The floor of Subic Bay holds a remarkable collection of wartime wrecks in warm, clear water with visibility commonly reaching 20 metres. The most famous is the USS New York, an American cruiser scuttled in 1941 to prevent capture — her superstructure lies at 27 metres, accessible to experienced open-water divers. The Oryoku Maru, a Japanese prison ship sunk here in December 1944 by American aircraft while carrying Allied POWs, lies in shallower water. Several smaller Japanese vessels round out the wreck field. Numerous dive shops operate out of Barrio Barretto and the main waterfront; equipment rental and boat trips are straightforward to arrange. Conditions are good year-round, though visibility peaks in the dry season.
story: "The Oryoku Maru was bombed and strafed by American planes on 14 December 1944 while carrying 1,619 Allied POWs in its holds. Survivors who swam ashore were marched to the naval base tennis court with no food or water for three days before being transferred north by another ship."