NI2OSA HIMARU - Visayas
The Himaru wreck, sometimes called the Japanese Himaru, offers a compelling shallow dive in the Visayas. We love that it sits upright on a sandy bottom, its bow facing north, making for an easy orientation. The Himaru was a Japanese cargo ship, sunk during World War II, and now it’s absolutely smothered in life. You'll find schools of batfish circling the mast, and we’ve often spotted lionfish tucked into its darker corners. Exploring the main deck, you’ll notice the engine room entrance. It’s a tight squeeze, not really for penetration, but it's fun to peer into the gloom. The shallow depth, just 12 meters, means long bottom times. It’s perfect for photographers and newer wreck divers. Look closely at the hull for the colourful nudibranchs, especially the Chromodoris magnifica. We’d suggest going in the morning; the light filters down beautifully through the upper structures then.
- Location
- Visayas, Philippines, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 10.315567, 123.945350
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 12m
Marine Protected Area: Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary
Best Time to Dive in Visayas
The warmest water temperatures in Visayas occur in January, averaging 27.8°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.8°C (air: 23.3°C)
- February: 27.8°C (air: 23.3°C)
- March: 27.8°C (air: 24.2°C)
- April: 27.8°C (air: 25.3°C)
- May: 27.8°C (air: 25.7°C)
- June: 27.8°C (air: 24.8°C)
- July: 27.8°C (air: 24.7°C)
- August: 27.8°C (air: 24.9°C)
- September: 27.8°C (air: 24.8°C)
- October: 27.8°C (air: 24.4°C)
- November: 27.8°C (air: 24.3°C)
- December: 27.8°C (air: 23.7°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Visayas
- 1
- 19 - 5m (wreck)
- 2
- 3
- 4
- Abaca House Reef - 14m (reef)
- Adrian's Cove - 22m (reef)
- Alegre reef (reef)
- Anda
- ASIA INDONESIA (POSSIBLY) - 11m (wreck)
- Bagacawa Point - 11m
- Bamboo Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- Bantegue Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- Baring - 23m (reef)
- BUTUAN - 10m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to NI2OSA HIMARU
Marine Life in Visayas
Home to 577 recorded species including 463 reef fish, 24 sharks & rays, 21 hard corals, 19 sea snails & nudibranchs, 14 sea cucumbers, 9 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- Scarlet wrasse (Pseudocheilinus evanidus) - Reef Fish
- Blacktip Ponyfish (Eubleekeria splendens) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) - Reef Fish
- Banded Toby (Canthigaster valentini) - Reef Fish
- Comettailed wrasse (Oxycheilinus bimaculatus) - Reef Fish
- Angel abu polos (Centropyge vrolikii) - Reef Fish
- Six-line wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia) - Reef Fish
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) - Reef Fish
- Sleek Unicornfish (Naso hexacanthus) - Reef Fish
- Barred Unicornfish (Naso thynnoides) - Reef Fish
- Bloodspot pipefish (Corythoichthys haematopterus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-scaled wrasse (Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura) - Reef Fish
- Orange-lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) - Reef Fish
- Clark's anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma hardwicke) - Reef Fish
- Blackspine Unicornfish (Naso minor) - Reef Fish
- Crescent Grunter (Terapon jarbua) - Reef Fish
- Blenny (Istiblennius dussumieri) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for NI2OSA HIMARU
Based on average water temperature of 27.8°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°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