TORO MARU (PROBABLY) - Perhentian Islands
Let's be clear: we're calling it the *Toro Maru (Probably)* because while the local story is strong, official records are a little hazy. What's not hazy is the dive itself. This 82-meter steamship, likely sunk by a Dutch submarine in 1941, rests in barely six meters of water. It's a wreck dive you can genuinely take your time on, exploring every rivet and crevice. We love how the shallow depth allows sunlight to drench the entire site, illuminating the schools of yellowtail snappers that swarm the collapsed mast. Look closely and you’ll find moray eels peeking from beneath corroded plates, and we've often spotted blue-spotted rays gliding across the sandy patches surrounding the hull. It’s an easy dive, perfect for photographers wanting endless bottom time or newer divers keen to experience a proper shipwreck without the usual depth challenges. We’d suggest going early morning; the light is softer and the boat traffic is minimal.
- Location
- Perhentian Islands, Malaysia, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 6.238333, 102.153336
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 6m
Best Time to Dive in Perhentian Islands
The warmest water temperatures in Perhentian Islands occur in June, averaging 31.2°C. The coolest conditions are in January at 28.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.3°C
- February: 28.4°C
- March: 29.1°C
- April: 30.6°C
- May: 31.1°C
- June: 31.2°C
- July: 31.1°C
- August: 30.9°C
- September: 30.8°C
- October: 30.4°C
- November: 29.8°C
- December: 28.7°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Perhentian Islands
- Angel Diver - 10-25m (reef)
- Anti Gravity Divers
- BATTY 3 - 52m (wreck)
- Batu Berendam - 22m
- Batu Bulan - 14m
- Batu Chaping - 18m
- Batu Chipor
- Batu Kapal - 18m
- Batu Kuching - 19m
- Batu Layar - 10-25m (pinnacle)
- Batu Layar
- Batu Nisan
- Batu Nisan Laut - 14m
- Bidong Jetty - 15m (reef)
- Big Seamount (pinnacle)
Nearest Dive Centres to TORO MARU (PROBABLY)
Marine Life in Perhentian Islands
Home to 169 recorded species including 105 reef fish, 39 hard corals, 11 sea cucumbers, 5 seagrass & algae, 3 sharks & rays, 2 other.
Notable Species
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Silver-cheeked Toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) - Reef Fish
- Common Ponyfish (Leiognathus equula) - Reef Fish
- Yellowstripe scad (Selaroides leptolepis) - Reef Fish
- Yellow Citharid (Brachypleura novaezeelandiae) - Reef Fish
- Blacktip Ponyfish (Eubleekeria splendens) - Reef Fish
- Lattice monocle bream (Scolopsis taenioptera) - Reef Fish
- Jack (Selar crumenophthalmus) - Reef Fish
- Silver Sillago (Sillago sihama) - Reef Fish
- Flathead Sleeper (Ophiocara porocephala) - Reef Fish
- Silver moony (Monodactylus argenteus) - Reef Fish
- Three Banded Razorfish (Iniistius trivittatus) - Reef Fish
- Golden rabbitfish (Siganus guttatus) - Reef Fish
- Deep Body Silver Biddy (Gerres erythrourus) - Reef Fish
- Triggerfish (Aluterus monoceros) - Reef Fish
- Blue-banded wrasse (Xiphocheilus typus) - Reef Fish
- Grouper (Epinephelus areolatus) - Reef Fish
- Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) - Reef Fish
- Banded-Tail Glassy Perchlet (Ambassis urotaenia) - Reef Fish
- Estuary Cod (Epinephelus coioides) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for TORO MARU (PROBABLY)
Based on average water temperature of 30.0°C, currents 5 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 30°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories