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BUSUANGA & CORON
Northern Palawan, Philippines

OVERVIEW

The Busuanga group of islands is located on the northern part of Palawan.
Coron, is one of the most mystical islands in Palawan with a length of approximately 30 km. Found in waters surrounding the island are limestone walls which rise to heights of 22 meters offering a spectacular view above and below water.

Coron is one of the most famous wreck diving destinations in the world. From the 24 ships that sank during the bombardment of American Forces on Japanese warships during WW II, only 12 wrecks have been located in divable depths ranging from 25 - 40 meters.
The diving season in Busuanga is from October to May.


DIVE SITES

CONCEPCION WRECK
This is a wreck of a Japanese cargo ship sunk by American submarines during World War II. The cargo ship was on its way to Leyte Gulf from Japan, laden with war materials for the beleaguered Japanese forces during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Some of the portions are still intact although the valuable fittings have been salvaged. Its location and the fact that the main deck is only 9 meters deep make the wreck an interesting divesite. The wreck is host to an amazing number of fish.
 

NORTHWEST ROCK / SAIL ROCK / KALOTOKO ROCKS
All three are prominenet landmarks with a dense fish population, inclusing big jacks, fusiliers, barracudas, Spanish mackeerels and small, black and whitetip sharks. There are a few small reeef fish. The short drop-offs end at around 4.5 to 8 meters deep, with slopes studded with coral pathes running down to around 18 to 28 meters. Kalotoko is reportedly a good area for shark observation.
 

PINNACLE ROCK
The base of the rock site is about 4.5 to 6 meters. There is little variety of coral with only small patches in most places. The site is overrun with fish - fusiliers, surgeon fish, small garoupas, snappers, small reef fish are all here, and colonies of crayfish have been seen on various occasions. Whitetip sharks up to 2 meters long also visit the area. There is good snorkelling in the shallows.
 

DUMUMPALIT ISLAND
This 90-meter high island site on a reef extends northeast and southwest, with the latter offering the best diving. The bottom slopes gently from the shoreline to 24 meters and the slope is covered by a whitish-pink soft coral garden. Visibility is ussually around 30 meters.
 

BROWN ROCK
More appropriately called Butulan Rocks, these two barren, brown-colored rocks are 50 meters high and are easily identified. The eastern and western sides of the southern rock make interesting dives with a good coral garden on the western side. Parrot fish are common and hammerhead sharks measuring up to 2.5 meters long have been seen.
 

FRAMJEE BANK / MAGALLANES BANK
An experienced boatman is needed to locate these sites which lie beneath the surface with no convenient navigational landmarks close by. The shallowest sections are in about 6 meters of water, with gradual slopes leading off into infinity. The areas are known for big pelagic fish and sharks. When currents are running, here are big bonito and tuna.
 

DIMAKYA ISLAND
The divesites around this island are some of the divesites around Club Paradise resort situated in the northern portion of Busuanga.

This island, where Club Paradise is located, is blessed with beautiful reefs within its immediate vicinity. On the west side of the island, right in front of the lounge is a reef with a beautiful coral garden. The reef features soft and hard corals in an explosion of colors, amazingly tamed reef fish, and untold surprises. Right in the middle of this confusion of color is a clearing with white sand at 3 meters (10 feet) of water. This is the site called the classroom, indeed a very ideal place to teach scuba.

On the steep slope, which runs down to 17 meters (about 55 feet), there are alot of sponges, Tunicates and sea squirts, garupas, parrot fish and the occasional family of bumpheads. On the far end of the reef exists an extensive garden of staghorn corals populated by rainbow runners, a school of barracuda and goat fish. A special treat awaits the diver at a small nook at 13 meters (about 40 feet) near the classroom - the chance to see a rare giant clam, Triadacna Gigas, measuring around one meter (about 3 feet).

On the north side of the island is a gently sloping reef. The corals are not as colorful as in the classroom but the chances of seeing mantas, eagle rays, and marine turtles are greater in this area, as well as lobsters and a great assortment of reef fish call this home.

