Reefwander
Reefwander
Full calendar

Destinations at their peak each month

  1. Jan167
  2. Feb183
  3. Mar192
  4. Apr216
  5. May186
  6. Jun272
  7. Jul307
  8. Aug313
  9. Sep296
  10. Oct180
  11. Nov119
  12. Dec145

Americas

Europe, Africa & Middle East

Indo-Pacific

A turquoise lagoon framed by jagged limestone karst peaks on Coron Island in northern Palawan.

Coron · Philippines · Reef · Drift

Lusong Reef

A two-kilometre reef that turns into a gentle drift on the tide

Area photo: Ray in Manila · CC BY 2.0

Lusong Reef runs for two kilometres along the south-western edge of Lusong Island, its southern tip reaching into sheltered Lusong Bay close to the Lusong Gunboat wreck. It is an easy, relaxed reef dive with soft and hard corals and frequent turtles, and on the right tide it becomes a gentle drift.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Lusong Reef: typical dive to 15 m (to 50 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit15 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

11.9759° N, 120.0187° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The shallower parts of the reef hold soft and hard corals, schools of colourful reef fish and, quite often, sea turtles. Nudibranchs, large fan corals and barrel sponges line the reef, and table corals appear deeper down toward the 15 m bottom. Under the right tidal conditions the dive becomes a gentle drift along the reef.

Marine life and season

  • Sea turtles
  • Nudibranchs
Month-by-month season rating for Lusong Reef
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimePrimeFairFairFairFairFairFairFairPrime

Season follows Coron: Dry December to April brings glassy seas and the best visibility; in the wet months bad weather sometimes stops diving.

Sources

  1. Reef Dives — Sangat Island Dive Resort
  2. OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap contributors

More dive sites in Coron

Wreck

Akitsushima Wreck

A 35-ton seaplane crane on a warship lying on her side at 35 m

22–35 m · max 36 madvanced

Cave & cavern

Barracuda Lake

Fresh water over salt, and 38 degrees below the thermocline

to 30 m · max 40 madvanced

Reef

Calumbuyan Reef

A channel drift at 1 to 3 knots between two wrecks

4–34 madvanced

Cave & cavern

Cathedral Cave

A fallen tree lit by daylight inside a cavern under Coron Island

6–12 madvanced

Wreck

East Tangat Wreck

A 35 m gunboat in 3 to 19 m, open to any certification

3–19 mbeginner

Wreck

Irako Wreck

A 145 m provisions ship with its deck areas at 28 to 35 m

28–35 m · max 43 madvanced

Wreck

Kogyo Maru

A bulldozer and cement bags still in the cargo holds

25–34 madvanced

Similar dives elsewhere

Reef

Cleaning Station

Mabul & Kapalai · Malaysia

Resident turtles around an old wooden boat wreck

5–16 mbeginner

Reef

Fallen Tree

Cabilao · Philippines

A gentle drift over coral and sand to 18 m

to 18 mbeginner

Reef

Kapalai House Reef

Mabul & Kapalai · Malaysia

Resident turtles around an old wooden boat wreck on the slope

5–16 mbeginner

Reef

Shark Point

Gili Islands · Indonesia

Whitetip sharks and turtles on three coral levels at 18-24 m

18–24 m · max 40 madvanced