
Bulan Reef Turtle Garden
Donsol · Philippines
Bulan Reef is a gently sloping coral garden off the Sorsogon coastline that serves as a permanent residence for an unusually dense population of green sea turtles grazing on the abundant seagrass beds adjoining the reef. Reef sharks patrol the outer drop-off while bumphead parrotfish in schools of 30 or more crash through coral heads at dawn in spectacular feeding frenzies. The site is sheltered enough for confident beginners yet rich enough to satisfy seasoned divers seeking a quieter alternative to the whale shark crowds.
Conditions
Depth
5 to 28 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
15 to 25 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
25 to 29°C
3mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 25 |
| Vis (m) | 10 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Still | Still | Still | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Moderate | Moderate | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Green Sea Turtle
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Blacktip Reef Shark
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Bumphead Parrotfish
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Striped Eel Catfish
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Conus amplus
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Luzon Bleeding-Heart
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
White-Breasted Woodswallow
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear