Celsa 2 - Malapascua
The Celsa 2, sitting right off Malapascua’s Bounty Beach, is an absolute cracker of a shore dive. It’s barely a year old, sunk deliberately by the local community in April 2022 to kickstart a new reef, and it’s already punching above its weight. We love how accessible it is, literally a few steps from the sand, and at just three metres deep, it’s perfect for a quick dip or for anyone getting comfortable with their buoyancy again. What makes Celsa 2 special is its immediate colonisation. The wreck itself is a small motor vessel, now listing gently to starboard. Within months, we saw little patches of new coral beginning to form, and now it’s bristling with juvenile fish. Look closely, and you’ll spot gobies peeking out from tiny crevices, small damselfish zipping around the superstructure, and sometimes a grumpy stonefish perfectly camouflaged on the hull. It’s a brilliant spot for macro photography, especially in the late afternoon sun when the light hits the port side just right. Our favourite detail? The propeller, still remarkably intact, already serving as a nursery for tiny glassfish. It’s a simple dive, but profoundly satisfying for showing just how quickly nature reclaims what’s hers.
- Location
- Malapascua, Philippines, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 11.000834, 124.606110
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 3m
Marine Protected Area: Macabug Marine Reserve Area with Fish Sanctuary
Best Time to Dive in Malapascua
The warmest water temperatures in Malapascua occur in June, averaging 29.9°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 27.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.5°C
- February: 27.1°C
- March: 27.6°C
- April: 28.3°C
- May: 29.6°C
- June: 29.9°C
- July: 29.6°C
- August: 29.6°C
- September: 29.8°C
- October: 29.6°C
- November: 29.2°C
- December: 28.6°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Malapascua
- ALASKA 1 - 28m (wreck)
- ANNA MARZ - 8m (wreck)
- ASIA MALAYSIA - 10m (wreck)
- ASIA SOUTH KOREA - 30m (wreck)
- BALANGIGA - 5m (wreck)
- Blue Coral Malapascua - 17m (reef)
- Bogtong Bato
- Calangaman - Nunez Shoal (pinnacle)
- Capitancillo Island - 23m
- Chocolate Island - 5-20m (reef)
- Chocolate Island Malapascua - 17m
- Coral Garden - 15m (reef)
- Coral Garden Marine Protected Area (reef)
- Cresta de Gallo
- Dakit-Dakit
Nearest Dive Centres to Celsa 2
Marine Life in Malapascua
Home to 88 recorded species including 72 reef fish, 5 crabs & lobsters, 5 sharks & rays, 2 other, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs, 1 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Common lionfish (Pterois volitans) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare) - Reef Fish
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Six-banded Rock Cod (Epinephelus sexfasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Two-spot Locust Lobster (Remiarctus bertholdii) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Blue-lined Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) - Reef Fish
- Striped catfish (Plotosus lineatus) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma hardwicke) - Reef Fish
- Crescent Grunter (Terapon jarbua) - Reef Fish
- Triangular Butterflyfish (Chaetodon baronessa) - Reef Fish
- Earmuff wrasse (Halichoeres bicolor) - Reef Fish
- Hair Tailed Blenny (Xiphasia setifer) - Reef Fish
- Lattice monocle bream (Scolopsis taenioptera) - Reef Fish
- Savigny's Brittle Star (Ophiactis savignyi)
- Rock Cod (Cephalopholis boenak) - Reef Fish
- Telescopefish (Epibulus insidiator) - Reef Fish
- Barbeled leatherjacket (Anacanthus barbatus) - Reef Fish
- Ternate Chromis (Chromis ternatensis) - Reef Fish
- Desjardin's Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma velifer) - Reef Fish
- Yellowstripe scad (Selaroides leptolepis) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Celsa 2
Based on average water temperature of 28.9°C, currents 15 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°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