The Turtle Islands occupy one of the most remote places in the southwest Philippines and feature seven islands in the Tawi Tawi region. It’s a 5th class municipality very close to the maritime border with Malaysian Borneo.
The seven islands are Great Bakkungan, Taganak, Boan, Lihiman, Langaan, Baguan, and Selingan Island, and all lie in gorgeous turquoise waters. Visitors come to the Turtle Islands to spot the unique wildlife here, most notably the turtles. There is a park within the chain of islands that act as a breeding ground for green turtles the hawksbill.
The main attraction of a visit to the Turtle Islands is to watch a mother turtle lay her eggs within the park on Selingan Island. Park rangers take visitors to witness the hatchlings after tagging the turtles. The hatchlings are then released into the sea. Although visitors are not permitted to wander around this island after dark, they can do so during the day to enjoy the beaches and snorkeling. Chalet accommodation is available.
Getting There & Away
The Turtle Islands are very remote with regard to the Philippines proper and it is thus easier to fly to Sandakan in the Malaysian Sabah region of Borneo and then take an organized boat tour from there. If coming from Manila, you may need to go through Kota Kinabalu first. Kota Kinabalu is a 2-hour flight from Manila and the boat trip to Selingan is around an hour.