Dive Sites in Coron (Palawan), Philippines
5 dive sites in Coron (Palawan)
Twelve Japanese warships sunk in a single 1944 air raid, now sitting at recreational depths and open for penetration. Coron has some of the world's most accessible wreck diving, plus the surreal thermocline experience of Barracuda Lake. Fun dives from $30, with daily flights from Manila. Browse all Coron dive sites below.
The Akitsushima is the only Japanese seaplane tender sunk during the war that's accessible to recreational divers, and that unique history gives this ...
The Irako Maru sits upright on the sandy bottom at 43 metres, the deepest of Coron's accessible Japanese wrecks and arguably the most rewarding for ex...
The Kogyo Maru is Coron's most popular wreck for good reason: it combines accessible depth, impressive size, and a cargo hold so overgrown with marine...
The Okikawa Maru is one of the most accessible and visually dramatic wrecks in Coron, a 160-metre oil tanker sitting upright in 26 metres of water wit...
The Taiei Maru sits upright on the sandy bottom at 26 metres, a small tanker that packs more atmosphere per metre than many of Coron's larger wrecks. ...
Twelve Japanese warships sit on the seabed around Coron, sunk by American aircraft on 24 September 1944 during a single devastating raid. Today, wreck diving in Coron, Palawan ranks among the best in the world, and arguably the most accessible. Most wrecks rest between 10 and 35 metres, well within recreational limits, and several are penetrable with proper training.
The Irako, a 147-metre refrigeration ship, and the Akitsushima, a seaplane tender, are the standouts. Both offer swim-throughs, intact structures, and coral encrustation that has turned steel warships into artificial reefs over eight decades. The Okikawa Maru, Kogyo Maru, and Olympia Maru each have their own character. You could dive a different wreck every day for nearly two weeks and not repeat a site.
Coron isn't only wrecks, though. Barracuda Lake is a surreal inland dive through thermoclines that shift from 28 to 38°C (yes, genuinely hot water at depth), with visibility so clear the limestone walls look computer-generated. Reef sites around the Calamianes group offer healthy corals, reef sharks, and sea turtles for days when you want something lighter.
The town of Coron sits on Busuanga Island, connected to Manila by daily 1-hour flights. Dive operators run day trips to the wrecks, and most sites are 30 to 45 minutes by bangka boat. Costs are reasonable by any standard: fun dives typically run $30 to $40 including equipment. The best conditions fall between November and May, when seas are calm and visibility reaches 15 to 25 metres. During the southwest monsoon (June to October), some outer sites become inaccessible.