Sumilon Marine Sanctuary

Sumilon Marine Sanctuary covers the reef around Sumilon Island, off Oslob at Cebu’s southern tip — the same limestone island that holds the caves and sandbar visitors usually come for first. The reserve dates to 1974, when it was set aside as one of the Philippines’ earliest marine protected areas, years before “marine sanctuary” was a standard term in Philippine coastal management. The no-take zone is enforced jointly by the local government and the island’s resort operator, and decades of protection show in the reef structure — denser coral cover and larger fish than the open-access reefs nearby.

• Snorkeling and diving here cover established coral gardens and the reef fish populations that decades of no-take protection have built up.
• A sandbar sits a short boat ride away for a break between water sessions.
• Book through an authorized operator; access to the sanctuary is controlled, and unregistered boats are turned away.

Explore More in South Cebu East Coast

• Dalaguete Church
• Bugasok Falls
• Riverstone Castle