DONA VICENTA - Siargao
Dona Vicenta is a proper old girl, not some purpose-sunk playground. She went down in a typhoon back in '74, a testament to the raw power of nature here. We love a wreck with a story, and this one certainly has it. What you get is a cargo ship, not too deep, sitting upright, her bridge and superstructure still mostly intact. We’ve found ourselves poking around her cargo holds, imagining what she carried, and there are still enough nooks and crannies to explore without needing advanced penetration skills. The real magic happens on her decks and rigging. Schools of yellowfin tuna often cruise by in the blue, just beyond the wreck, while big-eyed trevally and giant groupers have claimed the deeper parts of the hull as their own. Look closely at the deck plating and you’ll spot ghost pipefish swaying with the soft current, perfectly camouflaged. We think Dona Vicenta is a great pick for divers looking for a slice of history, with enough resident life to keep things interesting. Visibility here can sometimes be a bit moody, especially after heavy rains, so we’d suggest going on a sunny day for the best light play through the old portholes. It really brings the place to life.
- Location
- Siargao, Philippines, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 8.675000, 124.683334
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 0m
Marine Protected Area: Initao-Libertad Protected Landscape and Seascape
Best Time to Dive in Siargao
The warmest water temperatures in Siargao occur in September, averaging 30.2°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 27.7°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.1°C
- February: 27.7°C
- March: 27.9°C
- April: 28.4°C
- May: 29.1°C
- June: 29.3°C
- July: 29.6°C
- August: 30.1°C
- September: 30.2°C
- October: 30.0°C
- November: 30.0°C
- December: 29.4°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Siargao
- Adrian's Cove (reef)
- ALKENE - 2m (wreck)
- Angel's Cove (reef)
- Aquarium (reef)
- ATLANTIC - 55m (wreck)
- Balbagon Port - 28m
- BASCO - 55m (wreck)
- Blue Cathedral - 34m (cave)
- Blue Lagoon - 20m (reef)
- Bonnie's place
- Bujong Shoal (pinnacle)
- Bulias Shoal - 5-30m (pinnacle)
- Burias Shoal - 22m (pinnacle)
- Cabuan - 19m
- Canyons
Nearest Dive Centres to DONA VICENTA
Marine Life in Siargao
Home to 87 recorded species including 62 reef fish, 7 sharks & rays, 5 seagrass & algae, 5 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 crabs & lobsters, 2 hard corals.
Notable Species
- Bentfin Devil Ray (Mobula thurstoni) - Sharks & Rays
- Devil fish (Mobula mobular) - Sharks & Rays
- Devil Ray (Mobula tarapacana) - Sharks & Rays
- Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) - Reef Fish
- Snakefish (Trachinocephalus myops) - Reef Fish
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Blackbelly Lanternshark (Etmopterus lucifer) - Sharks & Rays
- Arrowhead Dogfish (Deania profundorum) - Sharks & Rays
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Butterfly fish (Chaetodon vagabundus) - Reef Fish
- Bar Eyed Goby (Glossogobius giuris) - Reef Fish
- Compressed Toby (Canthigaster compressa) - Reef Fish
- Brown Spinecheek Gudgeon (Eleotris fusca) - Reef Fish
- China Lobster (Metanephrops sinensis) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Elegance coral (Catalaphyllia jardinei) - Hard Corals
- Celebes Goby (Glossogobius celebius) - Reef Fish
- royal red prawn (Haliporoides sibogae) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Silver Flagtail (Kuhlia marginata) - Reef Fish
- Fluted clam (Tridacna squamosa) - Clams & Mussels
- Two-toned Pygmy Squid (Idiosepius pygmaeus) - Octopus & Squid
Recommended Packing List for DONA VICENTA
Based on average water temperature of 29.2°C, currents 2 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