Siete Pecados Marine Park

Siete Pecados - seven sins - is a cluster of small islets just off Coron town, wrapped in a community-managed marine sanctuary that has been protected long enough for the difference to show. The coral gardens start in a couple of metres of water and drop down the sides of the islets, with hard and soft corals in good condition, giant clams, and schools of fish that have grown thoroughly indifferent to people. Because it is the closest snorkelling to town and needs no long crossing, it is the easiest good stop in Coron and often the first or last on an island-hopping day. There is a floating platform and a small guide station, life jackets are compulsory, and touching or standing on coral is policed by the sanctuary wardens. The name comes from a local legend about seven siblings who ignored their mother and were turned into the islets - a story told in several versions around the bay.

The landscape

• The coral gardens - hard and soft coral in shallow water.
• The fish schools - dense and unbothered by snorkellers.
• The giant clams - set in the shallows of the sanctuary.
• The seven islets - the cluster the park is named for.

When to go

November to May for clear water; mornings before the wind picks up and before the tour fleet arrives. Slack tide gives the best visibility.

What to expect

Currents run between the islets. Life jackets are mandatory, which limits how far down you can duck. Fees are collected on site in cash. Do not touch or stand on the coral.

Nearby

Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon and Coron Bay's wreck dives are all short boat rides on.