Dive sites in Cyprus

Airport Reef sits just offshore from the coastline near Paphos International Airport. The dive features flat rock shelves, sandy channels, scattered boulders, and seagrass beds with ancient amphora shards embedded in the reef matrix. Low rocky ledges and crevices provide shelter for Mediterranean fauna, while the open water above offers reliable sightings of passing pelagic visitors.

Located off the Akrotiri Peninsula near Limassol, this protected marine area features a gently sloping rocky seabed interspersed with sand patches and Posidonia seagrass meadows. Because the zone has enjoyed long-term protection, local fauna shows little fear of divers, often approaching closely during descents. The calm waters and forgiving depths make it a dependable location for training dives and relaxed exploration.

The Alexandria is an old fishing trawler that sank in Larnaca Bay while in transit from Limassol. Resting upright on a flat seabed, the intact hull provides an atmospheric dive often overshadowed by the nearby Zenobia. The bridge, open deck sections, and engine spaces can be inspected during circumnavigation.

Located along the rugged coastline near Coral Bay and Peyia, this site gets its name from a striking natural rock formation sculpted by sea currents into a tiered semicircular arena. Divers navigate through a series of shallow gullies, swim-throughs, and rocky overhangs where natural light creates dramatic shafts across the seabed.

Located off the rugged Akamas Peninsula, Amphitheatre Bay takes its name from a striking natural rock amphitheater carved by wave action. Stepped ledges, swim-through arches, and shallow gullies create a dynamic underwater topography lit by sunbeams piercing through crevices. The site offers relaxed navigation across rocky reefs interspersed with patches of coarse sand and Posidonia seagrass meadows.

Located off the coast of Protaras within the Paralimni Marine Protected Area, this purpose-built artificial reef features sunken structures and concrete modules designed to encourage marine colonization on an otherwise sandy seabed. The site acts as a focal gathering point for local fish populations and Mediterranean predators, making it a regular training and exploration site for divers operating from local harbors.

Situated off the distinctive white cliffs of Cape Aspro, this offshore reef complex presents a series of rocky shelves, limestone gullies, and scattered boulders. Divers descend along dramatic topography where overhangs provide shelter for Mediterranean fauna. The light-colored seabed enhances ambient light throughout the dive, creating distinct contrast against deeper fissures.

Situated along the southeastern coastline of Cyprus, Blue Haze offers an easy reef topography characterized by a gentle seabed slope, rocky ledges, and patches of Posidonia seagrass. Calm surface conditions and broad visibility make it a common choice for training dives and relaxed marine observation.

Situated along the rocky coastline of the Cape Greco National Park, The Canyon offers a dramatic descent through steep limestone walls and sunken corridors. The route guides divers through a sunken ravine that cuts directly into the seabed, opening up into expansive sand patches interspersed with boulders. Along the rock faces, pockets and crevices shelter Mediterranean critters, while ancient amphora shards embedded into the stone tell tales of historical maritime routes.

Situated along the limestone coast of Cape Greco, this site features a series of shallow underwater caverns and natural arches carved into the rock. Divers navigate through daylight-filled swim-throughs and tunnels that open into clear blue water. Sunlight streams down through openings in the cavern ceilings, creating shifting light curtains over sandy floors and rock walls.

The Constandis was a Russian-built bottom trawler originally named Zolotets before being acquired and operated in Cyprus. Intentionally scuttled in the Limassol Marine Protected Area alongside the Lady Thetis wreck, the vessel sits upright on a flat seabed. Open access points allow trained divers to explore the wheelhouse and engine room compartments, while the exterior hull functions as an established artificial reef colonised by Mediterranean fish.

Scuttled in Limassol Bay to foster marine life, this former Russian bottom trawler sits fully upright on a sandy seabed inside an established marine protected area. Cleaned and prepared specifically for scuba diving prior to sinking, the vessel offers accessible holds and wheelhouse passages. Resident groupers frequent the shadowed machinery spaces below deck, while jacks and bream circle the exterior rigging in open water.

