TYCHONG - Redang Island
Tychong, a carrier vessel sunk off Redang in 1975, is one of our favourite wreck dives in Malaysia. She sits upright, largely intact, and has become a true artificial reef. We love descending onto her deck, often finding batfish schooling over the main superstructure, their silver scales catching the light. This isn’t a wreck for penetration, but there’s plenty to explore externally. You can swim along her main deck, peeking into cargo holds now home to lionfish and moray eels. Look closely for the bicycles and sewing machines from her final cargo - a real blast from the past. The stern section, in particular, attracts large groupers and the occasional green turtle grazing on the corals that have started to encrust the metalwork. It’s a comfortable dive, usually with mild currents, making it perfect for divers who appreciate history and the way the ocean reclaims its own.
- Location
- Redang Island, Malaysia, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 4.941333, 103.351500
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 0m
Marine Protected Area: Rantau Abang Turtle Sanctuary
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
- NANSHIN MARU - 30m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to TYCHONG
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 TYCHONG
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