Tubod Marine Sanctuary

Entrance (snorkeling) ₱100; swimming without gear ₱20; snorkel gear rental ₱100; guide ₱300 (optional). Tubod Marine Sanctuary is a protected reef a few minutes south of San Juan, reached through the Coco Grove Beach Resort area — about 10 minutes by scooter or tricycle from town.

The reef is the draw: reviewers regularly report parrotfish, clownfish, moray eels, sea kraits, barracuda and giant clams, and sea turtles turn up often enough that most visitors see at least one. The snorkeling zone is marked off with buoys, boats and fishing are kept out of it, and the water is shallow and calm enough for beginners and children. Free life jackets are available, and there's somewhere to leave bags and shoes while you're in the water.

It rates 4.4 out of 5 from over 100 reviews on TripAdvisor, currently the top-ranked thing to do in Tubod. The main complaint is about the beach rather than the reef: it's narrow, with patches of rock and pebble underfoot, so water shoes are worth bringing. Mornings tend to have calmer water and better visibility than the afternoon.