Although Singapore itself is surrounded by countries with pristine dive spots, such as Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, it also has a lot to offer the adventurous scuba diver. The island nation may be small, but it comes in big packages, and Singapore’s collection of reefs, islands and wreck dives offer a great experience to scuba dive Singapore for both novice and seasoned divers alike. It also helps that Singapore is one of the best places to buy great quality diving gear in the region and has many facilities that provide scuba training and easy access to dive courses. Whether you’re out to find something new or simply lookinmg for a unique dive experience, here are 10 of the best spots to scuba dive Singapore.
1. Palau Hantu
Because of how accessible this dive spot is, many local recreational divers love visiting it, especially during the weekends. It has a good collection of sheltered reefs, and plenty of marine wildlife to interact with. It’s only a 30-minute boat ride from mainland Singapore, and is actually made up of two islands, Hantu Kecil and Hantu Besar. Visitors can actually walk between the two islands during the low tide.
Despite this dive spot being so close to industrial zones, the area remains pristine, and still boasts a good collection of marine wildlide. Because of its accessibility, however, it may seem crowded during the weekends. Still, if you’re looking for a quick place to scuba dive Singapore, then this is a good place to go.
2. Sudong Wreck
This wreck is a great place to scuba dive Singapore if you’re into wreck diving. It’s located in Sudong Island, which is a few miles southwest of Singapore. Although there’s a lot of debate as to which ship it is, many believe that the wreck is actually HMS Goodwill, a British frigate from the Second World War.
While the wreck itself isn’t too deep, with the deepest end less than 50 feet underwater, the area is known for strong currents and a lot of boat traffic, so being vigilant or having a more experienced diver around is a definite must.
3. Sisters’ Island Marine Park
The Sisters’ Island Marine Park offers a great deal to many divers interested to scuba dive Singapore. Out of all Singapore’s dive spots, this one is relatively new, having only been opened to the public fairly recently. This makes plenty of its dive areas relatively pristine compared to the others, with a huge range of marine life in its dive trails.
This marine park is located south of Singapore, on the bigger of the two Sisters Islands. The current surrounding this area can be a bit strong, so novice divers will need a more experienced diver around to supervise them.
4. Palau Salu
Located south of Jurong Island, Palau Salu itself is a small island that is well-known for the pristine coral formations on its coast. It’s a popular spot to scuba dive Singapore, with many divers being treated to a good number of marine life, including barracudas, sharks and even dolphins.
The area is known to have very small boat traffic, which is a rarity in a place like Singapore, being a known commercial hub. Still, this makes access to Palau Salu difficult, and the strong currents in the area can prove problematic to some novice divers.
5. MV Iran Saral
Otherwise known as the Sisters Wreck due to its proximity to the Sisters’ Islands, the MV Iran Saral is a 160-foot freighter of Indonesian origin that offers a good place to dive if you’re into wreck diving. The ship itself is upside-down, making it a bit difficult to penetrate, through there are areas on the shallow end where you can enter the wreck itself. The wreck has known to have deteriorated recently, so careful diving is needed when exploring this area.
6. Kusu Island
Despite their pristine beauty, the reefs of Kusu Island are not as well-known as the other spots on this list, making it a great place to scuba dive Singapore if you want a less crowded area to dive in. It’s only 3.5 miles off the coast of Singapore and is actually home to a holiday resort that can serve as your base. This dive spot is known to have the highest densities of anemones in Singapore and a decent variety of marine life.
7. Ghost Wreck
This wreck is found not far from Palau Hantu and is actually the remnants of a small wooden fishing boat. Only its wooden beams remain, but it’s a great place to explore, especially on a clear day where you could see the entirety of the wreck in all its glory. The area itself has a good collection of wildlife, including schools of pipefish, pufferfish, pomfrets and many more. If you have a compass with you, you can easily navigate through this wreck and explore the reef close by as well.
8. Labrador Reef
Labrador Reef is one of the last coral reefs found on mainland Singapore, and is a popular site amongst the locals, especially students and nature lovers, aside from recreational divers of course. Located south of mainland Singapore, this reef is actually part of a nature preserve, so diving here will need the right kinds of permits, and although dives are conducted here, actual training dives aren’t. This area is teaming with marine life and is a great place to explore and scuba dive Singapore if you’re a novice diver.
9. Palau Jong
Palau Jong is a small island located about 4 miles off the southern coast of Singapore and is actually home to marine life that is rarely seen elsewhere in the country. This dive spot is home to black-tip sharks, many schools of parrotfishes, and more recently, pipefish as well. The island is rarely visited despite its proximity to the mainland, so if you want to scuba dive Singapore without needing to deal with huge crowds, then Palau Jong is a great place to start.
10. Palau Aur
Another popular spot to scuba dive Singapore is Palau Aur. Though this place is actually part of Johor Marine Park in Malaysia, it’s position northeast of Singapore makes it easily accessible from the mainland itself. This rocky island is home to many healthy coral and an abundant variety of fish life. If you’re lucky and if the weather permits, you may also encounter manta rays and whale sharks.
