The Puerto Galera region has been declared a Marine Reserve by the United Nations Man and Biosphere Program International in 1974. Continued efforts by the local dive operators to establish mooring buoys and artificial reefs have contributed greatly to the preservation of this magnificent underwater marine park. Thriving fish life is also typical at the north-eastern dive sites: swirling schools of fusiliers and surgeonfish are common, as are brilliant angelfish, batfish, wrasses, butterflyfish and countless other reef dwellers. The region is also home to a number of exotic fish species seldom seen elsewhere in the Philippines, including pygmy sea horses, blue ribbon eels, purple fire gobies and cleverly camouflaged frogfish and ghost pipefish. The area features over 2 dozen prime dive sites (see listing below), all of which are well worth diving.

Spectacular drop-offs, deep dives, caves, wrecks, and a richly varied marine life await the visitor. The variety of hard and soft corals is amazing -- there are more than 500 species (the entire Caribbean only has around 60). Divers commonly see sharks, rays, moray eels, octopus, and sea snakes, along with innumerable species of fish, including groupers, jack, tuna, surgeonfish, parrot fish, sweetlips and lionfish, to name a few. Of the 100,000 known species of shellfish, over 21,000 are found here, including many that are unique to the Philippines. It's a diver's paradise!