Turtle Beach - Cocos (Keeling) Islands

El Planchón is one of our favourite shallow wrecks in the Santa Marta area, and it’s always a good time, especially for newer wreck divers or photographers. The stern is a mangled pile of metal, twisted and broken, but the bow section is surprisingly intact, sitting upright in only about ten meters of water. We love nosing around the cargo holds, which are now completely open to the sea, letting in shafts of light that dance over the resident grunts and snapper. You’ll often spot a barracuda or two hovering just off the mast, and we’ve seen seahorses clinging to the structure on more than one occasion. Our best tip? Go early in the morning before the day boats get too busy. The light is softer then, and the visibility tends to be at its best, making the penetration into the deeper sections of the wreck a real treat. It’s an easy dive, mostly current-free, and a perfect spot for getting comfortable with overhead environments without any real risk.

Location
Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia, Australasia
Coordinates
-12.112900, 96.821300
Type
wreck

Nearby Dive Sites in Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Nearest Dive Centres to Turtle Beach

Marine Life in Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Home to 247 recorded species including 160 reef fish, 44 hard corals, 13 sea cucumbers, 9 sea snails & nudibranchs, 7 crabs & lobsters, 5 sharks & rays.

Notable Species