| Malampaya Sound | |
|---|---|
.svg)  Malampaya Sound Location within the Philippines .svg) Malampaya Sound Malampaya Sound (Philippines) | |
_(19827543704).jpg) 1918 Coast Survey chart of Malampaya Sound | |
| Location | Palawan, Philippines |
| Coordinates | 10°50′36.96″N 119°22′13.44″E / 10.8436000°N 119.3704000°E |
| Settlements | Taytay |
Malampaya Sound is a protected inlet of the South China Sea on the northwestern coast of Palawan Island in western Philippines. It is a geographic sound consisting of a complex of sheltered bays, coves, estuaries and islands separated from the sea to the west by the Copoas Peninsula. The sound is within the municipality of Taytay and is an important feature for the ecology and economy of the province of Palawan. It is considered one of the finest natural harbors in the Philippines and one of Palawan's richest fishing grounds.[1][2]
The entire embayment and its surrounding landscape was declared a marine protected area in 2000 known as the Malampaya Sound Protected Landscape and Seascape.[3] It covers 200,115 hectares (494,490 acres) of both aquatic and terrestrial environment with diverse ecosystems consisting of mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds, and a variety flora and fauna endemic to Palawan. The sound is the only known habitat of Irrawaddy dolphins in the Philippines.[4]
- ^ "United States coast pilot, Philippine Islands". U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
- ^ "Malampaya Sound Protected Landscape and Seascape". Philippine Biodiversity Partnerships. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
- ^ "Proclamation No. 342, s. 2000". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
- ^ "Irrawaddy dolphin". World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 3 November 2015.