Sandugan Sanctuary

Sandugan Sanctuary occupies a section of Siquijor's northern coast where a well-established marine protected area has created one of the island's most rewarding beginner-level dive and snorkel sites. The sanctuary's years of consistent protection have allowed the reef to develop into a mature and biodiverse ecosystem that offers visitors an authentic glimpse of what healthy Philippine coral reefs look like when given the chance to flourish. The sanctuary begins just offshore, with a sandy entry leading onto a reef flat that gradually deepens over a gentle slope. The immediate shallows are already productive, with coral heads rising from the sandy substrate and hosting their own miniature communities of fish and invertebrates. The gradual profile continues throughout the dive, making depth management effortless and allowing divers to focus entirely on the marine life surrounding them. Coral coverage within Sandugan is among the densest on Siquijor. Hard coral species dominate the landscape, their overlapping colonies creating a continuous living mosaic that stretches in every direction. The size of some individual coral formations indicates decades of uninterrupted growth, and these ancient colonies serve as the foundation for the entire ecosystem that has developed around them. The sanctuary's fish populations are a testament to effective protection. Schools of anthias form colorful hazes above the reef, their constant hovering and darting adding kinetic energy to every section of the dive. Parrotfish of impressive size crunch through coral, their feeding audible from a distance and their role in sand production visible in the fine white substrate that accumulates in reef depressions. Clownfish are abundant at Sandugan, with numerous anemone colonies distributed across the reef hosting families of several species. The sight of these charismatic fish defending their homes against divers many thousands of times their size never loses its charm, and the multiple colonies provide endless opportunities for observation and photography. Turtle encounters are reliably common within the sanctuary. Green sea turtles graze on the reef flat and rest on prominent coral formations, their calm demeanor around humans reflecting years of positive interactions with respectful divers and snorkelers. These encounters often become the most treasured memories of a Siquijor diving trip, particularly for those meeting sea turtles for the first time. The sanctuary's invertebrate community rewards close inspection. Giant clams display mantles of extraordinary color, while sea stars in multiple species crawl across coral and sand surfaces. Nudibranchs add their characteristic palette of impossible colors to the reef's visual feast, and banded coral shrimp wave their long white antennae from their coral crevice homes. Sandugan's northern position on the island means it sometimes experiences different conditions than the more frequently dived southern sites. When northerly currents bring clear water from the open Visayan Sea, visibility at Sandugan can be exceptional, creating conditions where the reef seems to extend endlessly in crystal clarity. The sanctuary's accessibility, calm conditions, and consistently abundant marine life make it an essential stop on any Siquijor diving itinerary and a perfect introduction to the island's underwater treasures.