Situated along the rugged Cape Greco national forest park between Ayia Napa and Protaras, Cyclops Cave features a dramatic underwater landscape sculpted out of porous limestone. Divers descend past huge fallen monoliths, swim-throughs, and stepped drop-offs that lead toward deep sandy flats. The fractured rock formations create ample shelter for macro critters and classic Mediterranean predators alike.

Located along the coastline of Kissonerga just north of Paphos, Cynthiana is an accessible coastal site entered directly from the rocky shoreline. The underwater terrain transitions from shallow rocky platforms and boulder formations into shallow gullies, sandy channels, and patches of Posidonia seagrass. Its calm topography makes it a mainstay for checkout dives, training, and relaxed night excursions.

Located along the Protaras coastline, De Costa Bay offers a calm, sheltered environment characterized by shallow rocky reefs, patches of posidonia seagrass, and open sand. The site is frequently used for training sessions, refresher dives, and relaxed exploration, featuring mild topography with small overhangs and scattered ancient amphora sherds embedded in the rock.

Purposefully sunk as an artificial reef off the Larnaca coastline, this former commercial cargo vessel sits upright on a flat sandy seabed. The ship features expansive open cargo holds, an accessible bridge, and intact accommodation blocks. Algae, sponges, and schooling Mediterranean fishes have thoroughly colonized the steel structure, making it one of the premier wreck explorations in the region.

Located along the rugged coastline of the Akamas Peninsula, Fontana Amorosa is a sheltered natural bay with shallow, clear water. The dive profile combines rocky ridges, scattered limestone boulders, and extensive meadows of Posidonia oceanica. Historically utilized as a natural anchorage since antiquity, the seabed features fragments of ancient amphorae cemented into the rock formations alongside typical Mediterranean marine life.

Located near Protaras, this sheltered cove serves as one of the primary dive training sites in Cyprus. Entry begins along a gently sloping rocky shelf that gives way to a wide expanse of sand and seagrass meadows. Further out, an artificial underwater sculpture park featuring statues and classical-style columns draws marine life and provides navigation reference points across the seabed.

HMS Cricket was a British Insect-class river gunboat that saw action in both World Wars before being utilized as target practice by the Royal Air Force and sinking upside down in Larnaca Bay. The inverted hull rests on a sandy seafloor, offering divers external exploration around the twin propeller shafts and access inside the hollowed-out hull via escape hatches and blast holes. Natural light penetrates through bomb damage in the superstructure, illuminating schooling fish that shelter inside.

Located offshore between Pissouri and Avdimou, this dramatic underwater geological formation is part of Cyprus's largest natural reef system. Divers descend onto an expansive submerged plateau that drops away into sheer vertical walls, punctuated by massive swim-through arches, deep crevices, and cavernous overhangs. The open-water setting attracts pelagic hunters alongside typical Eastern Mediterranean rocky reef dwellers.

Located off the coast of Pissouri, this offshore reef structure is defined by steep walls, massive boulders, and a dramatic underwater cavern system. Divers descend to a pinnacle ridge before exploring sheer drop-offs punctuated by swim-throughs and wide archways. The offshore position invites pelagic hunters while the recesses in the rock shelter Mediterranean reef species.

Located off the coast of Pissouri, this offshore submerged reef features a massive underwater cliff dropping into the abyss. The centerpiece of the site is an expansive cavern with multiple chambers and wide openings, cutting directly into the vertical rock face. Pelagic predators cruise along the drop-off while macro subjects hide in the crevices of the limestone overhangs.

Scuttled in the Ayia Napa Marine Protected Area to form an artificial reef, the Kyrenia wreck rests fully upright on a flat sandy seabed. The vessel was thoroughly cleaned and prepped before sinking, creating open swim-throughs across the deck and bridge area. Marine growth has established itself along the railings and hull, drawing schooling fish and solitary predators out from the nearby rocky shoreline.

Sunk in early 2014 as an artificial reef within the Limassol Marine Protected Area, the former German passenger vessel Lady Thetis rests upright on a flat seabed. Prepared thoroughly before scuttling, the vessel features multiple open swim-throughs across the saloon, bridge, and engine room. The superstructure now shelters a dense collection of Mediterranean marine fauna that colonized the metal bulkheads.

