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The Ultimate Guide to Wreck Diving in Coron, Philippines
- riworldtravelblog
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
Coron, Philippines, is widely considered one of the best wreck diving destinations in the world. Resting beneath the crystal-clear waters of Coron Bay are more than a dozen remarkably preserved Japanese World War II shipwrecks, creating an underwater museum unlike anywhere else on Earth.
Whether you're looking for your very first wreck dive or you're an experienced diver hoping to explore massive cargo ships and military vessels, Coron offers something for every skill level.
In this guide, we're covering everything you need to know before planning your trip—including how to get here, where to stay, the best dive operators, and the different wreck sites. We'll also dive into the history behind each wreck so you know exactly what you're exploring beneath the surface.
In This Guide:
Where is Coron?
Coron is located in the northern part of Palawan Province in the Philippines and serves as the gateway to some of the world's most famous World War II wreck dives.
Most visitors stay in Coron Town, but if your primary goal is diving, there may be a better option.
How to Get There
The easiest way to reach Coron is by flying into Francisco B. Reyes Airport (USU) on Busuanga Island.
Daily flights operate from:
Manila
Cebu
Clark
From the airport, you have two main choices to stay:
Option 1: Stay in Coron Town
Approximately 30 minutes from the airport.
Best for:
Restaurants
Nightlife
Budget travelers
Island hopping
Keep in mind you'll spend 45–60 minutes by boat reaching most wreck sites.
Option 2: Stay in Busuanga Bay (Our Recommendation)
About one hour from the airport.
Although farther from Coron Town, Busuanga Bay is significantly closer to the wreck dive sites. Most of our dives were only about 20 minutes away by boat, which meant:
More dive time
Less travel
Earlier arrivals
Fewer crowds
If you're coming primarily to dive the wrecks, this is where we'd stay again.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at Busuanga Bay Lodge, and it ended up being one of the highlights of the trip.
Besides spacious waterfront suites, an incredible infinity pool, and excellent food, the biggest advantage was convenience.
Every morning Pirate Divers Coron picked us up directly from the resort's private dock and dropped us back off after diving.
No transfers.
No hauling equipment through town.
Just wake up, eat breakfast, and step onto the dive boat.
Why Are There So Many Shipwrecks in Coron?
The wrecks scattered throughout Coron Bay all trace back to a single day during World War II. On September 24, 1944, the U.S. Navy launched a large-scale carrier-based air attack against the Imperial Japanese fleet anchored around Coron Bay.
More than a dozen Japanese ships—including cargo vessels, tankers, supply ships, and military support vessels—were sunk during the operation.
Today, those ships have become thriving artificial reefs covered in corals, sponges, and marine life, making Coron one of the world's premier wreck diving destinations.
Best Wrecks for Less Experienced Wreck Divers
If you're newer to wreck diving, these sites may be a good introduction to exploring Coron's wrecks from the outside and through appropriate, non-penetration areas.
As always, follow your dive operator's guidance and stay within the limits of your training and experience.
East Tangat Gunboat
Depth: 10–22 meters (33–72 ft)
Originally a Japanese patrol vessel, East Tangat Gunboat is one of the shallowest wrecks in Coron.
Its smaller size makes it much less intimidating than the larger cargo ships.
The wreck is almost completely covered in coral, attracting schools of reef fish and making it feel more like a natural reef than a military ship.
The wreck has several large openings that allow divers to get a look inside, although entering overhead areas should only be done with the appropriate training, equipment, and experience.
Ekkai Maru
Depth: 10–30 meters (33–98 ft)
Length: approximately 150 meters
Originally built as a passenger-cargo ship before being converted for military use by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
Unlike many wrecks in Coron, Ekkai Maru lies on its side and has broken into several sections.
This creates wide entry points and plenty of natural light, allowing good visibility from outside the wreck and more straightforward internal navigation for divers with appropriate training.
For divers wanting to experience a World War II wreck with accessible exterior views and appropriate opportunities for trained penetration, Ekkai Maru is one of the more accessible and enjoyable options.
Best Wrecks for Experienced Wreck Divers
These wrecks can involve greater depths, current, limited visibility, and overhead environments. Your certification level alone doesn't necessarily qualify you for wreck penetration, so always discuss the planned dive with your operator beforehand.
Kogyo Maru
Depth: 25–34 meters (82–112 ft)
Length: approximately 160 meters
One of Coron's most famous wrecks. Originally transporting construction equipment when it was sunk during the September 1944 air raids.
