Boatyard Wreck
Lankayan Island · Malaysia
A small wooden fishing vessel rests upright on a sandy bottom in 18 metres, completely colonised by soft corals and sponges that have transformed its hull into a concentrated macro habitat. Nudibranchs of a dozen species carpet the encrusted timbers, and blue-ringed octopus shelter inside the engine compartment — a reminder to look but not reach. The wreck sits in the open so it doubles as a blue-water backdrop when whale sharks drift past in the distance.
Conditions
Depth
10 to 20 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
18 to 25 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
27 to 31°C
3mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 |
| Vis (m) | 10 | 12 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Still | Still | Still | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Green Sea Turtle
Last confirmed Sep 28, 2025 · 3 records
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Blue-ringed Octopus
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Chromodoris Nudibranch
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Frogfish
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Painted Sweetlips
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Willan'S Chromodoris
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Blackfin Sweetlips
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Copperband Butterflyfish
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear