Diving in Subic

Subic Bay is renowned to be one of the best wreck diving sites in Asia owing to the war between US and Spain in addition to World War II where Japanese vessels sank within the area.

The US Naval Facility was located in Olongapo City where Subic Bay is located and it is considered to be the largest one in the Far East. Many wreck divers from across the globe consider Subic diving sites as one of the best and has become their favorite diving exploration destination.

It is notable that only the Coron and Subic Bay are the only dive sites in the Philippines that are rich with wreck diving sites. Thus many wreck divers specifically go to these places in order to enjoy a more pleasurable wreck diving exploration. Among the famous wreck diving sites in Subic are the following:

The USS New York Sea Wreck

Divers enjoy the picture perfect underwater exploration on this wrecked vessel from World War I vintage battle cruiser that was active in serving the Philippine-American War until the Chinese Revolution and World War I.

This dive site is located between the Alava Pier and the northern end of the runway and is 27 meters deep with no current which makes it perfect for underwater photography. The wreck vessel of USS New York still has its cannon intact.

Many divers enjoy the sights of barracuda, spotted sweet lips groupers, lion fishes, lobsters and spotted rays that inhabit the wrecked site. However wreck divers are cautioned to be careful diving on this site since a number of divers were reported to have been lost from this wreck site.

The Wreck of AN LST Dive Site

This is the vessel wreck of a landing craft that is located about 32 meters below while sitting upright and its door open. Located along the southern tip of the runway and Grande Island, it gives divers an average dive of 28 to 35 meters with 15- 30 meters of visibility. Although this wreck diving site is a bit deeper than the rest of the wrecks found in Subic with a small current it remains to be a safe diving site.

The El Capitan Dive Site

This is a diving site located along the Ilanin Bay where one can find a freighter called El Capitan lying with its port side and its bow resting about 20 meters below. This wreck diving site gives a shallow dive especially good for new divers with about 5 to 20 meters of visibility. Divers can find different marine life such as tropical fishes including gobies, wrasses, tangs, crabs, lobsters, glass eyes, clown fish and spotted sweet lips.

Seiun Maru Dive Site

Along the northern end of the runway and the Alava Pier is a Japanese cargo ship that sunk after a battle with the US Navy in 1945. This cargo ship weighs about 30,000 tons and it is found about 27 meters below lying on its port side.

The dive site gives a visibility of 5 -15 meters with negligible currents. The dive site can begin an average of 18 meters to 24 meters deep. One can also find spotted sweet lips, talakitok, coral tout and other marine life species on its cavernous holds.

The Oryoku Maru Diving Site

This wreck diving site gives divers a 20 meter dive with a 5 to 15 meter visibility located about 400 meters off the Alava Pier. Divers can find the Oryoku Maru, a passenger ship that was attacked by the American aircraft with families and American war prisoners aboard during the attack.

Due to its shallow depth the wreck was flattened by explosives in order to provide a safe navigation to other vessels passing by. The dive site is also a home to different marine life such as angle fish, lobsters, barracuda, spotted sweet lips, clown fish and talakitok.

The Patrol Boat Diving Site

The vessel is found about 20 to 25 meters below Triboa Bay with a visibility of 7 to 13 meters. Below one can find abundant marine life such as varying fishes and corals. From the bow of the ship across the coral reef divers can further dive about 3 meters more.

The San Quentin Diving Site

About 12 meters deep with a weak current and good visibility, the ship can be seen and easily discernable. The wreckage already lies flat on the sand although the bow and the stern remain to be intact.