Karang Helen Mars - Southern Islands
Karang Helen Mars offers a decent coral reef in Singapore’s Southern Islands. You'll find a mix of hard and soft corals, with some smaller reef fish darting amongst them. It's a good option for divers looking for a relaxed local dive, especially those just getting comfortable with open water. Visibility can vary quite a bit depending on the tides and recent rainfall.
- Location
- Southern Islands, Singapore, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 1.123889, 103.775276
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Labrador Nature Reserve
Best Time to Dive in Southern Islands
The warmest water temperatures in Southern Islands occur in January, averaging 28.2°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.2°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.2°C (air: 26.0°C)
- February: 28.2°C (air: 26.6°C)
- March: 28.2°C (air: 27.1°C)
- April: 28.2°C (air: 27.4°C)
- May: 28.2°C (air: 27.9°C)
- June: 28.2°C (air: 27.4°C)
- July: 28.2°C (air: 27.5°C)
- August: 28.2°C (air: 27.2°C)
- September: 28.2°C (air: 27.2°C)
- October: 28.2°C (air: 27.2°C)
- November: 28.2°C (air: 26.5°C)
- December: 28.2°C (air: 26.3°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Southern Islands
- AB9 - 27m (wreck)
- ABU MOOSA - 25m (wreck)
- AH LAM II - 27m (wreck)
- ANGSA 3 - 10m (wreck)
- AOI MARU - 22m (wreck)
- ARROW - 25m (wreck)
- ARWANA - 21m (wreck)
- ASSIMI III - 33m (wreck)
- BANTEN - 37m (wreck)
- BETHLEHEM - 30m (wreck)
- BINTANG MAS - 35m (wreck)
- BLACKMARK - 11m (wreck)
- BLISSFUL REEFER - 24m (wreck)
- BLISSFUL REEFER (POSSIBLY) - 27m (wreck)
- BONNIE - 10m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Karang Helen Mars
Marine Life in Southern Islands
Home to 284 recorded species including 179 reef fish, 46 hard corals, 17 seagrass & algae, 13 sharks & rays, 8 sea snails & nudibranchs, 6 other.
Notable Species
- Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- halodule (Halodule uninervis) - Seagrass & Algae
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Species code: Si (Syringodium isoetifolium) - Seagrass & Algae
- Brain coral (Platygyra sinensis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora millepora) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora hyacinthus) - Hard Corals
- Fluorescence grass coral (Galaxea fascicularis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora valida) - Hard Corals
- Honeycomb coral (Favites abdita) - Hard Corals
- Galaxea coral (Galaxea astreata) - Hard Corals
- Species code: Tc (Thalassodendron ciliatum) - Seagrass & Algae
- Bristle-tailed Leatherjacket (Acreichthys tomentosus) - Reef Fish
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Butterfish (Scatophagus argus) - Reef Fish
- Stony coral (Echinopora lamellosa) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora nasuta) - Hard Corals
- Savigny's Brittle Star (Ophiactis savignyi)
Recommended Packing List for Karang Helen Mars
Based on average water temperature of 28.2°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