Diving and marine
Labuan Marine Park contains four wreck dive sites: the American, the Australian, the Blue Water and the Cement. Two are Second World War casualties. All four are reachable from a single day boat.
At a glance
| Park islets | Kuraman, Rusukan Kecil, Rusukan Besar |
|---|---|
| Wreck sites | American, Australian, Blue Water, Cement |
| Prohibited | Anchoring, fishing, polluting, damaging coral |
| Operators | Several dive centres are based on the island |
The four wrecks
Labuan Marine Park covers the islets of Kuraman, Rusukan Kecil and Rusukan Besar. Several dive operators based on the island run trips to the wrecks.
| Wreck | Type of site | What you will see |
|---|---|---|
| American Wreck | Second World War casualty | Capsized during the war. Divers can explore intact artefacts including cannons and depth charges. |
| Australian Wreck | Second World War casualty | A dark hull that now supports a large amount of marine life. |
| Blue Water Wreck | Clear-water site | Sits in clear blue water with a wide variety of fish. |
| Cement Wreck | Coral-covered site | The upper half is covered in soft and hard corals, ferns and sponges. |
Source: Wreck descriptions and marine park composition from Tourism Malaysia, Labuan Map & Guide (updated December 2023).
What to check before you book
Depths, certification requirements and prices are set by each dive operator and are not published here. Ask the dive centre to confirm them in writing when you book, and check that your certification level and recent diving experience match the sites you want to visit.
Marine park rules
Labuan Marine Park is a protected area. Visitors must follow park regulations at all times. Anchoring, fishing, polluting and any activity that breaks or damages coral and reef are prohibited.
If you do not dive
Parts of the same reef system are shallow enough to snorkel, and the marine park islets are also island-hopping stops with white sand beaches and sheltered coves.
Wreck Diving in Labuan
Four wreck dive sites inside one marine park. Two are Second World War casualties, and all four are reachable from a single day boat.
Why Labuan is a wreck destination
Most wreck diving means a long boat ride to a single site. Labuan puts four inside one marine park: the American, the Australian, the Blue Water and the Cement. That concentration is the reason divers make a dedicated trip here.
The four sites
| Site | Character |
|---|---|
| American Wreck | Second World War casualty. Intact artefacts including cannons and depth charges. |
| Australian Wreck | Second World War casualty. Atmospheric hull, heavy marine life. |
| Blue Water Wreck | Clear water, wide variety of fish. The photographer’s site. |
| Cement Wreck | Upper half covered in soft and hard corals, ferns and sponges. |
Source: Wreck descriptions and marine park composition from Tourism Malaysia, Labuan Map & Guide (updated December 2023).
Planning a wreck trip
Wreck diving is offered by several dive operators based on the island. Most spread the four sites across two or three days rather than attempting them in one. Allow a full day either side of your flight or ferry for surface interval, and never dive on the day you fly out.
Prices, session lengths, equipment hire and safety briefings are set by each operator and are not published here. Agree all four before you pay, and check that the operator is licensed and insured.
Not certified yet
See diving courses in Labuan. If you would rather stay on the surface, the same waters are good for snorkelling.
| Sites | American, Australian, Blue Water, Cement |
|---|---|
| Location | Labuan Marine Park |
| Operators | Several dive centres on the island |
| Plan for | Two to three diving days |
PADI Diving Courses in Labuan
Several dive centres operate from Labuan. Four wreck sites inside one marine park make it an unusual place to learn, but course availability and prices are set by each centre.
Why learn here
Labuan has an advantage most training locations do not: four wreck dive sites inside a single marine park, reachable from one day boat. That means the sites you will eventually want to dive are the same sites your instructor works around every week.
Where courses run
Wreck diving in Labuan is offered by several dive operators based on the island. Course levels, schedules, class sizes and prices differ between them.
Source: Presence of multiple dive operators from Tourism Malaysia, Labuan Map & Guide (updated December 2023).
What to ask before you book
- Which certifying agency the centre teaches under, and whether the certification is recognised where you dive at home.
- How many students per instructor, and how many days the course runs.
- What is included: equipment hire, materials, certification fee, boat fees, marine park charges.
- Whether the open water dives are on the wrecks or on shallower training sites.
- What happens if weather cancels a day, and whether you get a refund or a reschedule.
Medical and fitness
Every training agency requires a medical declaration before you get in the water. Certain conditions, including some respiratory, cardiac and ear problems, need a doctor’s sign-off. Deal with this before you travel rather than on the morning of day one.
Already certified
If you hold a certification already, go straight to the wreck diving guide. Bring your card and your logbook. Operators will ask when you last dived.
| Operators | Several dive centres are based on the island |
|---|---|
| Sites | Four wrecks inside Labuan Marine Park |
| Prices | Set by each centre. Confirm what is included. |
| Medical | A declaration is required. Arrange sign-off before travelling. |
American Wreck Dive Site
A Second World War casualty that capsized off Labuan. Divers can still explore intact artefacts on the wreck, including cannons and depth charges.
