Barracuda Lake

Barracuda Lake is a freshwater hilltop lake in Coron known for its unusual layered water and thermal features. Divers experience a striking visible halocline at about 4 m where a warm, fresh upper layer overlies a hotter, saltier layer below, producing a surreal, curtain-like boundary and a distinctive underwater landscape. The site is widely regarded as one of the most unique and frequently visited dive sites in the Coron area. Dives reach a maximum depth of about 35 m, with the halocline near 4 m and a strong thermocline beginning around 14 m. Surface and upper-layer temperatures are about 28 °C, while deeper water can reach roughly 38 °C. Visibility in the upper layer can be quite clear, but deeper sections become murkier from silt and tannic acids; the silty sand bottom is easily stirred. There are no significant currents and entries are made from the lakeside after arriving by boat. A narrow underwater cave at about 30 m presents an overhead environment and should only be penetrated by properly trained cave or cavern divers. Because of the depth, extreme temperature shift, overhead environment, and risk of disorientation or reduced visibility if the bottom is disturbed, the site is recommended only for experienced divers; care with buoyancy, equalization, and thermal stress is required.