Yes, you can go diving in Turkey. What is more, in many different places and with a wide range of diving options. In this post, we explain everything you need to know if you would like to add this activity to your itinerary, whether you are a beginner or have extensive experience behind you.
A highly varied activity
When one thinks of famous places to dive and explore the underwater world, other destinations such as the Red Sea, the Caribbean, or Australia’s Great Barrier Reef are likely to come to mind. However, diving in Turkey offers a number of advantages, including the variety of dive types available. Specifically, five, which we list and explain below.
Snorkelling and shallow diving
This is the simplest option and accessible to everyone, as it does not require extensive equipment or experience. That said, the waters need to be especially crystal-clear, the amount of marine life must be abundant, and the water temperature should be pleasant. This is the case, among other places, in Kas and Fethiye, where these activities are offered as an appealing holiday plan or as an experience associated with a gulet cruise. Marine life you may spot includes sea turtles, coral reefs, manta rays, and octopuses.
Deeper dives
For experienced divers, the possibilities are enormous. Examples can be found in the north of the Aegean Coast, such as Çesme (near Izmir) or Ayvalık, where you can reach depths of up to 70 metres and observe moray eels or sea bunnies (Jorunna parva), among many other options. In this case, these are proposals for intermediate and advanced divers.
Wrecks and shipwrecks
Turkey’s seabed is particularly rich in wrecks and large ships that sank in the past, which is truly awe-inspiring. Especially striking are the warships sunk here in the context of the First World War. For this reason, a great idea is to dive in the area around Çanakkale, where you can see the battleship HMS Majestic, torpedoed and sunk in 1915.
Cave diving
This is another of the attractions of diving in Turkey: the irregular, rugged nature of many of its coastlines has led to the formation of caves—underwater or partially submerged—that can be accessed with diving equipment. Antalya has many of them (Korsan Mağarası, or Pirate Cave). However, it is perhaps the Aegean coast where the formation of coves and fissures creates even more fascinating places. You can see this, for example, in Izmir, but also further south, in Fethiye, with examples such as the Aladdin Cave, 29 metres deep and home to an abundance of groupers.
Night diving
Finally, another option with many enthusiasts in Turkey is night diving. For example, in Kusadasi, one of the main sun-and-beach destinations on Turkey’s Aegean coast. To undertake dives of this kind, extensive experience is required, as the lack of light calls for technique and composure, and the use of artificial lighting adds an extra layer of complexity to the dive. However, the effort is well worth it, as observing marine life in this way offers a different perspective on underwater life—more mystical and striking, if anything.
When to go diving in Turkey
As for the season for diving in Turkey, the most advisable time is between June and September. During these summer months, the water temperature is warmer (above 21°C), visibility is greater (between 20 and 40 metres), and the days are longer, giving you more flexibility to organise an activity of this kind.
