In September, researchers from Conservation International declared the Bird's Head Seascape, in Southeast Asia's so-called Coral Triangle, "the epicenter of marine biodiversity." Since documenting 1200+ species of fish and 600+ species of coral in the region, news of the hotspot "discovery" has kept divers and environmentalists all a-buzz. Fabulously, Filipino President Gloria Arroyo recently enacted a new national conservation policy to protect her country's unique and rich ecosystem. The new policy will concentrate initially on preserving and promoting the Coral Triangle.

In addition to kick-starting the creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) throughout the region, Arroyo stated that she hopes to "protect our biodiversity and at the same time gain from it, and in the process attain sustainable development." In other words, if you haven't been lucky enough to dive the area's rich waters yet, there might still be hope, as the Philippines wants to attract your travel dollars long into the future.