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Friday, March 29, 2024

Sarangani Bay: Mindanao’s new dive haven

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Sarangani is Mindanao’s new scuba diving haven.

This discovery was made by media divers and underwater photographers from Manila, Cebu, and Davao in the recent Sarangani Dive Safari organized by the Provincial Government of Sarangani and the Department of Tourism-Region 12.

One of the country’s unheralded underrated dive spots, Sarangani Bay has been proclaimed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as a Protected Seascape and listed as one of the country’s Key Marine Biodiversity Areas.

It covers an area of 215,950 hectares and a 226.4-kilometer coastline, covering the municipalities of Maitum, Kiamba, Maasim, Alabel, Malapatan, and Glan, as well as the City of General Santos.

Mediamen and dive volunteers at the recent Sarangani Dive Safari.

According to Sarangani Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon, the dive expedition explored other areas in Sarangani Bay in addition to the popular Tinoto dive spot at the Lemlunay Resort in Maasim.

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A licensed scuba diver, he said the group dived at the Tuka Marine Park in Kiamba, Rocky Beach and Maasim Reef which is both located in Maasim.

Meanwhile, tourism regional director Nelly Nita Dillera said that diving will be a new addition to the sports and adventure tourism products being offered by Soccsksargen or Region 12.

She said the DOT 12 and the dive operators in the region took part in the Dive Resorts Travel Fair in Manila last year promote the area to the international market.

Tuka abounds in 2-meters long bumphead parrot fishes, dorid nudis, various chromodiris, batfishes, and sea turtles.

Maasim Reef boasts of juvenile white-tipped sharks, huge fan corals and gigantic bat fishes, and astounding gardens of marine flora.

The bay is also home to yellow fin tuna, sperm whales, pilot whales, dolphins, clown fishes, lion fishes, sergeant fishes, sea turtles, and pomedentridae and labridae species.

Whale sharks, cheilinus undulatos (Mameng), and dugongs (sea cows), are also occasionally sighted in this body of water.

The bay’s coral resources covers more than 2,293 hectares spread in 20 coral reef areas with about 60 important live hard coral genera, 411 reef species in 46 families. Seagrass cover is placed at 912 hectares, with 11 species in the coastal towns.

Other potential dive spots in the province are Isla Jardin Marine Protected Area, and the marine sanctuaries of Kamanga, Tuka, Kawas, Tambilil and Binuni, and Malapatan.

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