WWII Japanese Shipwrecks

In September 1944, American aircraft sank a fleet of Japanese supply ships in Coron Bay. Twelve of those wrecks remain on the sea floor — most between 15 and 40 meters deep — and form the best concentration of accessible WWII wreck dives anywhere in the world.

The most-dived wrecks are the Irako (an upright supply ship, 40 meters deep), the Akitsushima (a seaplane tender lying on its side), and the Olympia Maru (an easier dive at 25 meters, suitable for newer divers).

Diving Coron's wrecks requires Advanced Open Water certification at minimum, and many shops require additional wreck-diving training before allowing penetration dives inside the ships. The wrecks are coral-encrusted and home to lionfish, batfish, scorpionfish, and hundreds of smaller species.

Dive shops on the Coron waterfront offer 2-tank and 3-tank trips. Expect PHP 3,500-5,500 per person for a 2-tank dive day including gear, lunch, and boat. Wreck diving novices should book at least 3 days in Coron to do several wrecks of increasing difficulty.