Marine Protected Area
11.3473°N 124.1056°E · reef
Marine Protected Area is a reef dive site in Philippines Malapascua, Asia.
Overview
Malapascua’s Marine Protected Area covers a section of reef off the island’s northwest corner where fishing has been restricted for years, and the difference in coral health compared to adjacent unprotected areas is immediately visible. Dense table and staghorn corals dominate the shallows, giving way to sea fans and barrel sponges as the slope descends toward 20 meters. The no-take zone makes the fish bold — napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish, and schools of trevally are routine sightings, and the resident turtle population here is noticeably large.
Site Information
- Location: Philippines Malapascua, Asia
- Entry Type: Boat dive
- Site Type: Reef
- Difficulty Level: Beginner
- Maximum Depth: 20 meters
Marine Life
The no-take status of this MPA has produced notably bold, large fish — napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish, and schools of big-eye trevally are routine sightings close to divers. Hawksbill sea turtles are particularly abundant here compared to adjacent unprotected reefs, and white-tip reef sharks rest on the sandy areas below the slope. The dense table and staghorn corals in the shallows shelter a rich community of damselfish, wrasse, butterflyfish, and clownfish in their anemones.
Sources: Malapascua Thresher Shark Divers - Dive Sites, ZuBlu Thresher Sharks of Malapascua, Thresher Shark Divers Resort, Diving Squad Malapascua Guide, Divernet Malapascua Diving Guide. Last updated 2026-04-04.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
584 verified species observations (210 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1908 and 2025, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Alopias pelagicus
- Sphenanthias
- Cetorhinus maximus
- Bathycongrus
- Clavelina moluccensis
- Goniobranchus reticulatus · チリメンウミウシ
- Nembrotha cristata · トサカリュウグウウミウシ
- Thuridilla lineolata · ソライロミドリガイ
- Hypselodoris variobranchia · カグヤヒメウミウシ
- Nembrotha mullineri
- Tambja morosa · ミドリリュウグウウミウシ
- Nembrotha milleri · ミラーリュウグウウミウシ
Scientific survey records skew toward sampled taxa (molluscs, corals) and do not reflect what you are guaranteed to see on a dive.
Source: OBIS (obis.org), aggregated Darwin Core occurrence records.
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