NANSHIN MARU - Redang Island
The Nanshin Maru, a tanker sunk in 1945, sits upright at 30 metres, a brooding hulk on the seafloor. We’ve always found wreck dives in this part of the world to be a bit hit or miss, but the Nanshin delivers a proper wreck experience. You can poke around the bow and stern, peer into the holds, and even get a glimpse of the engine room if you’re comfortable with some overhead environments. It’s not an open book, though; some parts are quite tight, and we always suggest a good guide for penetration. The ship itself is a canvas for marine life. Big schools of snapper and fusiliers swirl around the superstructure. We’ve spent whole dives just watching them move, catching the light as they turn in unison. Look closely, and you’ll find plenty of nudibranchs on the deck plating and moray eels peeking out from various nooks. Currents can be mild to moderate, especially around the exposed sections, so it’s best for experienced divers. Visibility tends to be decent, 15 to 20 metres, making for good photographic opportunities, particularly when the sun hits the wreck just right in the late morning.
- Location
- Redang Island, Malaysia, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 3.999667, 103.598170
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 30m
Marine Protected Area: Peramu Soil Reclamation Forest
Best Time to Dive in Redang Island
The warmest water temperatures in Redang Island occur in May, averaging 30.5°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 28.0°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.0°C
- February: 28.0°C
- March: 28.8°C
- April: 30.2°C
- May: 30.5°C
- June: 29.9°C
- July: 29.5°C
- August: 29.4°C
- September: 29.5°C
- October: 29.9°C
- November: 29.6°C
- December: 28.6°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Redang Island
- Amazing Grace
- ARISTAIOS - 9m (wreck)
- Batu Tokong Kamudi
- Bina Marine 32 - 25m (wreck)
- Coral Garden (reef)
- Five Sisters - 10-25m (pinnacle)
- Gua Rajawali (cave)
- HATSUTAKA (POSSIBLY) - 27m (wreck)
- HOCK HAI LEE - 15m (wreck)
- KETAMA - 7m (wreck)
- LAT DA - 50m (wreck)
- Maju Laut - 9m (wreck)
- MEISUN G7 - 11m (wreck)
- Moonraker
- NICHIEI MARU (POSSIBLY) - 1m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to NANSHIN MARU
Marine Life in Redang Island
Home to 153 recorded species including 101 reef fish, 34 hard corals, 7 sea cucumbers, 3 other, 3 seagrass & algae, 2 sharks & rays.
Notable Species
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Common Ponyfish (Leiognathus equula) - Reef Fish
- Yellow Citharid (Brachypleura novaezeelandiae) - Reef Fish
- Lattice monocle bream (Scolopsis taenioptera) - Reef Fish
- Silver-cheeked Toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) - Reef Fish
- Blacktip Ponyfish (Eubleekeria splendens) - Reef Fish
- Silver Sillago (Sillago sihama) - Reef Fish
- Yellowstripe scad (Selaroides leptolepis) - 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
- Blue-banded wrasse (Xiphocheilus typus) - Reef Fish
- Jack (Selar crumenophthalmus) - Reef Fish
- Banded-Tail Glassy Perchlet (Ambassis urotaenia) - Reef Fish
- Estuary Cod (Epinephelus coioides) - Reef Fish
- Green chromide (Etroplus suratensis) - Reef Fish
- Butterfish (Scatophagus argus) - Reef Fish
- Flagfin Mojarra (Gerres filamentosus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for NANSHIN MARU
Based on average water temperature of 29.3°C, currents 53 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins (stiff blade recommended for strong currents)
- 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