Set along the coastline of Chrysochou Bay near the harbour, Latchi Beach serves as a gentle training and refresher site. The seabed transitions gradually from pebbles into extensive sand flats intercut with patches of Posidonia oceanica seagrass and low rocky outcroppings. Calm conditions and gradual depth changes make navigation straightforward while searching for bottom-dwellers camouflaged in the sand.

Scuttled deliberately in 2009 to develop marine habitat off Protaras, the MV Liberty sits upright on a flat sandy bottom. Penetration points through the hold and bridge are accessible for suitably trained divers, while the hull exterior attracts transient pelagics and schooling Mediterranean reef fish. Easy navigation and good water clarity make it a staple training ground for wreck specialties and intermediate divers visiting the eastern coast of Cyprus.

Located within the Limassol Marine Protected Area, this site encompasses two purposely sunk vessels: the Lady Thetis, a former river cruiser, and the Constandis, an old bottom trawler. Both wrecks sit upright on a sandy seabed and have developed thriving artificial reef ecosystems. Divers can navigate swim-throughs, explore wheelhouses, and observe how marine life colonizes metal structures in the eastern Mediterranean.

Situated within the designated Limassol Marine Protected Area, this site encompasses artificial reefs and purpose-sunk vessels including the Lady Thetis and the Constandis. Scuttled to promote marine biodiversity and local wreck diving, the structures now serve as hubs for Mediterranean marine species across a sandy seabed. Divers can navigate between intact hulls, explore open wheelhouses, and inspect colonization across the external superstructures.

Located off the coast of Peyia near Paphos, this small rocky islet features extensive underwater architecture characterized by walls, swim-through arches, and cavernous overhangs. Sunlight filters through blowholes in the rock ceilings, illuminating encrusting sponges and calcified algae clinging to vertical drop-offs.

Set along the sheltered coastline of Avdimou Bay near Pissouri, this shallow coastal site features a mix of scattered boulders, rocky ledges, and patches of Posidonia seagrass. Calm surface conditions and gentle sloping topography make it a frequent choice for introductory training, refresher dives, and unhurried macro exploration. Divers navigate through rocky channels where small crevices harbor Mediterranean critters and juvenile fish taking shelter from open water.

MUSAN (Museum of Underwater Sculpture Ayia Napa) is an underwater sculpture forest conceived by artist Jason deCaires Taylor off Pernera Beach. Submerged figurative statues and sculptural trees sit on a flat, sandy seabed designed to attract colonization by local marine fauna. The shallow depth and calm Mediterranean setting make it widely accessible for divers of all experience levels and snorkelers alike.

The Nemesis III is a decommissioned bottom trawler intentionally scuttled as an artificial reef in the marine protected area off the Protaras coast. Sitting fully upright on a flat seabed, the steel wreck has been prepared for diving with open access hatches, allowing divers with appropriate training to explore the wheelhouse and engine spaces. Over time, marine growth has covered the superstructure, attracting schooling fish and predatory species that use the hull for shelter.

Located on the southwestern edge of Ayia Napa, Nissi Beach features a sheltered bay with a rocky islet connected by a shallow sandy sandbar. Dive centers frequently use the sheltered zone around the islet for open water training sessions and introductory dives. The seabed shifts from fine white sand to rocky reefs riddled with small crevices, small overhangs, and sea grass patches.

Pissouri Bay features a sheltered coastal profile on the southern shore of Cyprus, where gentle sand patches meet rocky shelves and dense Posidonia seagrass beds. Underwater terrain includes small ledges, scattered boulders, and shallow gullies that provide shelter for Mediterranean reef fauna. Dive operators frequently utilize the bay for training sessions, leisurely shore dives, and nocturnal excursions.

Located along the rugged coastline of the Peyia area north of Paphos, Pistol Bay offers sheltered rocky reef diving with distinct underwater topography. Divers encounter a series of gullies, shallow swim-throughs, and rocky overhangs carved out of limestone bedrock. The site is frequently used for training and relaxed exploration due to gentle conditions and reliable visibility.

Located along the rugged coastline of Cape Greco, Roman Harbour offers a gentle dive across rocky seabed formations and remnants of ancient maritime activity. The site features shallow channels, small overhangs, and patches of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows. Weathered pottery shards and ancient stone anchors lie encrusted in the limestone bed, tracing centuries of coastal shipping history.

