Labuan Diving, Malaysia

Underwater World

The Federal Territory of Labuan comprises the main island of Labuan and six smaller islands, namely Pulau Kuraman, Pulau Daat, Pulau Rusukan Besar, Pulau Rusukan Kecil, Pulau Papan and Pulau Burung.

The main island of Labuan is located just 10 km off the north-west coast of Borneo, north of Brunei Bay, and faces the South China Sea.

The waters surrounding the six idyllic islets off Labuan are home to rich coral reefs and fishing grounds. Nearby are four wrecks, which make for great diving, each one having a different character. They are suitable for both beginners and more serious divers.

Labuan has become a popular diving destination in Malaysia with its fascinating underwater sights, colourful corals and dazzling marine life.

Learn to Dive
On the island, there is a one-day 'Discover Scuba Diving' course. After the students have gone through the basics, they are taken out to a reef to explore and practice their new skills.

A 'Discover Scuba Diving' session is also available at some of the hotel pools on Labuan. There are also 5-day Novice Diving Course and Advanced Courses.

Underwater Treasure Hunt
The Underwater Treasure Hunt has been run every year for the past 10 years, and is now part of the Labuan Sea Challenge, which includes big game fishing and jet ski racing, in addition to diving.

Nitrox Diving in Labuan
Enriched air, or Nitrox, is a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen - like normal air but with a higher proportion of oxygen. Using this mixture, divers can stay underwater longer than with normal air. It is safer than other methods because the diver is less likely to get 'the bends' since the diver is breathing more oxygen.

Although professional divers have used it for a while now, it has been in recreational diving for less than 12 years. In 1995, Nitrox diving began in Labuan. Courses in Nitrox are conducted in Labuan for divers, either in groups or individually.

Night Diving
To night dive, divers must show proof of night, cavern or wreck diving (with penetration) in the form of certification cards or log books documenting such dives. If no proof is available, divers who wish to night dive will be required to take an introduction or certification course in night diving at an additional cost.

Project Aware
Project AWARE is an environmental clean-up project organised globally every year by PADI International. Labuan divers, in conjunction with this project, have been doing underwater cleaning up for the past 6 years.

Wreck Diving

The 'Cement' wreck can be enjoyed by open water (novice) divers. For the 'Blue Water Wreck', you must be an advanced diver with deeper diving experience logged. To penetrate into the above two wrecks or to dive the 'American' or 'Australian' wrecks, you must be certified in a wreck diver specialty or have logged experience in wreck diving (Note: A Wreck Diving course should be arranged prior to arrival).

The Australian Wreck

Name: SS De Klerk
Type: Cargo/Passenger Steamer
Year Built: 1900

This wreck lies south-west of Rusukan Besar Island, about 23 km from Labuan, and is anything but Australian. It is the wreck of a cargo and passenger steamer originally named 'SS De KLERK', built in Amsterdam in 1900, which plied what was then the Dutch West Indies.

During World War II, the Dutch scuttled the ship to prevent it from falling into Japanese hands. But the Japanese salvaged the ship and renamed it the 'Imbaru Maru'.

In 1944, while on a voyage to Manila, it struck a mine off Labuan and sank. An estimated 339 passengers lost their lives, mostly workers and prisoners of war.

The wreck lies on the seabed in less than 21m of water. Experienced divers will enjoy exploring the interior of the wreck. Others will appreciate the variety of marine life around it, including soft corals, Lionfish and seldom-seen Frogfish. The wreck is a good environment for underwater photography.

The American Wreck

Name: USS Salute
Type: US Navy Minesweeper
Year Built: 1943

This wreck lies south-west of Rusukan Kecil Island, 1.4 km away from the Australian wreck, and about 24 km from Labuan. It is the 'USS SALUTE', a US Navy minesweeper built in Seattle, Washington in 1943. It was first put into service in Hawaii in 1944 escorting convoys between Pearl Harbor and several ports in the Far East.

Later, it was involved in intense action, providing protection for anti-aircraft vessels and submarines, as well as minesweeping. After several minesweeping operations in the Philippines, the ship began operating in Brunei Bay where it struck a mine in 1945. Nine US Sailors lost their lives when she sank.

The Cement Wreck

Name: MV Tung Hwuang
Type: Freighter
Year Built: Unknown
Built By: Unknown

The 'Tung Hwuang' is a freighter that sank while transporting cement to Brunei for the Sultan's new palace. It hit the Samarang Banks and sank as it tried to reach Labuan for repairs. Fortunately, no lives were lost.

The wreck now lies east of Kuraman Island and just 21 km from Labuan. It has settled in an upright position. It is the easiest wreck to navigate, making it ideal for training in wreck diving.

Divers can swim around in the cargo hold. There is a great variety of marine life to be found here including barracuda, turtles, Lionfish and a plethora of reef fish. Soft and hard corals grow on the surface of the wreck, which makes this the best Labuan wreck for underwater photography.

The Blue Water Wreck

Name: Mabini Padre
Type: Stren Trawler
Year Built: Unknown
Built By: Unknown

This wreck lies north-east of Kuraman Island and is 34 km from Labuan. It gets its name from the clear blue waters it lies in.

Of all the wrecks, this one has the best visibility. The wreck is the 'MABINI PADRE', a large Philippines fishing trawler which caught fire and sank in 1981. It is an interesting site for divers as it is completely intact. It also supports a wealth of marine life like soft corals, groupers and Batfish.

Diving Rules and Regulations

Diver training
All divers are required to show proof of certification before diving or they will not be allowed to dive without first taking a dive course. Log books are highly recommended.

Conditions for Diving
Liability/Release Form (Waiver)
All guests are required to sign a Liability/Release Form (Waiver) before going on a dive.

Diving Regulations
Surface Interval - For safety measures, a mandatory minimum 60 minutes' surface interval is required before the next dive, regardless of whether you are diving by computer or by tables.

Flying after Diving
The latest recommendation from DAN, Diver Alert Network, suggests that you should wait a minimum of 12 hours to 24 hours after diving before you fly. If you choose to dive on the day you fly, you are required to sign a separate Liability/Release Form (Waiver). You will only be able to do one dive, however.