A 74-hectare volcanic island roughly 30km south of Dumaguete, reached by a 45-minute outrigger boat (banca) from Malatapay Port in Zamboanguita — not from Dumaguete’s own port. Home to one of the Philippines’ earliest community-founded marine sanctuaries, established by the island’s own fishing community (roughly 900 residents) with guidance from a Silliman University professor starting in the early 1980s and formally declared a sanctuary in 1985 — the community banned dynamite fishing, cyanide, and muro-ami (reef-smashing) themselves rather than having protection imposed on them. Reliable green and hawksbill turtle sightings in shallow water make it snorkel-friendly, not just a dive destination — divers get access to deeper wall sites like Coconut Point with stronger currents and bigger pelagic fish, but non-divers won’t feel they’re missing the main draw. A few simple lodges/homestays exist on the island for an overnight stay (basic rooms, frequent brownouts since power is limited), but most visitors day-trip from Dumaguete or Dauin. Malatapay itself also hosts a Wednesday market worth combining with the trip if timing allows.