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Last updated on April 8, 2021
Siete Pecados is the name of a group of 7 small rocky islets laying a few hundred meters off Busuanga Island’s coast. This spot is one of the most popular in Palawan, and the easiest to get to from Coron town. The coral reefs surrounding the islets are among the healthiest in the region, even though they are visited by crowds of snorkelers daily. Siete Pecados has lots of reef fish, some turtles, and huge schools of barracudas.
Siete Pecados site is located south of Busuanga Island. Snorkeling day trips to Siete Pecados -which usually includes snorkeling stops to some other snorkeling spots, especially the Coral Gardens- are available in Coron.
Another option is to get close to the spot by taxi, then rent a boat (about 400 pesos per person) or a kayak on the beach facing the islets. This second option allows to go to the spot early in the morning or late afternoon, and so to avoid the crowds (at some times of the day, there are more than 10 boats moored on the reef).
You will enter the water from a boat.
The snorkeling area comprises the shallow coral reefs bordering the small islets. The two easternmost islets (located on a small reef separated from the main reef) are the most crowded.
The coral reef is shallow (↕1-2m) and healthy, although you will see some dead or broken coral in some areas. On the reef you’ll mainly snorkel above fluorescent-blue branching corals, leafy coral and mushroom coral.
A good variety of fish inhabit the reef, including peacock wrasse, Moorish idols, butterflyfish and pufferfish. Take a look at the sea anemones living on the reef (↕2-6m): many of them are inhabited by different clownfish species.
Just below the surface, around the boats, you’ll sometimes be surrounded by hundreds of sergeants majors and green chromis. With a little luck, it is also possible to spot sea turtles around the islets, but they quickly swim away if there are too many snorkelers around.
The reef hosts abundant sea life, but Siete Pecados highlight is to encounter the shoal of barracudas living around the easternmost island (see map). In this area, known as “barracuda point”, hundreds of barracudas are gliding in the blue (↕2-6m).
The sea can be choppy around the islets, especially on the most exposed areas, like Barracuda Point, where currents can also occur. Follow your guide’s advice.
The islets are lush and rocky, and landings are not allowed. You will find in Coron town, less than 3km from Siete Pecados, many hotels and restaurants. Day tours usually include lunch and drinks. Inquire when booking.
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
Really a great place. due to a typhone passing by and the current the visibility was not great. but still it was a great place to snorkel (we were here end of July 2024).
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
