Coron's WWII Shipwrecks: History Beneath the Waves

Visit Duration

Entrance Fee

Dive rates vary by operator: typically ₱2,500-4,000 per dive (includes equipment, guide, boat). Multi-dive packages offer better value. Snorkeling at Skeleton Wreck: included in island hopping tours (₱1,500-1,800 all-in) or ₱200-300 entrance when visiting independently. PADI certification courses available: Open Water ₱18,000-22,000, Advanced ₱15,000-18,000.

Best Time to Visit

October to May (dry season) for best diving conditions - calm seas, excellent visibility (10-25+ meters), and comfortable water temperatures (27-30°C). Peak season is December to April. June to September (monsoon) brings reduced visibility and rougher seas, though diving is still possible. Early morning dives offer best visibility before boats stir up sediment. Weekdays are less crowded than weekends.

How to Get There

Fly from Manila to Busuanga Airport (1 hour), then van to Coron town (30-45 min, ₱150). Book with licensed dive operators in Coron town - popular operators include Pirates Diving, Discovery Divers, and Sea Dive Resort. They provide boat transport to all wreck sites. Skeleton Wreck is also accessible via island hopping tours without diving certification. Wreck sites are scattered around Coron Bay, 15-45 minutes by boat from town.

What to Expect

For certified divers, expect to explore massive intact shipwrecks encrusted with colorful soft and hard corals teeming with marine life. The Irako (147m) is considered the best wreck dive in the Philippines - nearly intact with decks at 34m rising from a 45m bottom. The Akitsushima features an enormous crane and seaplane remnants. Olympia Maru and Kogyo Maru offer extensive cargo holds to penetrate. For non-divers, the Skeleton Wreck at just 5m depth is perfect for snorkeling - a small 25m supply ship now completely overgrown with coral. Water visibility ranges 10-25m, temperatures 27-30°C year-round. Expect haunting atmosphere as you swim through history - these wrecks are war graves.