Updated August 7, 2022
This is the eighteenth in a series that introduces and describes the various dive services and sites for worldwide liveaboard dive safaris. The focus in this one is on Coron Wrecks and Apo Reef liveaboards.
In addition to this liveaboard series, the best worldwide dive resort locations and services are reviewed in their own series. To check them out, or other liveaboards, click on Liveaboards / Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title.
Have you ever been diving in Coron or on Apo Reef before? If so, I’d love to know about your experience. What dive shop or liveaboard did you use? Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.? Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.
Apo Reef Diving
Located 56 km west of the town of Sablayan on Mindoro Island is the marine sanctuary known as Apo Reef. It is the largest atoll in the Philippines and the second-largest coral reef in the world. Destructive fishing practices discouraged diving there until 1996 when by presidential proclamation, it became a marine sanctuary and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since then enforcement has increased and the environment has flourished.
Apo Reef is 34 square km (21 square miles) in area and has a narrow east/west 30 m (100 ft) deep channel dividing it into two lagoon systems. These shallow lagoons with seagrass beds are fringed by mangrove forests that provide fish spawning grounds and a sanctuary for birds. The fringing reef begins at 5 m (16 ft) and descends to 40 m (130 ft) with some steep walls and over 30 discernible dive sites.
It has a rich coral reef system with excellent macro and lots of fish highlighted by schools of barracuda, jacks and tuna, sharks, manta rays, and turtles. At Shark Ridge, it is common to see white and blacktip reef sharks, mantas, bumphead parrotfish, and hawksbill turtles. Big schools of large snappers, tuna, and eagle rays frequent Binangaan Drop Off.
Diving is possible year-round with air temps from 80-96°F (26-36°C) and water temps from 80-86°F (26-30°C). Current is not usually strong and conditions are suitable for relative beginners and advanced divers. Visibility is generally great up to 40 m (130 ft).
The relative isolation of Apo Reef makes liveaboard diving the best way to access it.
Coron Island Diving
On September 24, 1944, the Japanese fleet anchored in the Coron Bay area of Palawan Province in the western Philippines was caught unawares and 24 ships were sunk in a 15-minute aerial attack by U.S. forces. To date, 12 wrecks have been discovered, mostly in the Tangat (Sangat) Island area.
The Akitsushima is the largest at 118 m and the Irako the deepest at 43 m. Most are upright or on their sides and deep penetration is possible. It takes 2 or more dives to do significant exploration on most. With depth and penetration as considerations, these dives are most suitable for advanced divers.
While the life on the reef cannot be compared to the richness of that on Apo Reef, there is a substantial amount of beautiful coral and interesting fish including barracudas and groupers, and lots of smaller fascinating fishes like scorpionfish, lionfish, crocodile fish, and invertebrates like shrimps, crabs, nudibranchs, anemones, and tunicates.
In the area are a number of richer non-wreck sites to investigate that are often included in liveaboard safaris like Kalumbuyan Island, Seven Islands, Bugar Reef, and Barracuda Lake.
The diving is good year-round with the best visibility during the November to June dry season. It can be as good as 15 m (50 ft), but as bad as 5 m (16 ft), so the season is a consideration. Fortunately, the major liveaboards do their trips during the dry season. Water temperatures are also fairly warm year-round ranging from 25-31°C (77-88°F). Most divers will want a 3mm full wetsuit during the dry season, which is also the cooler season.
Apo Reef and Coron Wrecks Liveaboard Dive Boats
Below are the boats all combining dives on Apo Reef and the Coron Wrecks in the same cruise during the dry season of November to June. Each has its own unique features, services, itineraries, and pricing.
For full details on all the liveaboard boats on the list above, click here.
