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Malapascua Island: Wreck Diving | Dumaguete Info

Wreck Diving in Malapascua

Malapascua Island in Cebu is not just a great dive site for thresher sharks because the place is also a good dive site for wreck diving. There are a number of wreck dive sites in Malapascua Island that are worth the visits of beginners and experienced divers. The Lighthouse Wreck – A landing craft of the Japanese during the World War II can be found in the dive site. The wreck is situated about three meters deep in average, so the dive site in Malapascua Island is a shallow dive.

Interesting sea creatures are giving life to the wreck dive site in Malapascua Island such as hermit crabs, yellow-tailed barracuda, pipefish, octopus, banded sea snakes, and juvenile harlequin sweetlips. Near the Lighthouse Wreck in Malapascua Island is a dive site called Lighthouse West where you can find numerous seahorses and mandarinfish.

The Doña Marilyn Wreck – It is a passenger ferry that is about a hundred meters long that sank near Malapascua Island due to a typhoon about 20 years ago. The vessel in the dive site is still in one piece that is now lying on the sandy sea floor on the vessel’s starboard side.

Under the bow of the vessel, the blue-spotted and marble rays make their home together with the whitetip sharks. You can also see the devil and eagle rays just passing through. Beautiful and healthy soft corals grow covering the wreck allowing the reef fishes to grow large.

Penetration inside the vessel in the dive site in Malapascua Island is possible for those divers that are qualified. Inside the vessel, there are lots of interesting things to see because the vessel was not salvaged.

The Tapilon Wreck – A cargo carrier of the Japanese during the World War II sank near Malapascua Island because it was hit by torpedoes. The carrier was separated into many sections but the wreck is still recognizable. The dive site is alive with marine creatures and a beautiful growth of soft corals covered the wreck. A great sight to behold in the dive site is the small barracudas that are swimming around in number of thousands.

The MV Asia Wreck – The vessel sank near Malapascua Island many years had passed and one prop is still attached to the vessel. The dive site will truly give a great diving experience for wreck lovers because the vessel’s decks are open so penetration inside the vessel is very safe for the divers.

The Pioneer Wreck – A Japanese gunboat during World War II that was hit by torpedoes and sank near Malapascua Island in the depth of 42 to 54 meters. Because the vessel is in the deep waters, the wreck is still in a very good condition, almost remain to be in one piece, and has an upright position. The dive site is a deep dive and divers that are trained for decompression diving are only allowed to go.

Malapascua Island is a great diving destination in Cebu for both reef and wreck divers looking for amazing adventures at sea.