The northeast end of the island features a small place that has quite a number of Porites(hump corals), some of them as big as a small one bedroom house. The place is a good spot for macrophotography (nudibranchs, crinoids, slugs, and other various invertebrates proliferate in this reef.)

DIVESITES
• Tangat Wreck
• Mamiya Maru (WW II Wreck)
• Irako (WW II Wreck)
• Taee Maru (Concepcion Wreck)
• Akit Sushima (WW II Wreck )
• Dimalanta Wreck (WW II Wreck)
• Olympia Maru (WW II Wreck)
• Black Island Wreck
• Gunboat at Lusuong
• Gunboat at Tangat
• Malajon Island
• Matay Island
• Delian Island
• Barracud Lake
• North & South Cay Island
• Tana Island
 

The following divesites can be explored when staying at Club Paradise resort:
 

CROSSING
This reef is a natural submerged bridge between Dimakya Island and Islang Walang Langaw. The reef is about 2 to 3 kilometers long(about a mile). This reef can account for three to four dive spots and each spot can be a different experience for the diver. The main distinguishing characteristic of this spot is that it is literally overrun with Acropora(table top and other branching corals.) A huge green sea turtle is occasionally seen in this area. The top of the reef is at 18 meters (about 60 feet).
 

ISLA WALANG LANGAW
South
The name, literally translated into English means ISLAND WITH NO TREES, is located on the east side of Club Paradise, just ten minutes away by boat. The reef consists of extensive hump coral formations on a shallow, gently sloping terrain. The reef starts at 3 meters(10 feet) and ends at around 25 meters(80 feet). White and black tip sharks are regularly seen, with an occasional sighting of mantas and eagle rays.
East
On the back side of the island, the side facing away from the Club, there is a good opportunity for macrophotography. The place is inhabited by innumerable species of nudibranch, small reef fish, moray eels, and lots of coral. There have also been occasional sightings of a school of large eagle rays measuring from 1.5(4 feet) to 2 meters (6 feet). Marine turtles also inhabit this area since the island is a nesting area.
 

ISLAND WALANG TAO
North
This short but beautiful reef can be reached by a 15 minute boat ride from the resort. This island's name in English is THE ISLAND WITHOUT PEOPLE. The reef gently slopes down to 18 meters (60 feet), is home to one long black tip shark and on occasions, 2 meter (7 foot) nurse sharks patrolling the area. The elephant ear sponges here are large and so are the cabbage corals. Plenty of small reef fish inhabit the area, not to mention one or 2 medium sized napoleon wrasses and an occasional school of large bumpheads. There are also sightings here of 6 large eagle rays, probably the same school that hangs around Islang Walang Langaw, which is only 2 kilometers(less than a mile) away from this dive spot.
South
On the other side of the island is a reef that is mainly flat. On some points, the reef slopes on a ten to twenty degree angle. In one particular point, ledges can be seen, a natural stairway; and white tip reef sharks have been spotted in this area. There are large formations of the dangerous but beautiful fire corals. This side of the island faces the open sea and as such chances of seeing pelagic fishes are greater.
 

BARRY’S REEF
This elongated submerged reef is located in a large cove that is about 20 minutes away from the Club. The top of the reef is at 3 to 4 meters ( 12 feet) and the slope sharply drops to 27 meters (90 feet). There are plenty of macro subjects on this reef. Spanish dancers, juvenile spotted sweetlips, large anemones with african, common and pink shunk clown fish communally lived with blue banded anemone shrimps. In about 18 meters (60 feet), there is one large cabbage coral approximately 2.5 meters (8 feet) in dimater and at 25 meters(80 feet), thers lives an acropora whose diameter is roughly 2.3 meters (about 8 feet). The formation of smal to medium sized Porites is unusual in that they form some sort of a big stairway.

RESORT PROPERTIES