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Coron Bay is situated in North Palawan, the most westerly part of the Philippines. It lies in beween Busuanga and Culion Islands. There is fabulous diving all around the area, but the bay is particularly well known as having some of the best wreck diving in the world. To appreciate the region, a little history goes a long way.
On the 24th September 1944, The US Navy launched a massive air strike on a Japanese supply fleet that was anchored in Coran Bay. Debate as to whether the fleet was discovered by ariel reconnaissance - the Japanese had camouflaged the ships with trees and photos showed that the "islands" had moved - or whether Japanese radio transmissions were intercepted, still rages today. The fact of the matter was that at the end of the day's air strike, US fighter aircraft and dive bombers claimed to have sunk 24 vessels. Some 60 years on, 12 of the wrecks have been discovered. 8 of them are close together in Coron Bay, the others are slightly further afield.
This section will deal mainly with the wrecks, but there are other dive sites that should not be missed as well. As the wrecks have remained fairly inaccessable until recently, the corals in the area are exceptional. It is worth while pointing out that planning is essential for the wreck dives and some are for the experienced only.
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