YIH FA (POSSIBLY) - Southern Islands
Diving Singapore’s Southern Islands usually means embracing the green, but the Yih Fa is a standout for us. This 38-meter fishing vessel went down in 1975 after an engine room fire, en route to Taiwan. Now she rests upright at 24 meters, a proper wreck dive with plenty to explore if you’re comfortable with limited visibility. We love navigating the ship’s structure, feeling the cool current pull us past the bridge and into the cargo holds. The visibility often hovers around 3-5 meters, which makes the wreck loom out of the green, creating an atmospheric, almost spooky dive. Look for the resident batfish schooling around the mast, and we’ve often spotted moray eels peeking from beneath twisted metal. It's a great site for divers who appreciate the history and challenge of a true wreck dive, rather than just chasing pretty corals. Our favourite approach is to drop down the line onto the bow and work our way aft, keeping an eye on our bottom time. It’s certainly not a gentle drift, but that’s part of the Yih Fa’s charm.
- Location
- Southern Islands, Singapore, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 1.368333, 104.538000
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 24m
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 YIH FA (POSSIBLY)
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 YIH FA (POSSIBLY)
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