DON CARLOS - Dumaguete

Don Carlos is a classic for a reason. This old carrier, sitting upright at 24 metres, has had plenty of time since 1977 to become a proper artificial reef. You drop down, and the scale hits you quickly. At 67 metres long, she’s a decent size, and you can spend a full dive just exploring the deck and superstructure. We love swimming through the cargo holds, where the light filters in from above, creating these beautiful, shifting patterns on the hull. You'll often find big schools of jacks circling here, and we’ve seen barracuda hanging out in the darker corners. The prop is still there, too, often covered in colourful soft corals, a real magnet for nudibranchs and flatworms if you look closely. It’s a great site for anyone who enjoys wreck penetration, though you don’t need to go inside to appreciate it. The visibility is usually excellent, making it easy to see the wreck from above as you descend. Go early, before the boat traffic picks up, and you’ll have her mostly to yourselves.

Location: Dumaguete, Philippines, Southeast Asia
Coordinates: 8.191667, 123.875000
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 24m

Marine Protected Area: Mangrove Areas from Liangan River to Lipatan River of the Municipality of Lapayan Mangrove Swamp Forest Reserve

Best Time to Dive in Dumaguete

The warmest water temperatures in Dumaguete occur in January, averaging 26.8°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 26.8°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 26.8°C (air: 26.7°C)
February: 26.8°C (air: 26.6°C)
March: 26.8°C (air: 27.3°C)
April: 26.8°C (air: 28.1°C)
May: 26.8°C (air: 28.5°C)
June: 26.8°C (air: 27.8°C)
July: 26.8°C (air: 27.4°C)
August: 26.8°C (air: 27.6°C)
September: 26.8°C (air: 27.6°C)
October: 26.8°C (air: 27.3°C)
November: 26.8°C (air: 27.3°C)
December: 26.8°C (air: 27.0°C)

Nearby Dive Sites in Dumaguete

Nearest Dive Centres to DON CARLOS

Marine Life in Dumaguete

Home to 522 recorded species including 440 reef fish, 18 sharks & rays, 15 sea cucumbers, 12 sea snails & nudibranchs, 9 seagrass & algae, 9 hard corals.

Notable Species

Scarlet wrasse (Pseudocheilinus evanidus) - Reef Fish
Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) - Reef Fish
Banded Toby (Canthigaster valentini) - Reef Fish
Comettailed wrasse (Oxycheilinus bimaculatus) - Reef Fish
Six-line wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia) - Reef Fish
Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare) - Reef Fish
Blackspine Unicornfish (Naso minor) - Reef Fish
Barred Unicornfish (Naso thynnoides) - Reef Fish
Two-spot Bristletooth (Ctenochaetus binotatus) - Reef Fish
Angel abu polos (Centropyge vrolikii) - Reef Fish
Sleek Unicornfish (Naso hexacanthus) - Reef Fish
Blue-scaled wrasse (Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura) - Reef Fish
Clark's anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) - Reef Fish
Blenny (Istiblennius dussumieri) - Reef Fish
Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
Horned Squirrelfish (Sargocentron cornutum) - Reef Fish
Blue-ribbon wrasse (Stethojulis trilineata) - Reef Fish
Bloodspot pipefish (Corythoichthys haematopterus) - Reef Fish
Sunburst Butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii) - Reef Fish
Bandcheek wrasse (Oxycheilinus digramma) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for DON CARLOS

Based on average water temperature of 26.8°C.

Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°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