Dive Sites
1. BLACK ISLAND WRECK - 5 star
Location: The east side of Malajon Island, called Black Island because of its black rocks. The wreck is just off the beach in front of a stranded vessel on the shore.
Access: By banca 3-5 hr west to the west side of Busuanga Island. If you are going to dive on other wrecks en route, you can stay overnight at one of the small resorts in the area.
Conditions: Normally calm with little current but this area, out in the South China Sea, does not have protection like Coron Bay, so conditions can get rough with fierce currents. You would not normally make this journey during bad weather condtions.
Visibility can reach to 65 ft.
Average depth: 65 ft
Maximum depth: 104 ft
The origin of this 150 ft coastal vessel is not known. It sits upright but down the sandy slope from the shore with the bow bottoming at 104 ft and the stern bottoming at 65 ft.
Relatively shallow, this dive is great for wreck-diving novices, photographers and night divers and has plenty of fish. There are many large scorpionfish and lionfish on the superstructure, small schools of batfish, large schools of sweepers, snappers, fusiliers and groupers, trumpetfish, six-banded angelfish and emperor angelfish. The hull has lots of sponges and hydroids. There are crinoids, although not in the numbers seen elsewhere in the Philippines. The western side of Malahon Island has poor corals but a times of strong currents is good for sighting large pelagic species, including Hammerhead Sharks.
2. TAIEI MARU(CONCEPCION WRECK) - 5 star
Location: South of Concepcion Village on Busuanga Island on the outer edge of the Lusteveco Company Pearl Farm. This wreck no longer breaks the surface.
Access: 2 ½ hrs by banca west until south of Concepcion village, on the edge of the buoys of the pearl farm.
Conditions: Normally calm but fierce currents are common. Novices should check the tide tables first and penetrate the wreck only with an experienced divemaster. Use the shotline for descent and a safety stop on ascent. Visibility 33 to 65 ft.
Average depth: 52ft
Maximum depth: 85 ft
An auxiliary oil tanker of theImperial Janpanese Navy combined fleet in World War II, the Taiei Maru, 168 m long 10,045 gross tons, was sunk on October 9, 1944 by US aircraft. It sits almost level with a slight list to port, pointing 330 (compass bearing) with the bow broken off in 75 ft of water. The main deck is at 52 ft. A good wreck for penetration and wreck diving courses, The Taiei Maru has everything, it is well covered with good corals particularly very large lettuce corals, sponges and schools of fish including fusiliers, snappers and batfish, plus the ubiquitous lionfish and scorpionfish.
3. AKITSUSHIMA - 5 star
Location: Between Lajo Island and Manglet Island, south of Concepcion village on Busuanga Island.
Access: 2 ½ hours west by banca.
Conditions: Normally calm but with some strong currents. Not a dive for novices. Visibility 33 to 65 ft.
Average depth: 92 ft
Maximum depth: 125 ft
One of the few true warships among the Coron wrecks, this vessel sunk on 24 September 1944 by US aircraft, was a flying boat tender. The wreck 487 ft long, 4650 gross tons, lies on its port side pointing 290 degrees(compass bearing) in 125 ft of water, with the starboard side hull at 65 ft. The arm of the stern crane used to load and unload the flying boat lies broken to port in 112 ft. The main deck is split between this crane and the funnel. There is no sign of the flying boat.
This is an advanced dive due to the depth. The ship can be penetrated with care, but is also good for fish life. Large groupers lurk in the hull and schools of barracuda, tuna and snapper are found along it.
4. GUNBOAT AT LUSONG ISLAND - 4 star
Location: The southern end of Lusong Island
Access: 2 hours west by banca. The stern breaks the surface at low tide.
Conditions: Clear, calm, shallow water. Visibility can reach 100 ft.
Average depth: 20 ft
Maximum depth: 33 ft
A shallow wreck, lying from the surface to 33 ft, this is equally good for snorkeling and wreck photography, and is often used as a relaxation between main dives. The wreck has been salvaged and all the top has gone. It is nicely covered with sponges and soft corals, and has many Copperband Butterflyfish, six-banded angelfish, pufferfish of all sizes, batfish and various sea cucumbers. The lack of crinoids and sea stars is perhaps surprising. There is also good snorkeling on the reef beside the wreck.
5. OLYMPIA MARU - 5 star
Location: Between the northern end of Lusong Island and Tangat Island.
Access: 2 hours west by banca.
Conditions: Normally calm with some current, even in a heavy rainstorm. Visibility 33-65 ft.
