WESTERN HOPE - Kenting National Park

The Western Hope, she's a big girl, and a personal favourite when we're in Kenting. Sunk in '88, she sits upright on the seabed, her bow pointing north. The sheer scale of her is impressive; 87 metres long and still very much intact, especially the forward sections. We love dropping down onto the bridge structure and poking around the wheelhouse – just watch your buoyancy, she's silty inside. As you explore, you'll see large schools of batfish circling the mast, and sometimes a chunky Queensland grouper has made a home near the deeper cargo holds. There’s a quietness inside the wreck, a real sense of history, and the sunlight filters through gaps in the superstructure, illuminating the soft corals that have started to bloom on the metal. This is a site that really rewards patient exploration, perfect for divers who appreciate the ghostly grandeur of a large wreck and don't mind a bit of depth. The currents here can be unpredictable, so we always check with the local dive centres before heading out.

Location

Kenting National Park, Taiwan, East Asia

Coordinates

23.639750, 119.958110

Type

wreck

Maximum Depth

60m

Marine Protected Area: 嘉義縣鰲鼓野生動物重要棲息環境