Japanese Shipwreck

The Japanese Shipwreck is a World War II-era wreck located in the Amed area of Bali, Indonesia, sitting at a maximum depth of 12 metres with its shallowest point at just 5 metres. The wreck is heavily colonised by soft corals, leather corals, gorgonians, and large sponges, making it as much a coral garden as a structural dive. Because the wreck sits so shallow, divers commonly explore it toward the end of a dive, using the time above it as a long safety stop.

The site is rich in macro life, with sea fans hosting pygmy seahorses, and the wreck and surrounding reef sheltering orangutan crabs, squat lobsters, leaf scorpionfish, moray eels, and nudibranchs. Hard and soft corals round out the reef life across the structure.

Entry is from shore, and the site carries a medium current that can be unpredictable, so divers should be aware of changing conditions. At a maximum depth of 12 metres and with its accessible shallowest point at 5 metres, the site is suitable for beginners, though the variable current warrants attention at all levels.