Average depth: 62 ft
Maximum depth: 80 ft
This Japanese freighter -450 ft long, 5617 gross tons - was sunk by US aircraft on September 24, 1944. It lies on its starboard side pointing 050 degress(compass bearing )in 80 feet of water. The port side hull is at a shallower 40 ft.
This is a pretty dive. The port side hull has many large lettuce corals, hydroids, black corals, brown finger sponges with Alabaster Sea Cucumbers wrapped around them, white sponges and sea anemones with clownfish. The fish life includes schools of small fusiliers, batfish, large groupers, Golden Rabbitfish, damselfish and pairs of Whitecheek Monocle Bream. Be careful when penetrating the wreck; scorpionfish hide all over it.
6. KOGYO MARU - 4 star
Location: East of the southeast corner of Lusong Island, south of the Olympia Maru.
Access: 2 hr west by banca
Conditions: Normally calm with some current. Visibility 33 to 65 ft
Average depth: 92 ft
Maximum depth: 110 ft
A Japanese freighter sunk on 24 September 1944 by Us Aircraft, this wreck - 520 ft long, 6352 gross tons - lies on its starboard side pointing 230 degrees(compass bearing) in 110 ft of water. The port side hull is at 72 ft. This is a very similar dive to that of Olympia Maru, but deeper, giving less time to explore the wreck and less light for photography.
7. IRAKO - 5 star
Location: Southeast of Lusong Island, south of the Kogyo Maru.
Access: 2 hr west by banca
Conditions: Normally calm with some strong currents, Visibility 33 to 115 ft.
Average depth: 115 ft
Maximum depth: 138 ft
The Irako is a Japanese refrigerated provision ship, sunk on 24 September 1944 by US aircraft; 482 ft long, 9570 gross tons, the wreck is almost upright, listing about 10 degrees to port in 138 feet of water pointing 260 degrees (compass bearing). The main deck is at 112 ft. Penetration represents an advanced dive due to the depth, but the superstructure is interesting with soft corals and sponges. Large groupers hover inside the wreck, while lionfish, scorpionfish, schools of barracuda and batfish and snappers are outside it.
8. MAMYA MARU - 5 star
Location: West of the worthwest side of Tangat Island.
Access: 2 hr west by banca
Conditions: Normally calm with currents that can become very strong. Visibility 33 to 65 ft
Average depth: 80 ft
Maximum depth: 112 ft
This 525 ft Japanese freighter, sunk on 24 September 1944 by US caircraft, lies on its starboard side in 112 ft of water. The port side hull is at 78 ft. The large holds are easy to penetrate and contain construction materials. The port side has good stony and soft corals and a variety of fish life, sponges and anemones with clownfish. Large grouper, lionfish and surgeonfish abound in the wreck with schools of barracuda, snappers, batfish, sweepers and fusiliers around it.
9. TANGAT WRECK (A191) - 4 star
Location: West of the southwest end of Tangat Island.
Access: 1 ¾ hr west by banca
Conditions: Normally calm, with light currents that can become very strong at spring tides. Visibility 25 ft to 50 ft
Average depth: 80 ft
Maximum depth: 100 ft
Another Japanese freighter 400 ft long, 5000 gross tons, this was sunk on 24 September 1944 by Us aircraft. It sits almost upright with perhaps a 15 degrees list to port, pointing 170 degrees (compass bearing) in 100 ft of water; the main deck is at 60-80 ft.
The site provides a good introduction to wreck diving for novices, with easy penetration of the cargo holds and a good variety of fish life. There are several large pufferfish, lots of large lionfish and scorpionfish, a lone bumperhead parrotfish, schools of batfish, snappers and sweepers, six-bandad angelfish and innumerable sponges. In good visibility this is an excellent wreck for photographers.
10. EAST TANGAT WRECK - 3 star
Location: Close to the southwest side of Tangat Island.
Access: 1 ½ hr west by banca
Conditions: Shallow calm water. Visibility 25 ft to 50 ft
Average depth: 33 ft
Maximum depth: 72 ft
Believed to be either a tugboat or an anti-submarine craft, this was sunk on 24 September 1944 by US aircraft, 130 ft long, 500 gross tons, it lies listing to starboard down a sandy slope with the stern at 72 ft and the top of the bow at 10 ft pointing 320 degrees(compass bearing). The water is mostly shallow enough for snorkellers, good for novices and photographers and for relaxation between dives.
There are no corals on the wreck, but there are some large lettuce corals beside it. There are small angelfish, butterflyfish - particularly Copperband Butterflyfish - and white sponges. Crinoids and sea stars are conspicuous by their absence.
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