The island is part of the 600 islands, reefs and shoals in the South China Sea known as The Spratly’s. Located in waters 2,000 metres deep, Layang Layang is an atoll of 13 linked coral reefs. The atoll isn’t that large – it only covers an area of 14 square kilometres. Situated about 300 km off the Borneo coast, the atoll is surrounded by waters teeming with a rich biodiversity of marine life.
The fact that it’s situated by deep waters gives rise to some outstanding wall diving and encounters with pelagic species such as hammerhead sharks which gather here to perform their mating rituals. You may also encounter a whale shark or two.
The extraordinary coral gardens of these virgin reefs surrounding Layang Layang has never been fished or experienced any kind of pollution. In fact, the extraordinary visibility and exciting variety of marine life can sometimes be misleading – watch your depth and no-decompression times!
Tips & Recommendations for Divers
DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION | Layang Layang |
EXPERIENCE LEVEL | Intermediate – Advanced |
DIVING SEASON | February to October |
DEPTH | 5m to 40m |
VISIBILITY | 20m to 50m |
CURRENTS | Can be strong |
SURFACE CONDITIONS | Calm |
WATER TEMPERATURE | 26ºC to 30ºC |