There some islands in Singapore that are suitable for diving. On this webpage, we will provide some information for the people who would like to dive in these islands.
Diving is recommended only for experienced divers as the current of some islands are quite strong.
- Kusu Island
- Sisters’ Island
- Pulau Hantu
- Lazarus Island
- Pulau Biola
- Pulau Salu
- Pulau Sudong
- Pulau Satumu
Diving – Kusu Island
Location: Southeast of Sentosa island
Access: By boat from Jardine Steps .
Conditions: There can be strong currents. Dive only when water is calm.
Average Visibility: 1m
Maximum Depth: 30m (100ft)
These are tourist islands and so have changing rooms and swimming lagoons.There are stony corals and pelagic fish or sea snake, sea fans, table corals and turtles. There is also the occasional sight of dolphins.
Diving – Sisters’ Island
Location: South of Sentosa Island
Access: By boat from Jardine Steps
Conditions: There can be strong currents.
Average Visibility: 1.5m (5ft)
Maximum Depth: 21m (70ft)
There is a shallow reef at 6m (20ft) and a wreck at 21m (70ft).
Diving – Pulau Hantu
Location: West of Singapore
Access: By boat from Jardine Steps
Conditions: Dive only when water is calm.
Average Visibility: 3m
Maximum Depth: 15m
Pulau Hantu is one of the most dived area in Singapore . Due to the great number of divers at this site, the coral reef has been damaged. However, due to its good conditions for a dive site, many divers still come here to dive.
During your dive at Pulau Hantu, be sure to look out for its resident marine life, which includes turtles, nurse sharks and barracuda.
Diving at Pulau Hantu requires observent eyes as the most spectacular sites are usually very small in size. Try to look out for starfish, sea horse, spanish dancers and sea slugs.
Most of the diving that you do at Hantu will be mainly at its coral reef, which is one of the largest in Singapore.
Diving – Lazarus Island
Location: Between St John’s island and Kusu Island
Access: By boat from Jardine Steps around Sentosa island.
Conditions: Very Strong Currents
Average Visibility: 1m
Maximum Depth: 18m (60ft)
On the southern tip of the island, there is a wreck at 18m.
Diving – Pulau Biola
Location: Opposite of Raffles Lighthouse
Access: By boat from Jardine Steps
Conditions: Dive only when condition permits
Average Visibility: 3 m
Maximum Depth: 42ft
Diving at Pulau Biola is done at its very shallow reef, around 20ft of water. Conditions are usually quite stable but this depends mainly on the weather condition.
The reef at Pulau Biola is quite large, stretching to about 1km before you have to turn. Marine life here is quite good although visibility often hides them. Look out for parrot fish, angle fish, barracuda, rainbow fish, puffer fish and if you are lucky, you may spot eels.
While diving here, be prepared to face lots and lots of seaweed surrounding you.
Diving – Pulau Salu
Location: North of Pulau Sudong
Access: By boat from Jardine Steps
Conditions: Dive only when water is calm.
Average Visibility: 1.2m (4ft)
Maximum Depth: 21m (70ft)
This dive site is actually a restricted area for the military to use as an firing ground, so before you dive this area, please find out whether the military is going to use it that day, or you may most probably find yourself in another place and not earth.
Pulau Salu’s coast consists of many coral formations and is a very good dive spot to dive at. This site also has plentiful of marine life, including sharks, barracudas, and if you are really lucky, you may find yourself swimming with a group of dolphins.
Currents here can be quite strong, thus you must be very experienced or have a person who is experienced to dive with you in this area.
Diving – Pulau Sudong
Location: South of Pulau Hantu
Access: By boat from Jardine
Conditions: Dive only when currents are calm.
Average Visibility: 1m
Maximum Depth: 20m (65ft)
Pulau Sudong is a very beautiful area to dive. The area of the dive site consists mainly of large rock formation with many types of life on the rocks, including different types of corals, starfish, slugs, nudibranches and sea cucumber.
There is a large steel wreck at 20m (65ft) north of the island in which wreck divers may find interesting.
Diving – Pulau Satumu
Location: Southwest of Sentosa Island
Conditions: Currents can be very rough.
Average Visibility: 2m
Maximum Depth: 34m (110ft)
This area attracts experienced divers because it has better marine life than anywhere else off Singapore. At about a distance of 50 to 60 metres away from the reef, a cluster of wooden boats can be found. These boats are mostly without any hidden areas and so penetration into the wrecks is usually not needed. From the bouy line where the boat will anchor, descend slowly down to around 70ft to 80ft of water where you can start seeing traces of the wooden wrecks.
After exploring the wrecks, you can proceed on to the shallower part of the dive site, where a very beautiful coral reef formation can be found. In this area, be prepared to see large families of clown fish, barracuda, angle fish and sometimes if you are lucky, you may find moray eels hidden in the rocky formations of the reef.
