About
The SS President Coolidge lies off Espiritu Santo, the largest island in Vanuatu, in the Oceania region of the Pacific. It is a shipwreck, and it is the kind of place visitors come to dive rather than simply to look at from the shore.
The wreck is described as the largest accessible shipwreck in the world, and it is recognised as a heritage site in its own right. Divers can enter its intact cargo holds and see wartime artifacts still lying where they were left, which gives the visit a sense of history that few underwater sites offer.
What a visit offers
- Diving through the ship: the intact cargo holds are the main draw, with the size of the vessel making each dive feel distinct.
- Wartime artifacts: objects from the ship's wartime past remain in place, so the wreck is as much a historical site as a dive.
- A heritage setting: the site suits visitors interested in maritime history as well as in the underwater world.
Planning your trip
The wreck is best approached as a dedicated diving outing, and it suits visitors who are comfortable in the water and interested in exploring a large, historic vessel. Espiritu Santo is the island where the site sits, so time spent there can be arranged around the dive itself. Visitors should check local arrangements for access and operators before they travel, as conditions and logistics for diving are set locally.