What the site is
The American Wreck is one of four wreck dive sites in Labuan Marine Park. It was capsized during the Second World War and has stayed largely intact since.
What you will see
The main draw is the wartime material still in place. Divers can explore intact artefacts on the wreck, including cannons and depth charges. It is the most explicitly historical of the four sites, and the one most often chosen by divers who came to Labuan for the war heritage as much as the reefs.
Source: Wreck description from Tourism Malaysia, Labuan Map & Guide (updated December 2023).
Before you dive it
Depth, current, visibility and the certification level required are set by the site and by conditions on the day. Ask your dive operator to confirm all four in writing when you book, and be honest with them about how recently you last dived.
The wreck sits inside a protected marine park. Anchoring, fishing, polluting and any contact that damages coral are prohibited. Penetration of a wreck is a specialist skill. Do not enter the structure unless you hold the relevant certification and are diving with a guide who knows the interior.
The other three
The Australian, Blue Water and Cement wrecks complete the set. Most operators run them across two or three days rather than in one push.
| Type | Second World War casualty |
|---|---|
| Notable | Intact artefacts including cannons and depth charges |
| Location | Labuan Marine Park |
| Depth | Confirm with your dive operator |
| Level | Confirm with your dive operator |
Australian Wreck Dive Site
A Second World War casualty with a dark, imposing hull that now supports a large amount of marine life. The most atmospheric of Labuan’s four wrecks.
What the site is
The Australian Wreck is the second of Labuan’s two Second World War wrecks, alongside the American Wreck. Both lie inside Labuan Marine Park.
What you will see
The wreck has an eerie appearance, and that is much of its appeal. Despite the look of it, the hull is home to an impressive amount of marine life, so the site works both as a wreck dive and as a fish dive.
Source: Wreck description from Tourism Malaysia, Labuan Map & Guide (updated December 2023).
Before you dive it
Depth, current and the certification level required are not published here because they depend on the site and the conditions. Confirm all of them with your dive operator when you book.
Marine park rules apply. Anchoring, fishing, polluting and damaging coral are prohibited. Reduced visibility is common around wrecks that support heavy marine growth, so stay within sight of your buddy and your guide.
| Type | Second World War casualty |
|---|---|
| Notable | Heavy marine life on an atmospheric hull |
| Location | Labuan Marine Park |
| Depth | Confirm with your dive operator |
| Level | Confirm with your dive operator |
Blue Water Wreck Dive Site
The clearest of Labuan’s four wrecks. It sits in blue water with a wide variety of fish around it, which makes it the easiest site to photograph.
What the site is
The Blue Water Wreck is one of the four wreck dive sites inside Labuan Marine Park. Unlike the American and Australian wrecks, it is not a wartime casualty.
What you will see
The site lies amid crystal blue water with a rich variety of fish. Where the two war wrecks are valued for their history and their atmosphere, this one is valued for water clarity and fish life, which is why it tends to be the favourite among underwater photographers.
Source: Wreck description from Tourism Malaysia, Labuan Map & Guide (updated December 2023).
Before you dive it
Water clarity varies with season and weather even at the clearest site. If photography is the reason you are coming, ask the operator what visibility has been like in the days before your trip.
Marine park regulations apply here as at every site in the park: no anchoring, no fishing, no polluting, and no contact that breaks or damages coral.
| Type | Wreck dive |
|---|---|
| Notable | Clear blue water and a wide variety of fish |
| Location | Labuan Marine Park |
| Best for | Underwater photography |
| Depth | Confirm with your dive operator |
The Cement Wreck: Labuan’s Most Popular Dive Site
The most heavily grown-over of the four. The upper half of the Cement Wreck is covered in a garden of soft and hard corals, ferns and sponges.
What the site is
The Cement Wreck is one of four wreck dive sites inside Labuan Marine Park, and the one usually described as the most spectacular to look at.
What you will see
The top half of the wreck is covered by a garden of soft and hard corals, ferns and sponges. After enough years underwater the structure has stopped reading as a ship and started reading as reef, which is what makes it the standout site for divers who care more about marine growth than about maritime history.
Source: Wreck description from Tourism Malaysia, Labuan Map & Guide (updated December 2023).
Before you dive it
Coral cover this dense is fragile. Keep your buoyancy under control, secure loose gauges and torches, and do not hold on to the structure. A single careless fin kick undoes decades of growth.
Depth, current and certification requirements are set by the operator. Confirm them when you book.
Where it sits among the four
Pair it with the Blue Water Wreck for a reef-and-clarity day, or with the American and Australian wrecks for a wartime day.
| Type | Wreck dive |
|---|---|
| Notable | Upper half covered in soft and hard corals, ferns and sponges |
| Location | Labuan Marine Park |
| Best for | Coral and macro life |
| Depth | Confirm with your dive operator |