{"success":true,"data":{"id":54,"title":"Snorkeling and Diving in Siquijor: Tulapos and the Island's Marine Sanctuaries","slug":"Snorkeling-and-Diving-in-Siquijor:-What-Is-Known-About-Tulapos-and-the-Island's-Reefs","content":"<p>Siquijor's reefs draw snorkelers, freedivers and scuba divers. One of the island's main snorkeling sites is the Tulapos Marine Sanctuary in Enrique Villanueva, on the island's north-east coast, and the Siquijor Provincial Tourism Office lists several other marine sanctuaries around the island. Rules, fees and conditions can change, so verify locally.</p>\n\n<h2>Tulapos Marine Sanctuary</h2>\n<p>Visitor guides and the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation describe Tulapos as a marine reserve in Enrique Villanueva, established in 1986 and described as the oldest marine protected area on the island. It combines mangroves and coral reef. Reports say it can be reached from the circumferential road by tricycle, with a short turn toward the shore.</p>\n<p>According to visitor reports, a hut at the entrance handles entry payment and guides, and a guide is required for snorkeling in the reserve. Entry and guide fees apply; ask at the hut for current amounts. The rule exists to protect the reef, and it is worth following rather than trying to enter independently.</p>\n\n<h2>What visitors report seeing</h2>\n<p>Lists compiled by snorkeling guides, visitor-review summaries and the provincial tourism office mention the following. Sightings are never guaranteed and depend on season, tide and luck.</p>\n<ul>\n<li>schools of barracuda and giant trevally;</li>\n<li>giant clams, starfish and several kinds of clownfish;</li>\n<li>green turtles and spotted eagle rays;</li>\n<li>blacktip reef sharks, banded sea snakes and titan triggerfish.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h2>Conditions</h2>\n<p>Visibility, currents and what can be seen change with the season, tide and weather, so check with the sanctuary staff or a local dive operator before planning a visit.</p>\n\n<h2>Other sanctuaries and ways to get in the water</h2>\n<p>The Siquijor Provincial Tourism Office's marine itinerary lists the Caticugan Marine Protected Area in Siquijor municipality (managed by a people's organization, with kayaking, paddle boating, snorkeling and diving), the Olang Marine Sanctuary in Maria, and the Tubod Marine Sanctuary in San Juan, near Coco Grove Beach Resort. Its coastal itinerary also describes Paliton Beach in San Juan as a marine protected area. An activity-booking site lists a freediving tour with lunch and beach time that visits the Tulapos, Caticugan and Tubod sanctuaries, and Wikipedia notes that several operators on the island conduct dive courses. For scuba, look for operators that are certified, ask about their dive sites and safety briefings, and compare more than one.</p>\n\n<h2>Reef etiquette and safety</h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Do not touch, stand on or collect coral, shells or marine life.</li>\n<li>Keep your distance from turtles, sea snakes and sharks, and never feed fish.</li>\n<li>Choose a mineral or reef-safe sunscreen, or cover up with a rash guard.</li>\n<li>Float with a buoyancy aid if you are not a confident swimmer, and avoid snorkeling alone.</li>\n<li>Skip the water in rough sea conditions, and ask the guide about currents.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h2>Good to know</h2>\n<ul>\n<li>A guide is reported as mandatory at Tulapos, and the sanctuary is described as dating from 1986. Verify before travel.</li>\n<li>The species named above are visitor-reported, not a checklist.</li>\n<li>Other sanctuaries listed by the provincial tourism office are Caticugan, Olang and Tubod; check access and rules for each locally.</li>\n</ul>","featureStartsOn":null,"featureEndsOn":null,"createdByAdministratorId":2,"status":"Published","media":[{"name":"Tulapos Marine Sanctuary, Enrique Villanueva, Siquijor","type":"image","credit":"Lawrence Ruiz · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons","creditUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tulapos_Marine_Sanctuary_01.JPG","url":{"original":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-01-bb31f145-large.jpg","large":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-01-bb31f145-large.jpg","medium":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-01-bb31f145-medium.jpg","small":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-01-bb31f145-small.jpg","thumbnail":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-01-bb31f145-thumbnail.jpg"},"isDefault":true},{"name":"Mangroves at Tulapos Marine Sanctuary, Enrique Villanueva, Siquijor","type":"image","credit":"Lawrence Ruiz · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons","creditUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tulapos_Marine_Sanctuary_02.JPG","url":{"original":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-02-debca713-large.jpg","large":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-02-debca713-large.jpg","medium":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-02-debca713-medium.jpg","small":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-02-debca713-small.jpg","thumbnail":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-02-debca713-thumbnail.jpg"}}],"createdAt":"2026-10-07T14:42:32.639Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-07T16:36:15.102Z","deletedAt":null,"createdByAdministrator":{"id":2,"username":"bethanysibs","firstName":"Bethany Joyce","lastName":"Sibala","birthdate":"1990-01-01","address":null,"nationality":"Philippines","gender":"Female","type":"Administrator","imageUrl":"https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/44741246","createdAt":"2026-05-30T18:07:34.036Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-30T18:07:34.036Z","deletedAt":null,"roleId":1,"permissions":null,"fullName":"Bethany Joyce Sibala","label":"Bethany Joyce Sibala","age":36,"isAdult":true,"hasActiveVisitorCard":false},"defaultImageUrl":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-01-bb31f145-large.jpg","defaultThumbnailImageUrl":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-01-bb31f145-thumbnail.jpg","defaultMediumImageUrl":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-01-bb31f145-medium.jpg","defaultSmallImageUrl":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-01-bb31f145-small.jpg","imageUrl":"https://srptrblsouylufxnqvxw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/siquijor/images/commons/tulapos-marine-sanctuary-01-bb31f145-large.jpg","excerpt":"Siquijor's reefs draw snorkelers, freedivers and scuba divers. One of the island's main snorkeling sites is the Tulapos Marine Sanctuary in Enrique Villanueva, on the island's north-east coast, and…","isFeatured":false,"readingTimeInMinutes":3},"message":"Article retrieved successfully."}