- January to March diving Apo Reef and Coron
- 8-day itinerary includes: Apo Reef, Barracuda Lake – Siete Pecados (7 Islands) – Maquinit Hot Spring- Kayangan Lake, Sangat & Culion Islands – Sangat or Tangat Wreck and the Olympia Maru, Night Dive at Dynamite Point, Kalumbuyan & North Cay Islands – Akitsushima, Taiei Maru, Calumbuyans reefs, Dibotonai & Talampulan Islands – Nanshin Maru, Dibotonai reef, Club Paradise, Dimakya Island – Kyokozan Maru (Dimalanta Wreck), Club paradise house reef
- Air-conditioned salon and dining area
- Aircon cabins with ensuite bathrooms
- Audio & video entertainment
- Sun deck
- Indoor saloon
- Non-diver (snorkeler) friendly
- Camera room with table and charging point
- Charging stations
- En-Suite bathrooms
- 2 shaded decks
- Outdoor dining area and bar
- Western and local food
- English speaking crew
- Non-divers welcome – island excursions, beach hopping, kayaking, snorkeling
- Nitrox available
- Shaded diving deck
- Onboard kayaks
- 3 tenders for diving
- December to March diving Apo Reef and Coron
- 8-day itinerary includes: Apo Reef and Tara Islands – shark ridge, Binangaan drop off, Coron wrecks – Okikawa Maru, Olympia Maru, East Tangat Gunboat, Akitsusima, Irako, Black Island Wreck, or Nanshin Maru, Kyokuzan Maru, Dimipac Island
- All cabins have ensuite bathrooms
- Western and local food
- Shaded diving deck
- Camera room with 3 tier table, charging point, and rinse tanks
- Audio & video entertainment
- Library
- Air-conditioned saloon
- Aircon cabins
- Sun deck
- Indoor saloon
- Non-diver (snorkeler) friendly
- Separate rinse for u/w camera
- Hot tub
- Charging stations
- English speaking crew
- Nitrox and re-breather facilities
- Aluminum hull boat
- 2 zodiac tenders
- 3 Life rafts, each accommodating 12 passengers
Coron Wrecks & Apo Reef Liveaboard Dive Boats Comparison Table
MV Discovery Palawan | MV Dolphin | PY Atlantis Azores | Flying Dolphin 3 | MY Resolute |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Length | 49.2 m | 27 m | 32 m | 18 m | 34.6 m |
Guests | 32 | 18 | 16 | 8 | 16 |
Equipment | $30/day dive computer $6/day | rental by the piece | $35/day dive computer $15/day | rental by the piece | rental by the piece |
Nitrox | $8/fill | $2/fill | $145/trip | price to be arranged | $5/fill |
Snorkeling Available | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | check with staff |
Price/Day | $279 | $200 | $317 | $143 | $249 |
MV Discovery Palawan | MV Dolphin | PY Atlantis Azores | Flying Dolphin 3 | MY Resolute |
For other popular posts about Philippine diving, check these:
- Best Scuba Diving Coron Philippines
- Scuba Diving Romblon Philippines
- Scuba Diving Camiguin Philippines Review
- Scuba Diving Siquijor Island Philippines Review
- Scuba Diving Dumaguete Philippines Review
- Philippines Puerto Princesa Scuba Diving Review
- Best Liveaboard Diving – Tubbataha Reefs National Park
- Best Liveaboard Scuba Diving Philippines
- Best Scuba Diving Philippines Subic Bay Wrecks
- Best Diving Bohol Philippines – Panglao Island Resorts
- Best Scuba Diving Puerto Galera Philippines
- Best Scuba Diving Holidays Boracay Philippines
- Best Scuba Diving Philippines Sogod Bay
- Philippines Best Diving Mactan Island
- Best Philippines Diving Bacuit Bay El Nido
- Best Diving Philippines Anilao Batangas
- Best Diving Review Anda Bohol
- Best Scuba Diving Resorts Malapascua
- Best Diving Philippines Visayas Liveaboards
- Philippines Moalboal Scuba Diving Review
Apo Reef and Coron Wrecks Photos
With the beautiful coral reefs, wrecks, biodiversity including rays, turtles, a variety of sharks, dolphins, pelagics, macro critters, and reef tropicals, there are many excellent photo opportunities. For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:
Scuba Diving Trip Insurance
A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation. I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.
