Coron Island is located on the south east of Manila, just an hour flight from the capital of the Philippines. Coron is famous for its stunning and idyllic beaches. But it is also one of the best dive sites in the world as Coron is well blessed with a wide range of dive sites to suit all tastes and experience. From shallow reefs to advanced wreck diving, it has it all. There are 10 sunken ship wrecks around Coron, making diving in this place a thrilling adventure for any level of diver.

Diving in Coron

Most of the wrecks are sunk to a depth of 20-40 meters and you need at least an Advanced Open Water certification to dive at those sites. But do not worry if you don’t have one. There are other dive sites in Coron that are located at the maximum depth of 12 m. Diving down to this point doesn’t require any certification and can be even done for the first time.

The preparations starts at 8 AM at the dive shop, where you will be given a wet suit and collect the equipment. In Coron as in many places, you will be diving 2 times that day if you are a beginner (like we did) or 3 times if you have at least Open Water certification. The dives sites will be 1 ( or 2 with Open Water) ship wreck and 1 coral reef.

After collecting all the necessary things, you will take a tricycle to the boat located at the port. From there it will take an hour of boat ride to the location of the first dive.

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East Tangat Gunboat

Located just off the shore of Sangat Island, this wreck was a Japanese gunboat. The maximum dept of this dive is 18 meters. As the wreck is well visible from the surface there will be people snorkeling as well. The boat will drop you off at the island, where your dive master will give you all the necessary information. Once you are comfortable and ready, you will just follow your instructor into deeper waters.

We must say that it was absolutely unbelievable experience to dive next to a ship wreck. We dived in the Gili Islands in Indonesia before, but the wrecks were an extra thrill. As our dive master saw that we were very comfortable under the water, he even lead us inside of the ship! ??

Coral Garden Reef

After a delicious lunch we got on the boat and a little rest, it was time for the second dive of the day: The Coral Garden Reef. It was a beautiful dive at 18 m and the reef was just spectacular. We spotted many fish and huge corals of all different colours. Martyna loved specially the purple one as it was so bright comparing to all others.

What you need to know

You can go diving in Coron without a license. It’s also a great spot for beginners as the visibility is very good and the water has a nice temperature.

Choosing the right company for your dive is crucial. They must have professional gear, your guide must have at least dive master certification and patience. Remember that diving is a dangerous sport, never do anything beyond your level of comfort.

↬ Note : Be aware that doing wreck exploration in Coron is somehow normal … but technically it is legal only to licensed advance divers. Remember that entering a ship underwater can feel claustrophobic and can make you lose sense of up or down. Make sure you are at ease and up for it before following the group.

We recommend: Corto Divers or Fun & Sun

What to bring

• Wear comfortable swimwear and flip flops as they are easy to remove. You will be barefoot on the boat and wear fins while diving.
• Take towel with you, a hat and sunglasses.
• Pack biodegradable sunscreen, a hat or a scarf for your head and sunglasses.
• Don’t forget your Go Pro for beautiful underwater shots. It must have the super suit (deeper than 5m dive case) and red filter for better picture and videos colours.
• Take a light raincoat just in case (the weather might change unexpectedly).

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If you are planning your trip to Coron, make sure to read our Island Hopping in Coron – the Best Spots to Visit travel blog!