Despite its proliferation of coral reefs, scuba diving in Coron Bay became popular due to the proliferation of WWII era shipwrecks that litter the seabed. Lying in the far west of the Philippines, diving in the picturesque bays of the Calamian Islands is often compared to the more famous Truk Lagoon in Micronesia.
The remains of the Japanese fleet lying beneath Coron Bay may be seen as second to those in Truk but in reality, it's a very different scuba diving destination. To date around a dozen wrecks have been found but these are principally supply boats rather than warships. Although that may not seem as interesting, the history is still fascinating and these ships are so much easier to dive than most of those in Truk as the lagoon is much shallower.
Many of the fringing reefs in these bays are impressive too, with good coral growth and plenty of fish. The water is thick with plankton, which the corals feed on, growing swiftly and turning the wrecks into lush artificial reefs. Critter life is less prolific but there is a enough to add balance to the dives.