While tourism in the Philippines remains a trickle compared with Southeast Asian brethren like Thailand and Vietnam, and air links to western Mindoro are still infrequent, you should consider visiting now to experience the full effect of Apo Reef's untouched magnetism.

BBC: The undiscovered jewel of the Philippines

There are numerous hiking opportunities in the park, including the ascent of the 2, 364m-high Mount Iglit, and the loincloth-wearing indigenous Mangyan people who populate Mindoro's virtually impenetrable interior offer serious explorers a chance to visit one of Southeast Asia's most isolated tribes.

BBC: The undiscovered jewel of the Philippines

Until recently there were two ways to visit Apo: you could shell out for a live-aboard dive safari operating out of the town of Puerto Galera in eastern Mindoro, or out of Coron town in Palawan province south of Mindoro.

BBC: The undiscovered jewel of the Philippines