Inside you'll still find:
Cement mixers
Pipes
Construction machinery
Cargo holds
Because the ship rests on its side, it has areas where divers can see into the interior, while some sections involve overhead environments and should only be entered by appropriately trained divers.
Okikawa Maru
Depth: 10–26 meters (33–85 ft)
Length: approximately 160 meters
Originally a Japanese oil tanker.
Unlike several other wrecks, Okikawa Maru remained relatively upright after sinking.
Today it's one of the most beautiful wrecks in Coron. Its exterior is almost completely covered in coral, while schools of fish surround the ship year-round.
The enormous tanker corridors give you a glimpse of just how massive the vessel was, although entering these overhead areas requires appropriate training and experience.
Akitsushima
Depth: 22–36 meters (72–118 ft)
Perhaps the most iconic wreck in Coron.
Akitsushima served as a seaplane tender for the Imperial Japanese Navy, providing maintenance and logistical support for reconnaissance aircraft.
Its most recognizable feature is the enormous crane still resting on the seabed, once used to lift seaplanes from the water.
Nearby, divers can still see anti-aircraft guns that defended the ship during World War II.
Recommended Dive Operator
We completed all of our dives with Pirate Divers Coron, and they were outstanding from start to finish.
Highlights included:
Professional dive briefings
Excellent rental equipment
Small groups
Spacious dive boat
Delicious lunches between dives
Hotel pickup from Busuanga Bay Lodge
Our dive guide, Flora, was incredibly knowledgeable and made the dives feel safe, relaxing, and enjoyable. They also have a detailed breakdown of the ship wrecks in Coron.
Wreck Diving Disclaimer
Wreck diving comes with additional risks compared to standard recreational diving, especially when entering enclosed or overhead areas. The wrecks mentioned in this guide vary in depth, condition, accessibility, and level of difficulty.
Never enter a wreck beyond the limits of your training, certification, experience, and equipment.
Some wreck penetrations may require specialized wreck or overhead-environment training, redundant equipment, and appropriate dive planning.
The information in this guide is based on our personal experience and is intended for general travel and informational purposes only.
Always follow the guidance of your dive operator and instructor, check current conditions before diving, and make your own assessment of whether a particular dive is appropriate for your experience level.
When in doubt, stay outside the wreck.
Tips Before You Go
Get the Right Training for the Dives You Want to Do
An Advanced Open Water certification is recommended given the depth of many of Coron's wreck sites, but it's important to understand that Advanced Open Water certification does not automatically qualify you for wreck penetration.
If you plan to enter enclosed portions of a wreck, you'll need the appropriate specialized training, experience, equipment, and dive planning. Always talk with your dive operator beforehand about which wrecks and penetrations are appropriate for your experience level.
Bring a Dive Light
Even large openings become dark quickly inside the wrecks. A quality dive light makes a huge difference.
Practice Excellent Buoyancy
Good buoyancy is especially important when diving wrecks. Many of Coron's wrecks are covered in delicate coral and marine life, and even a small accidental contact can cause damage.
Good buoyancy also becomes increasingly important around overhead environments, where maintaining control of your position and avoiding contact with the wreck are essential.
Research the Wrecks
Decide which wrecks you are most interested in and are within your bounds of competence, and prioritize those dive sites.
Is Barracuda Lake Worth Diving?
Barracuda Lake, where salt and fresh water meet, offers aa unique opportunity to experience a reverse thermocline, where the water gets warmer as you increase your depth.
And while many are excited by the opportunity, for us, Barracuda Lake didn't compare to the wreck dives.If your schedule is limited, we'd recommend dedicating another dive to one of Coron's historic wrecks instead.
Final Thoughts
Coron isn't just a great place to dive—it's a place where history, adventure, and marine life all come together.
Seeing a World War II shipwreck while surrounded by coral and tropical fish is an experience that's difficult to describe until you've actually done it.
With wrecks ranging from relatively shallow sites suitable for exterior exploration to deeper vessels requiring more experience and specialized training, Coron offers an incredible variety of diving experiences
An honest and important note - you don't need to penetrate a wreck to have an incredible experience—some of Coron's most impressive sights can be appreciated entirely from the outside.
If you're planning a trip to the Philippines and love diving, we'd absolutely put Coron on the list.
Watch Our Full Coron Wreck Diving Video
Want to see what these wrecks actually look like beneath the surface? Check out our full Coron wreck diving video for our dives, the wrecks we explored, and our experience diving with Pirate Divers Coron.
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