Located in Ayia Napa, this sheltered horseshoe bay provides calm conditions favored for novice training, refresher courses, and relaxed navigation practice. A gentle sandy slope leads outward from the shore toward rocky ridges and patches of Neptune grass flanking both headlands. Divers can explore small fissures and overhangs along the reef edges where Mediterranean critters shelter during the day.

Situated off the tip of the Akamas Peninsula, this uninhabited rocky outcrop offers some of the most dynamic topography in Cyprus. Divers find sheer underwater walls plunging to sandy seabed plateaus, punctuated by deep fissures, swim-throughs, and boulder fields. Pelagic species frequently cruise along the seaward drop-offs where currents bring nutrient-rich waters.

Located off the coast of Protaras, this dive combines sheltered shallow water with limestone rock features and small cave passages. Divers navigate around rocky outcrops and through a natural overhead opening known locally as The Hole. Sea turtles regularly feed on the seagrass beds flanking the hard substrate, making it a reliable spot for encounters.

The MS Zenobia rests on its port side on the seabed just off the Larnaca coastline. Sunk on its maiden voyage in 1980, the massive Swedish roll-on/roll-off ferry still holds over a hundred articulated lorries chained to the decks, with cargo spilling across the sandy bottom. Divers can explore the expansive starboard side, inspect the massive twin propellers, or undertake deep penetrations into the cafeteria, bridge, accommodation decks, and car decks with specialized training.

Located along the rugged coastline near Coral Bay, Three Rocks features a trio of distinct rocky formations rising from a sandy and pebble-strewn seafloor. Divers can weave between the pinnacles, exploring gullies, small overhangs, and swim-throughs carved into the limestone reef.

The Vera K was a Lebanese cargo vessel that ran aground in shallow water off Paphos and was subsequently blown up as a navigational hazard. Today the wreck lies in a blast-formed underwater crater surrounded by rocky reef structures. Much of the hull has fragmented, but the bridge section, engine block, and various machinery parts remain recognizable and host diverse Mediterranean marine species.

Located along the eastern coastline near Protaras, Vizakia Bay features a gently sloping seabed of sand, rock formations, and patches of Posidonia seagrass. Calm surface conditions make the bay a frequent choice for introductory dives, training sessions, and relaxed second dives. Natural rocky outcrops shelter Mediterranean macro critters, while sea turtles occasionally drift into the shallows to graze.

Located near the entrance to the Akamas Peninsula, White River offers a shore dive defined by limestone channels and gullies cutting through white sand. Divers follow a series of underwater ravines carved into the seabed that open up to gentle reef terraces. The terrain provides shelters for Mediterranean marine species while keeping navigation straightforward along the natural rocky gullies.

Set beneath the sheer white chalk cliffs of the Episkopi area near the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates, Zapalo Bay offers rocky reef structures scattered across sandy beds and seagrass meadows. Large boulder formations created by historical cliff falls create shelters, small crevices, and overhangs that harbor Mediterranean reef species.

The MS Zenobia, a Swedish roll-on/roll-off ferry, sank on its maiden voyage in June 1980 and rests completely on its port side over a flat seabed. Divers encounter its massive hull alongside over one hundred articulated lorries still chained to the cargo decks. The sheer scale allows for varied dive profiles, ranging from wide-angle cruising across the starboard side and bridge to advanced overhead penetrations through vehicle corridors, the cafeteria, and engine spaces.

Located off the northern coastline near Kyrenia, Zephiros is an offshore submerged reef characterized by stepped rock formations, deep crevices, and scattered boulders. Pelagic predators often patrol the outer drop-off while benthic fauna occupies the undercut ledges and natural fissures. The open-sea exposure ensures exceptional Mediterranean visibility throughout the main diving season.

Located off the coast of Alsancak near Kyrenia, Zephyros offers accessible coastal diving over a mix of Mediterranean bedrock and sand. Rocky gullies cut through patches of Posidonia seagrass, providing shelter for invertebrates and juvenile fish. Calm conditions and gentle slopes make the location a regular choice for check-out dives, refresher courses, and relaxed exploration.