Layang-Layang · Malaysia · Reef
The Valley
Hundreds of hammerheads pass here in April and May
Area photo: matthew lee · CC BY 2.0
The Valley is a gentle slope of coral formations on the western point of Layang-Layang island, dived at 10 to 25 m in light current. Pelagic fish work the water off the edge and sharks hunt along the same line, while nudibranchs and flatworms on the coral give the dive a much smaller second subject.
Where it is and how deep
7.3735° N, 113.7868° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
You drop in over the reef and follow the slope down through the coral formations, keeping it on one shoulder and letting the depth build into the 10 to 25 m range. Current is usually light or absent, so this is a dive you set your own pace on. The shape is simple enough that most of your attention can go to the open water off the edge rather than to navigation.
Pelagic fish swim in the current out from the slope, with sharks hunting along the same line. In the right season, April and May, hundreds of hammerheads can be in the water around you. A manta ray sometimes circles past, and turtles rest in the cracks along the wall. When nothing is out in the blue there is still plenty of small life on the coral, including nudibranchs and flatworms.
Marine life and season
- Hammerheads
- Manta rays
- Sea turtles
- Nudibranchs
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season |
Season follows Layang-Layang: Closed to visitors since the resort's licence was revoked in January 2025. When it operated, the season ran March to August, with hammerheads peaking in April and May.
Sources
- The Valley Dive Site - Map & Review — Divezone
- Best Diving sites in Layang Layang — Divezone
More dive sites in Layang-Layang
Wall
Pygmy seahorses in the sea fans on the north wall
Wall
A vertical face into 2,000 m, with pygmy seahorses in the fans
Wall
Shoals of dogtooth tuna on a wall that drops to 2,000 m
Wall
A northern wall from 15 to 40 m where current draws the big fish
Wall
A long northern wall with hammerheads in the current below
Wall
An undercut at 25 m where reef sharks rest through the day
Reef
Drift the ledge in around 50 m of visibility
Wall
Leave the reef at 30-35 m and watch open water for hammerheads
Similar dives elsewhere
The island's most reliable edge for grey reef and whitetip sharks
Coral valleys and pillars in the current, no deeper than 25 m
Shore-entry house reef from 5 to 30 metres with structures at 15 m
The protected shallows where Balicasag's turtles are thickest