Best Places for Scuba Diving in Turkey

Antalya – Kemer – Tekirova

This world famous tourist region has the highest number of diving schools in the country, containing many contrasting dive sites. Kemer is one of the most popular diving areas in the region. Tekirova, the surrounding islands have a wonderful array of sea life including huge thornback rays, and are also a good location for cavern diving. During August and September there is a huge amount of tuna fish and seals, and dolphins can be seen throughout the year.

Kas – Kalkan – Patara

Kas is probably top of all the Turkish dive sites, due to the range, frequency and quality of the dives. There are plenty of caves, reefs and wrecks in the area, along with abundant marine life such as eel, rays and turtles. The seas around Kalkan are suited to experienced divers, with species of sea life including sharks, turtles, tuna and thornback rays. Patara has coral and sea sponges with lively and colourful sights.

Saros – Gokceada – Bozcaada

Saros is a favourite spot for divers due to its proximity to Istanbul, and is full of submerged ruins like Captain Franco, which lies at the entrance of Canakkale Strait in Saros Bay. Underwater fauna includes black fauna. Gokceada and Bozcaada have good tourist facilities, interesting plant life, sea creatures and submerged ruins.

Datca – Marmaris

The area around Datca has wonderful diving opportunities with many sharks, dolphins and Mediterranean seals at a depth of between 10-40 m, especially around the islands of Kara Incir. There is a good dive point off Esen Island, which is connected to Datca harbour. There are 52 diving points and a large selection of ancient underwater ruins around the area of Marmaris. The steep slope of the seabed off Cennet Island contains especially beautiful plant and animal life.

Bodrum – Orak Island

Bodrum has the most interesting and beautiful diving spots in Turkey. Bodrum is famous for one of the greatest underwater museums in the world. But it is also known for its great diving opportunities with great depths, colourful sea sponges and caverns. The east wall off Orak Island, exceeding 100 m in depth, is a diving haven with beautiful rock formations in the shallow area, which can take easily take a whole day to experience fully.

Big and Small Bango – Kargi Island – Kocek Island

Big Bango is one of the symbol diving points of the region, with a maximum depth of 4 meters. Small Bango is about 200 m from the Big Bango. Kargi Island is about one and a half hours sail from Bodrum. This island is the closest point to the Greek island of Kos. Kocek Island is a sea mile away from the island of Kargi in the direction of Bodrum and has small rocky islets.

Gulf of Gokova

This point is in the Gulf of Gokova and is in a one and half hour sail from Bodrum. It is also the furthest point reached for daily diving. The point has an unbelievably beautiful underwater topography for those who like wall diving. The diving at the point facing the Gulf of Gokova is very exciting.

Ayvalik – Kiz Island

According to rumour, the area around Ayvalik is the location of the lost city of Atlantis but what is known is the unique diving options especially off Gunes Island, Yuvarlak Island and Kerbela Rocks. The most popular area is the waters off Kiz Island with fascinating underwater fauna from a depth of 19 m.

Kusadasi

Kusadasi is a great spot to dive the Aegean in totally unchartered and uncrowded waters with great visibility and few no currents and no tides.

Mersin – Tasucu – Sancak Bay

The clear waters of Mersin have many interesting dive sites including the sunken cargo ship at the western cape of Dana Island. There is a submerged island northwest of Sancak Bay, with large ancient oil jars made Mersin a popular dive resort. Most of the dive sites are situated around the coastline of the Tasucu.