One of the most visited wreck sites in Palau, this dive site is often called Lionfish wreck due to the huge numbers of lionfish that have moved in. The Chuyo Maru was an 89-metre long coastal freighter that sank on the 1st of April 1944.
Visibility varies from around 7 metres to 33 metres with better visibility at the front of the wreck. The shop sits upright in around 40 metres of water. The deck sits at 30 metres whilst the forward tower in the middle of the boat, can be found at around 12 metres. There are two anchors lying on the deck; one from the Chuyo Maru and one from a fishing vessel that got its anchor entangled and lost it here. It is suitable for advanced divers with wreck diving and deep diving experience. The bottom is made up of silt and besides from the coral formations on the wreck, there is no nearby coral.
Parts of the wreck can be penetrated including the empty hold, the engine room, the crew quarters, and the boiler room. The bridge structures have disintegrated but the remains of the telegraph and brass compass can still be seen. Towards the stern, divers can find the stern gun, two depth charge launchers, and four ammunition boxes. Divers should not touch any of the ammunition, as some might still be live.
The wreck is covered in spiral corals, black corals, and hard corals. There are many shrimps living on these and divers can find more soft corals and oysters on the deck and rails. There are many tropical fish on the wreck, including a large number of lionfish.