Wreck Diving in the Philippines: 119 Sites, One Legendary Graveyard

The Philippines holds some of the most intact WWII wreck diving on the planet. Coron Bay alone contains a fleet of Japanese supply ships sunk in a single US air raid in 1944, sitting in warm, clear water you can dive every month of the year. Across 119 published sites, the range runs from calm beginner reefs to deep, current-swept wrecks that demand experience.

Best wreck dive sites in the Philippines

• Coron — IRAKO Wreck (advanced, 28–42 m, Coron Bay): A 147-metre refrigerator ship resting on its side. Penetration is possible through the engine room and cargo holds; visibility regularly hits the mid-20s. The depth and swim-throughs make this strictly advanced territory.
• Verde Island Passage — The Drop-Off (advanced, 5–40 m): Not a wreck itself, but the passage is a transit route for divers moving between wreck clusters; walls drop hard and current can run strong.
• Baluarte (beginner, viz 20 m): A shallower, calmer site suited to newer divers building confidence before attempting deeper wrecks in the region.
• Katipanan (beginner, viz 20 m): Similar profile to Baluarte — good visibility, manageable conditions, useful for wreck-adjacent skills practice.
• Cave (advanced, viz 30 m): High visibility and an overhead environment; relevant experience in confined spaces translates directly to wreck penetration.

When is the best time to dive wrecks in the Philippines

Water temperature stays between 26 °C and 29 °C year-round, so thermal comfort is never a limiting factor. Coron is most reliably calm between November and May; the southwest monsoon (June–October) can bring chop to the bay and reduce surface conditions, though the wrecks themselves remain diveable on many days. If your trip is wreck-focused, aim for December through April for the most consistent access.

Is wreck diving in the Philippines good for beginners

Partly. Sites like Baluarte and Katipanan (both rated beginner, 20 m visibility) let newer divers get comfortable in Philippine conditions. The headline wrecks in Coron — including the IRAKO at 28–42 m — are rated advanced and require an AOW certification at minimum; penetration dives need a wreck specialty. Operators in Coron run guided tours that keep less experienced divers to the exterior superstructure at shallower depths.

What you'll see

Beyond the steel, the wrecks themselves have become artificial reefs. Green sea turtles are recorded across Philippine dive sites and are frequently spotted resting on encrusted hull sections. Great barracuda cruise the open water above the wrecks, often in loose groups near the bow or stern. Coral growth on the older wrecks is substantial — some hulls are barely recognisable under decades of encrustation.

FAQ

Do I need a wreck specialty to dive the IRAKO? For exterior dives, an Advanced Open Water certification is generally sufficient. Full penetration into cargo holds and the engine room requires a PADI Wreck Diver specialty or equivalent.

How deep are the Coron wrecks? The IRAKO sits at 28–42 m. Other Coron wrecks range from around 10 m (suitable for recreational divers) to over 40 m for the deepest sections.

What is the water temperature in Coron? Expect 26–29 °C. A 3 mm wetsuit is comfortable for most divers; some prefer 5 mm for multiple dives per day at depth.

Can I combine wreck diving with reef diving on the same trip? Yes. Coron operators routinely mix wreck dives in the morning with reef sites in the afternoon. Sites like Mantigue Island and Balicasag — Rico's Wall are within range for liveaboard itineraries.

Philippines dive map