Napoleon wrasse

Endangered elsewhere in the region and heavily fished; Tubbataha holds a protected population. UNESCO names it explicitly, but only that one source does, so this sits at medium rather than high despite the source being tier 1.

The hardest access window in this dataset. Roughly mid-March to mid-June only, which is why March and June read 'limited' rather than 'open'. Outside it the northeast monsoon (Nov-Mar) and southwest monsoon (Jul-Oct) make the crossing to an exposed mid-sea atoll unsafe. Nothing about the reef changes; you simply cannot get there. Boats sell out 9-12 months ahead as a direct result.

Large habituated individuals at Blue Corner. Endangered and heavily fished across most of its range.

Diveable all year with no closure. Jun-Sep is the wet season with rougher seas, visibility down to 15-20m, and exposed sites like Peleliu frequently cancelled, hence 'limited'. Dec-Apr is dry season with 40m+ visibility and is also the manta window.

Habituated individuals at several northern sites.

Open year-round with no closure; this is the sheltered end of the Red Sea and the reason the north has a twelve-month resort economy while the southern offshore itineraries do not. Winter brings wind and cooler water, summer brings heat and crowds, neither stops the diving.