Vietnamese Wreck - Perhentian Islands

The Vietnamese Wreck is less about dramatic structure and more about the slow, silent work of the ocean. It’s a fishing trawler, sunk in the late 70s, sitting upright on the sandy bottom. We tend to drop in the early morning; the thermocline can be a bit sharp around 20 metres, but the visibility usually stretches out further before the day boats arrive. As you descend, the wreck slowly emerges, a dark shape draped in fishing nets that have since become home to all sorts of critters. We always spend time finning around the bow, where the branch and leaf corals have taken a real hold. Look closely in the nooks and crannies – we've spotted some surprisingly large stonefish tucked away. Further along the deck, you’ll find plump black sea cucumbers and sandfish, like slow-motion vacuum cleaners. It’s a calm dive, typically no strong current, making it a good spot for newer wreck divers to practice buoyancy around a genuine piece of history. While we’ve never seen a whale shark here, the narrow-barred Spanish mackerel do cruise by occasionally, especially if you’re patient.

Location
Perhentian Islands, Malaysia, Southeast Asia
Coordinates
5.894148, 102.712430
Type
wreck

Marine Protected Area: Pulau Perhentian Kecil Marine Park

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

Nearest Dive Centres to Vietnamese Wreck

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

Recommended Packing List for Vietnamese Wreck

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