Feedback and Comments
I hope you found this post on Apo Reef and Coron wrecks liveaboards interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section. I’d love to know of any experience you have diving in there. If there is no comments section directly below, click here: >>comments<<
Matthew says
It has always been a dream of mine to be able to go scuba diving in these awesome tropical places I have seen so many times on the television, I haven’t tried it at all yet as there is nowhere local to where I live where I could have scuba diving lessons, if that’s what they are called, lol.
I’ve heard that you need so many hours dive time to be able to dive in certain parts of the world but you would think that diving would be the same everywhere wouldn’t it?
A couple of questions if you have the time to answer them for me please?
First one is in from the UK and would love to know where I can go to get taught to scuba dive?
And the other is how many hours would I need under my belt to be able to on the Apo Reef Dive?
Thanks if you can answer these questions for me 🙂
Joe says
Hi Mathew,
Thanks a lot for your interest, comments and questions.
Basic scuba training is pretty much standardized and you can get it done through a number of organizations. PADI is the world’s largest and BSAC is very well established and UK based. You can go to their websites and find a location nearest to you for the training. Here are the websites:
https://dive.padi.com/EMEA_UK/…
https://www.bsac.com/home/
There are also many resorts and liveaboards that do this training.
The basic open water course takes 3-5 days to accomplish and includes 5 shallow water or pool training sessions and 4 open water dives with a maximum depth of 18 meters. If you would like to go beyond that boundary you could take the advanced open water course which includes 5 dives under more advanced conditions. Also, there is reading and study to be accomplished.
At Apo Reef there are some dives suitable for beginners and some a little more advanced.
I hope you can do the course and get started. There is a lot of diving around the UK that is very interesting and exciting, as well.
If you have any further questions about anything related to scuba diving, please let me know.
Best regards,
Joe
Pardeap says
Hi Joe. I found your article to be inspirational and motivating. Diving seems so relaxing and therapeutic. The sad part is that these corals reefs are disappearing at an alarming rate. I think your site should contain some awareness section about the depleting corals due to massive amounts of garbage being thrown into the oceans. Not only these corals are beautiful but they also serve a major purpose in ecology. I think a site like yours is a perfect place to bring awareness to the world.
Thnx Pardeap
Joe says
Hi Pardeap,
Thanks a lot for your comments. I can see you are very environmentally conscious.
In the scuba diving community we, too, are extremely conscious of practices that are damaging to the environment and to the ocean in particular. From early in our diver training this is emphasized. The major training organization, PADI, has Project Aware, where divers and volunteers clean up reefs and beaches and have educations seminars for the public. A vast majority of trained divers have participated. So, as divers it is built-in that we are ambassadors for a cleaner more natural environment without negative influences from man.
If you would like to become a certified open water diver, it takes 3-5 days and involves 5 shallow water or pool training sessions and 4 open water dives, not to mention some reading and studying. This can be accomplished on some of the liveaboards and at many beautiful resort locations around the world. Let me know and I can help you select a suitable place for you to do it.
Best regards,
Joe
Casey Keith says
As an avid snorkeler who has never found the time for my scuba certification, I am thrilled that these types of excursions exist and that they are specifically snorkeler friendly!!!! Although the shipwrecks may make me too sad to explore, I am delighted that there are reef diving options to consider visiting. I love that destructive fishing practices are being discouraged and that so much of the habitat is recovering after being designated as protected. This site gives me some new things to daydream about and eventually plan a trip for. My snorkel gear is ready when the time comes!
Joe says
Hi Casey,
Thanks a lot for your kind comments.
If at some point you would like to get certified, I can give you some advice on how to get it done. Some of the liveaboards offer the open water diver course and there are many beautiful resorts around the world that can do it.
This cruise and many others are snorkeler friendly, but as you know you are not going to go get a chance to see the Irako at 40 meters in depth with only a snorkel. Fortunately the crew would arrange many places that are suitable. Apo Reef and many of the islands around Coron have excellent snorkeling opportunities.
Many people in the Philippines are poor and looking for any way to make a living including dynamite fishing. Fortunately there is now much stronger government support and control and education. Many of the dynamite fishermen are now able to participate in the increased tourism and diving activities to help earn a living.
If you have any further questions or comments about anything related to scuba diving, please let me know.
Best regards,
Joe