Diving
Known as the meeting point of the East and West, Türkiye is a diving destination offering a wide range of unforgettable experiences. You can dive off boats, explore shipwrecks and caves, participate in night dives, or wall dive from beautiful drop-offs.
The underwater world in Türkiye is so interesting and the habitats are so diverse that you have to choose your destination carefully according to what you want to discover. The best period to visit is from June to September when the water temperature is above 21°C, the seabed is repopulated from the winter, and the visibility is clear 20 to 40 meters deep.
- Fethiye, Muğla
The ocean floor of Fethiye is made up of swim-through arches covered in soft corals, mysterious tunnels, and plunging slopes!
Red Island in Fethiye is a natural amphitheater measuring 20 meters in height. Head here at night with a torch to reveal a plethora of vivid sponge. Investigate the engine bays of the 40-meter-long Turkish Guard Command (TSCG) ship that sits 27 meters below land.
One of the best diving sites in Türkiye, nearby Fethiye, Aquarium Bay, has become a protected site in recent years. It is a suitable diving site for both less experienced and more advanced divers. Aquarium Bay is also a great spot for night diving.
- Bodrum, Muğla
There are just over 20 diving sites along the Bodrum coast. These underwater landscapes cover reefs, caves, and three purposely sunken wrecks!
Bodrum has a number of unique bays around the peninsula. The seas swiftly change from shallow to astonishingly deep, with fish, octopus, seaweed and seagrass, and sea sponges.
On the reef of Bodrum, you can find underwater caves, sunken ships, and aircraft wrecks. Advanced divers can weave their way in and out of red lionfish, barracudas, and groupers as they tackle the Big and Small Reef.
- Kalkan & Kaş, Antalya
The southern district of Kaş in the province of Antalya is one of Türkiye's most cherished diving spots. Kaş has a range of diving options from Kaş to Kalkan further to the east, and Patara to the west!
Crystal clear waters allow for near perfect clarity. Fish, sea life, seaweed, seagrass, coral and sea sponges populate the underwater world, and can be observed amongst the ruins of ancient cities.
The main highlight is the Blue Hole, which is home to several types of reef sharks and tropical fish. Lying in the center of the Lighthouse Reef, this large sinkhole is 125 meters deep and the world’s largest natural formation of its kind.
- Çeşme, İzmir
Çeşme offers a clarity of water that is very rarely found and a diverse range of marine species. Dive sites include the Bedroom, a spectacular cave particularly loved by underwater photographers, and Split Rock at Eşek Island where experienced divers can go down 45 meters.
Suitable for all divers, Fener Island, located nearby the village of Ildır in İzmir’s popular holiday spot, Çeşme. Fener Island is a great spot for those seeking an underwater adventure in a colorful site that extends 18 meters below water.
- Kuşadası & Didim, Aydın
Kuşadası, a popular holiday spot on Türkiye’s Aegean coast, is one of the more unusual dive sites as it features a sunken A300 Airbus. With a 44-meter wingspan and 54-meter length, the local council sank the 36-year-old plane to attract international divers. In time, it will become an artificial reef for underwater flora and fauna, and offer a unique diving experience.
The Aegean underwater world around Didim creates amazing opportunities to explore marine life and offers the chance to swim around a deliberately sunken former coastal guard ship.
- Gallipoli, Çanakkale
Gallipoli on the Dardanelles Strait, close to Çanakkale, is positively teeming with marine life and fascinating shipwrecks!
Türkiye has 125 listed shipwrecks around its coastline, and nowhere more so than off the northwest coast of the Gallipoli Peninsula. The abundance of wrecks here mostly date from World War I battles in 1915.
During the Gallipoli Campaign, the Turkish resistance thwarted the Allies’ attack, prompting Britain to abandon the campaign a year later. They left behind a litany of wrecks of warships and supply vessels that today offer fantastic diving opportunities.
- Ayvalık, Balıkesir
Rumor has it that the area around Ayvalık is the location of the lost city of Atlantis. While Atlantis is an age-old myth, Ayvalık is a diving spot awaiting visitors today with the unique diving opportunities off of Güneş Island, Yuvarlak Island, and Kerbela Rocks.
A variety of beautiful fish, colorful species, and coral reefs live in the sea. Perhaps the most interesting dive is at Kiz Island where an abundance of corals, seaweed, and other seagrass can be observed from a depth of 19 meters.
- Datça & Marmaris, Muğla
Datça is a beautiful area with hot springs, glorious coves, and beaches. As the most important nesting site for Caretta carettas (loggerhead sea turtles) in Türkiye, it is also a key marine life center. The headland boasts many beautiful coves and areas for snorkeling and diving, with dolphins, sharks, and other marine life spotted regularly in the region.
Just like dry land, the depths of the ocean in Marmaris are equally attractive. Diving is one of the most popular water sports in the area thanks to the clear waters and great visibility. Whether you’re renting equipment or taking a guided scuba diving excursion, you won’t be disappointed by its vast marine life, rare rock formations, and steep walls.
