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ATTRACTIONS & ACTIVITIES
Cement Wreck
Ranging in depth from eight metres at its top to 32
metres at its sandy bottom, this shipwreck is home
to soft corals, feather stars and enormous shoals of
swirling bait fish. Originally the MV Tung Hwang,
the Japanese fish was transporting cargoes of
cement for the construction of the Sultan’s palace
when it struck the Samarang Banks in Sabah en
route to Brunei. The ship remains predominantly
intact. Due to its feature, this wreck site is popular
among macro photographers.
American Wreck
Originally an escort ship later converted into a
minesweeper, the USS Salute sank after striking
a mine in 1945, splitting it in two down the middle.
During its zenith, it received 5 stars for its role in
World War II after joining the Mine Division 34 in
the South China Sea. Soft corals and the Yellow
Tailed Barracuda now call it home, accompanied
by various war goods and skeletons left behind.
Blue Water Wreck
The aptly named diving site is located 35 kilometres
away from the shore, out in the blue waters.
Previously a fishing trawler from the Philippines
named the Mabini Padre, it sank in 1981 while
fighting a fire which broke out onboard. Due to
its location, visibility on this site is generally very
good, treating divers to views of the whole wreck
in one dive. It has a depth range of 24 to 35 metres,
and is considered one of Brunei’s best shipwrecks.
Dolphin88 Wreck
Formerly aMalaysian barge transporting a shipment
of stones through Bruneian waters, the Dolphin88
sank in 2013 when it was caught in bad weather
and sank off Pelong Rocks. Left in half, the top of the
wreck lies at 10 metres while its back half sank to
a depth of 24 metres. A popular diving site, it is an
excellent option for novice and experienced divers.
Bolkiah Wreck
A passenger ferry built in 1955 in Hong Kong, it
used to serve at the waters between Brunei and
Labuan. The Royal Navy scuttled the vessel in
1992 following a rule that no vessel bearing the
Brunei royal name should be sold for scrap. At
its highest, the top of the wreck is at 18 metres
while the deepest is at about 24 metres.
Oil Rig Wreck
Another popular diving spot, the Oil Rig Wreck
encompasses fragments of decommissioned oil
rig structures. These structures were sunk by
BSP as part of the Rigs to Reefs program in 1994.
Greeting the divers at the wreck are large schools
of chevron barracudas, jacks and other fish
species, as well as artificial reef at a maximum
depth of 18 metres. This diving site is another
popular spot for macro photography.
Penanjung Wreck
Situated further from most of the regular dive
sites is the Penanjung Wreck, also known as the
Yewli Wreck. It was a tugboat which now lies at a
depth of 24 metres and a high point of 17 metres.
Though it is not often explored by divers due to
its slightly distant location, it plays home to the
elusive nurse sharks and sea snakes, making the
trip out worth it.
Petani Mistral
The Petani Mistral was previously a tug ship that
sank in 1995 after it caught one of the legs of the
Trident-12 rig. It now lies at a depth of 47 metres
between the coast of Jerudong and Kuala Belait.
This site is only open to technical divers.
Yuho Maru
Another site open to technical divers, the Yuho
Maru was a Japanese wartime tanker previously
mistaken as one of the Toho Marus that sank
during World War II. The tanker sank in 1944
following an attack from a torpedo released
from an American submarine. The wreck lies
55 metres under the sea.
Southern Glory
One of Brunei’s deepest diving sites at 63 metres,
the Southern Glory was built in New Zealand
in 1951 and was formerly called the Karoon.
Before it sank in a storm, the Karoon exchanged
ownerships many times between Malaysian and
Singaporean businesses. Like the Yuho Maru and
Petani Mistral, only technical divers have access
to this diving site.
Pelong Rocks
Situated five kilometres away from Muara
Beach’s shores are these tiny outcrop of rocks
which are also referred to as Pulau Pilong-
Pilongan. The site is popular for first-time
divers and is often used for training. However,
due to its proximity to the shore, underwater
visibility can be impaired. Currents and surges
in the shallow water can prompt silt and sand
to rise into the waters. Marine life thrives at
the site, with anemones and various clownfish
species often spotted.
Abana Reef
Known for its great variety of untouched
soft and hard corals, the Abana Reef is a
large and healthy reef. The corals are home
to a diverse array of reef residents including
bannerfish, lionfish, butterflyfish, clownfish,
seahorses and pufferfish. Divers commonly
encounter seahorses and soft corals known
as gorgonians in immense quantities. At an
average depth of 11 metres and temperatures
around 28 degrees, the Abana Reef is a
suitable site for beginners.