identification books for reference.

All meals, snacks and beverages are provided. Board Basis is full board, for drinks they state “The Aggressor’s beverage selection includes fruit juices, soft drinks, iced water, iced tea, coffee, and a limited selection of local beer and wine, which are complimentary. You are also free to bring your own alcohol aboard.

Fifteen crew are on hand to cater to guests, providing guided dives, evening entertainment and chef-prepared meals. Other amenities include a hot tub and wet bar, indoor lounge and restaurant, and state-of-the-art scuba facilities include nitrox fills and two dive tenders.

Here is a video presentation of diving in the Philippines
made by Aggressor Adventures

We are going to the best dive location in the world
on the best liveaboard in the world!


Aggressor II Gallery  

Here are some videos produced around Tubbataha to give you an idea what it is like out there
and to whet your apetite for the upcoming trip.

Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4
Video 5 Video 6 Video 7 Video 8
Here are some underwater images taken from the Aggressor website

The Aggressor II sails from Puerto Princesa the capital of Palawan Island and is about an hour long flight from Manila.

Puerto Princesa is recognised as the cleanest and greenest city in the Philippines, It offers a pleasant urban environment nestled in splendid natural surroundings that include great beaches and pristine forested hills.

Located in the western Philippine province of Palawan it is the westernmost city in the Philippines and is the least densely populated city in the Philippines. Puerto Princesa city is the second largest geographically after Davao City and covers an area of around 920 square miles.

Palawan is one of those places on Earth that you have to go and experience for yourself, because it is hard to describe. It is not only the absolutely stunning scenery, the nature and the lovely people that live there, it is the vibe and the atmosphere of the island.

Palawan won the title of “The Most Beautiful Island in the World” three times in a row, however, the hordes of tourists haven’t come here yet, so it still feels very pristine and untouched. Palawan is also known as “The Last Frontier” for its unique ecological balance, being every nature lover’s sublime haven, where you can really feel the connection with nature and the environment.

Puerto Princesa’s claim to fame goes way beyond its beautiful beach resorts and stunning scenery.

The Underground River wows visitors with its low-hanging stalagmites and stalactites, and a cave that—due to its sheer size and rock formations is likened to a cathedral.

The Puerto Princessa Subterranean River National Park is a protected area of Palawan located about 50 miles north of the city. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 2012 was voted as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

It is the world’s longest underground river with amazing formations of stalagmites and stalactites, a few big chambers and unique fauna and flora. It is navigable only by motor-free boat.

The Underground River is a great one-day trip from Puerto Princesa. It only costs about £30 and the tour includes a van ride, tour guide, national park fees and a buffet lunch.

Below are some photos of Palawan to give some idea of the beautiful scenery there.
Palawan Island  

Puerto Princesa is the main city on Palawan island and has a natural harbour from where the boats leave for Tubbataha
The Underground River  

Palawan Weather

Optional Extension

For those wanting to stay longer and are able to do so there is an option to stay on in the Philippines and do more diving in Puerto Galera or another location.

There will obviously be an extra cost for this extension but the internationl flight costs will remain the same.
As soon as I have information about this extra cost, I will publish it here and on the Tubbataha WhatsApp page.

The extension will also include five nights in Manila (Makati) before flying home to the UK. (These last 5 nights are also an option and it will be possible to fly out directly on return from Puerto Galera).

For some info on Puerto Galera visit the Philippines 2018 page on here.

If you just want an extension to the trip without diving, let me know as this can also be arranged.

We will be booking the flights at the end of June '25 so I must know if anyone wants to do the extra time before then so Lydia can book the return flight dates.

At the moment there are no firm plans regarding diving, hotels, etc. for the extension period. I've put Puerto Galera as the destination because it is the easiest location to access from Manila with no flights involved. However, this could change depending on availabilty, price, etc. I've included seven days diving in the extension but this could also change.

The extension calendar would look something like this:

May 2026
MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

4 May

Original
itinerary
up to this
date

5 May

Transfer to Manila

Overnight Belmont Hotel
Manila

6 May

Transfer from Manila to Puerto Galera

Overnight Sabang Beach
Hotel

7 May

Diving at
Puerto Galera


Overnight Sabang Beach
Hotel

8 May

Diving at
Puerto Galera


Overnight Sabang Beach
Hotel

9 May

Diving at
Puerto Galera


Overnight Sabang Beach
Hotel

10 May

Diving at
Puerto Galera


Overnight Sabang Beach
Hotel

11 May

Diving at
Puerto Galera


Overnight Sabang Beach
Hotel

12 May

Diving at
Puerto Galera


Overnight Sabang Beach
Hotel

13 May

Transfer from Puerto Galera to Manila

Overnight Makati Hotel

12 May

Day in
Manila

Overnight
Makati Hotel

13 May

Day in
Manila

Overnight
Makati Hotel

14 May

Day in
Manila

Overnight
Makati Hotel

15 May

Day in
Manila

Overnight
Makati Hotel

16 May

Depart
Manila

 

17 May

Arrive
London

 

18 May

 

 

19 May

 

 

20 May

 

 

21 May

22 May

 

 

And the whole thing looks like this:
April/May 2026
MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

20 Apr

Getting all excited!

21 Apr

Depart London

22 Apr

Arrive Manila

Overnight Belmont Hotel
Manila

 

Day01
of 30 day visa

23 Apr

Day in Manila

Overnight Belmont Hotel
Manila

24 Apr

Transfer to
Puerto Princesa

Overnight
Puerto Princesa hotel

25 Apr

Embark
Philippines Aggressor II

Set sail to Tubbataha

26 Apr

Diving at Tubbataha

aboard Philippines Aggressor II

27 Apr

Diving at Tubbataha

aboard Philippines Aggressor II

28 Apr

Diving at Tubbataha

aboard Philippines Aggressor II

29 Apr

Diving at Tubbataha

aboard Philippines Aggressor II

30 Apr

Diving at Tubbataha

aboard Philippines Aggressor II

1 May

Diving at Tubbataha

return to Puerto Princesa

2 May

Disembark Philippines Aggressor II

Overnight
Puerto Princesa hotel

3 May

Explore Palawan

Overnight
Puerto Princesa hotel

4 May

Explore Palawan

Overnight
Puerto Princesa hote
l

5 May

Transfer to Manila

Overnight Belmont Hotel
Manila

6 May

Transfer from Manila to Puerto Galera

Overnight Sabang Beach
Hotel

7 May

Diving at
Puerto Galera


Overnight Sabang Beach
Hotel

8 May

Diving at
Puerto Galera


Overnight Sabang Beach
Hotel

9 May

Diving at
Puerto Galera


Overnight Sabang Beach
Hotel

10 May

Diving at
Puerto Galera


Overnight Sabang Beach
Hotel

11 May

Diving at
Puerto Galera


Overnight Sabang Beach
Hotel

12 May

Diving at
Puerto Galera


Overnight Sabang Beach
Hotel

13 May

Transfer from Puerto Galera to Manila

Overnight Makati Hotel

12 May

Day in
Manila

Overnight
Makati Hotel

13 May

Day in
Manila

Overnight
Makati Hotel

14 May

Day in
Manila

Overnight
Makati Hotel

15 May

Day in
Manila

Overnight
Makati Hotel

16 May

Depart
Manila

 

 

Day 27
of 30 day visa

17 May

Arrive
London




my mam's
birthday

18 May

 

 

19 May

 

 

20 May

 

 

21 May

22 May

 

 

More information to follow when I got it

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