Hidden gem
Barracuda Lake
A lake where fresh water sits on top of salt water heated by geothermal vents to 38 C, with a resident barracuda.
- Advanced
- Lake
- Barracuda
Advanced≤30 m
Morazan Maru (Ekkai Maru)
Dive site in Coron, Philippines
A wreck lying on its side at 12-26 m, teeming with snappers and cardinalfish, with the occasional turtle.
- Max depth
- 26 m
- Level
- Advanced
- Best months
- Nov–May
- Current
- Mild
The story
Built in 1908 in the United Kingdom as the Manco, the ship was sold to Central America in 1921 and renamed Morazan. Captured by the Imperial Japanese Navy in Shanghai in 1941, she became the cargo vessel Ekkai Maru in 1942.
Source: xray-mag.com
The dive
A wreck dive. Known for turtles and scorpionfish.
Who it's for
Advanced≤30 mSource: divessi.com
Recommended minimum: Advanced (PADI Advanced Open Water, N2).
- DepthThe usual dive goes deeper than lower certifications allow.
- Overhead environment: only go inside with the matching training.
Conditions
- Dive type
- Wreck
- Environment
- Wreck penetration
- Water
- Sea water
What you might see
- Turtles
- Scorpionfish
- Groupers
- Snappers
Why divers come
- History
Best time to dive
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Best
- Good
- Possible
- Closed
- Not documented yet
Best months: Nov–May.
Where is Coron?
The point shows the Coron area, not the exact dive site.
More dives in Coron
Akitsushima
- Experienced
- Wreck
- Tuna
Siete Pecados
A marine-sanctuary reef of table and staghorn corals where turtles, Napoleon wrasse and mandarinfish can be seen.
- Advanced
- Reef
- Turtles
Drift
down to 34 m
Calumbuyan Reef
Island reef with coral gardens on its east side and a 1-3 knot channel drift along the south side from 4 to 34 m.
- Advanced
Wreck
down to 45 m
Irako
A 145 m Japanese refrigerated provisions ship lying upright to 43 m, with deck areas between 28 and 35 m.
- Experienced
- Turtles
Wreck
down to 36 m
Kogyo Maru
A freighter to 34 m where you can swim through the engine room, bridge and all 6 holds at 22-28 m.
- Advanced
- Barracuda
About this page
Values marked “Estimated” come from our original catalogue and are being checked against published sources one by one. Sourced values link to where they come from. Conditions change with the season, the weather and the tide: confirm with a local dive centre before you dive.
Photo credits
- Barracuda Lake Dive site, Coron, Madcel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Akitsushima Wreck dive site, Coron, Philippines, Ryan Sia, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- The Siete Pecados islets, Coron, Patrickroque01, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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