Coron · Philippines · Wreck
Kyokuzan Maru
Japanese staff cars and trucks still parked in the cargo holds
Area photo: Ray in Manila · CC BY 2.0
The Kyokuzan Maru is a Japanese freighter of about 180 m resting upright on sand in Maricaban Bay, northeast of Busuanga and far to the north of Coron town. The hull is more or less intact, and its cargo holds still carry Japanese staff cars and trucks, which is why divers make the long trip north for it.
Where it is and how deep
12.1874° N, 120.0989° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Descents land on the upper deck levels, which lie between 22 and 28 m. From the deck, entries into the cargo holds are easy to make, and inside them the shapes of Japanese staff cars and trucks can still be made out among the cargo. The rest of the ship drops away below the deck to the sandy bottom at 40 m, and visibility on the wreck usually runs to about 20 m.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Kyokuzan Maru
- Type
- Japanese freighter
- Length
- 180 m (591 ft)
- Cause
- Not recorded
- Lies
- Upright and largely intact on the sandy seabed of Maricaban Bay, northeast of Busuanga
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime |
Season follows Coron: Dry December to April brings glassy seas and the best visibility; in the wet months bad weather sometimes stops diving.
Dive videos
Wreck Dive the Kyokuzan Maru. Coron, Palawan, Philippines. · Dive The Planet on YouTube
Technical Wreck Diving - Kyokuzan Maru, Coron · Pro-Tech Philippines on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How is the Kyokuzan Maru reached from Coron?+
It lies too far north for the Coron Bay boats: the trip is a one-hour jeepney ride to the north end of Busuanga and a rented dive boat from there, done as a full day with two dives.
Sources
- Wreck and Scuba Dive Sites of Coron Bay — Dive Right-Coron
- Wreck Dives — Sangat Island Dive Resort
- OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap contributors
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