Douglas Skyraider (Wreck)

Best months: Jan–Dec

Protected Area

Sabang Marine Protected Area

Why dive here

With 57+ marine species recorded in the area - including blacktip reef sharks - Douglas Skyraider (Wreck) offers some of Subic Bay's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 28-31°C, warmest May, June, July.

Marine lifeBlacktip Reef Sharks · 57+ species recorded

Water28-31°C · warmest May, June, July

CharacterWreck dive · max 31m

Dropping onto the Douglas Skyraider, the first thing you notice is the sheer scale. It’s a beast of a plane, a relic from the Vietnam War era, resting upright on the seabed at 31 metres. We love how intact it still is, especially the cockpit area. Peering inside, you can almost imagine the pilot still there, though these days the seat is occupied by a grumpy stonefish or a curious lionfish. The propellor blades are bent back, a testament to its impact, and the wings stretch out, providing plenty of nooks and crannies for exploration. Look closely and you’ll find nudibranchs crawling along the corroded metal, and schools of silver fish darting through the open fuselage. It’s an intermediate dive, the depth making it unsuitable for absolute beginners, but if you’ve got a few dives under your belt and a love for history, this is our pick in Subic. We always try to time our dive for mid-morning when the light penetrates best, giving the whole site a wonderfully eerie glow. Keep an eye out for the resident moray eel that sometimes pokes its head out near the tail section.