The Shinkoku Maru is a 10,000-ton fleet oiler that many consider to be Truk Lagoon's most spectacular dive, particularly for photographers. The ship sits at 12–40 metres, its upper deck accessible to recreational divers and its enormous engine room largely intact.
What sets the Shinkoku Maru apart is the density and variety of coral growth on its exterior. The bow and bridge are smothered in a richly coloured garden of soft corals, while the midships section is home to enormous barrel sponges and gorgonian fans that have had eighty years to reach their full size. A resident school of barracuda circles the wreck, and large tuna can sometimes be seen hunting near the bow. The ship's operating theatre — it carried a full medical facility — is one of the more unsettling penetration dives, its instruments and jars still recognisable behind the coral.