This dive site, known as the Malayan Wreck, is located on the shallow reef top at the southwest side of Tubbataha's north atoll. The wreck is that of a fishing vessel, the ‘Malayan,’ which was reportedly smashed onto the reef by a strong typhoon in the 1970s. Divers typically begin their early morning dives from a marker float positioned above the wreck, allowing for easy navigation to the site. The wreck itself provides an interesting structure amidst the reef, offering opportunities for exploration around its remains.
The Malayan Wreck is particularly famous for a welcoming school of 30 to 50 adult harlequin sweetlips, which congregate at depths of 3 to 5 meters. As part of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, the site is likely home to a diverse array of other reef fish, including various species of snapper, grouper, fusiliers, and possibly pelagic species passing by. The reef top itself would feature healthy hard and soft corals, sponges, and other invertebrates typical of a pristine Philippine reef system, providing habitat for smaller marine life.
The best time to visit the Malayan Wreck, like the rest of Tubbataha, is generally during the dry season from March to June when weather conditions are most stable, offering calm seas and excellent visibility. Divers can enjoy the unique interaction with the large school of sweetlips right at the start of their dive. Its shallow to moderate depth range makes it suitable for all levels of divers and also ideal for freedivers and snorkelers, who can easily observe the abundant marine life, particularly the sweetlips, in the shallower sections.
