Tuesday, November 18, 2008 [ manilatimes.net ]
Two dive sites in the Philippines were included by a top tourism magazine in the list of its 100 best diving sites around the world, the Department of Tourism said Monday.
Malapascua and Apo Island were included in the Ultimate Dive Destinations’ special anthology entitled “100 Dives to Do before You Die” published in the Sport Diver magazine.
“The Philippines is a must-see, proven by no less than an insider’s guide to the world’s best diving destinations,” Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, himself a diver, said.
Sport Diver is the official magazine of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors and is touted as the discerning diver’s comprehensive monthly companion.
According to Sport Diver Editor Martin Bruce, the magazine staff “scoured the globe to come up with a definitive list of underwater sites that divers shouldn’t miss.”
According to the commentary, Malapascua was picked for its consistent sightings of thresher sharks —a six-meter pelagic fish with long, whip-like tail, large eyes and silver sheen on the side and smooth movements, which feeds on schools of fish by thrashing its tail towards them.
Apo Island was described as a site that boasts of an abundance of excellent spots frequented by underwater photographers. The Apo Island Marine Sanctuary is replete with a continuous chain of underwater life, with hard and soft corals attracting reef fish like snappers, surgeonfish, damselfish, parrotfish, anemone fish and wrasse, which in turn, invite large species like barracuda, tuna, white tip and blacktip, turtles and manta ray.
To further promote the country’s diving sites, the Tourism department recently participated in the Birmingham Dive Show held in the United Kingdom’s second largest city.-- Rommel C. Lontayao
