BANTEN
Protected Area
Labrador Nature Reserve
Why dive here
With 263+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue-spotted stingrays, dugongs, giant moray eels, seahorses and sea turtles - BANTEN offers some of Southern Islands's richest wreck diving. Water sits around 28°C.
The Banten wreck, down at 37 meters, is one of our favourites in the Southern Islands if you’re looking for a serious penetration dive. This motor vessel went down in 1980, and time’s really worked its magic on the structure. We love how the hull plates have buckled and torn, opening up all sorts of swim-throughs and gaps that weren’t there when she first sank. You’ll spend most of your bottom time exploring the engine room and cargo holds, where visibility can drop quickly if someone kicks up silt, so good buoyancy is key. Giant groupers and batfish school off the bow, and we often spot nurse sharks tucked away in the darker corners of the wreck. Keep an eye out for nudibranchs on the deck plating, too. This isn’t a site for beginners; we’d suggest divers have solid experience with deep dives and wreck penetration, and definitely bring a good torch. The currents here can be unpredictable, sometimes ripping, sometimes slack, so it’s always a bit of a gamble, but the reward is a genuinely atmospheric dive.
Typical BANTEN Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Deep dive (37m) - monitor air consumption closely. Advanced certification recommended.
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Always perform a 3-minute safety stop at 5m before surfacing.
BANTEN Wreck History
Year Sunk
1980
Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
unknown
Resting in the deep, busy waters off Singapore's Southern Islands, the MV Banten is a wreck shrouded in mystery. Little is known about this motor vessel or the circumstances that led to its sinking on March 21, 1980. Its final moments remain undocumented, leaving divers to piece together clues from the silent steel structure that now lies on the seabed.
At a depth of 37 meters, the Banten is a challenging dive reserved for experienced deep divers. The site is often subject to strong currents and variable visibility, typical of the Singapore Strait. The wreck itself is classified as a 'Dangerous Wreck,' indicating potential hazards such as sharp metal, collapsing structures, or entanglement risks. For those with the requisite training and experience, the Banten offers a rewarding exploration of a largely intact vessel, its decks and holds now colonized by marine life seeking shelter in the perpetual twilight of the deep.
Nearest Dive Centres to BANTEN
Dive shops near BANTEN
Resorts World at Sentosa Pte Ltd
OrcaNation Singapore
S.E.A
Scuba Quest Pte Ltd
REN Scubaworx
DiveLab
Reviews for BANTEN
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for BANTEN
BANTEN Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for BANTEN, sourced from NOAA buoy data - nearest station: Open-Meteo grid (1.2, 103.77) (0km away)
August Averages
Sea Temperature
28.23°C
83°F
Air Temperature
27.23°C
81°F
Wind Speed
4.55 m/s
8.8 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1009.8 hPa
Based on 5 years of monitoring data · Data sources: NOAA NDBC
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