Author: Christos

Kakoskali Reef

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Located opposite the Saint George/Geronisos Island dive site, Kakoskali Reef is a shallow and easy dive that is perfect for beginners, but that will equally delight the more experienced diver thanks to a varied landscape comprised of rock, ravine, canyon, archways, overhangs and elongated openings.
The bright colours of the soft sponges steal the show whilst other marine life contributes to the rich rainbow. Many are hidden in the crevices of the rock formations, and pinna nobilis nestle in the meadows of Posidonia seagrass. Among the species divers will spot are schoolsof amberjack, crab, crayfish, groupers, moray eels, starfish, stingrays, and wrasse, with sightings of seahorses and turtles too.

Other interesting elements of this dive include the upside down half-buried yacht that is now the comfortable home of a large grouper and the ancient amphorae fragments within the rocks.

Location:Latchi, Pafos
GPS Coordinates:35° 4’13.47″N 32°19’49.38″E
Type of Site:Rocky Bottom
Depth:10 metres
Visibility:30+ metres
Access:By boat
Qualification Required:Open Water / Boat Diver
Dive Category:Recreational Diving

Photiades Wall

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A rich array of marine life flourishes amidst the series of natural formations and coarse white sand of this easy dive site.

From rocks of varying sizes, including some with flat tops, to the long wall drop-offwhere the currents safely drift divers along, this is a pleasant experience for any level.

A large number of microrganisms and other sea creatures can be spotted, including the impressive sight of black and gold sponges in their hundreds, schools ofamberjack, crayfish, grouper, lionfish,moray eels, starfish, stingrays and wrasse, among other species.  
Location:Latchi, Pafos

GPS Coordinates:35° 4’39.10″N 32°19’0.26″E
Type of Dive:Rocky bottom, Reef, Drop-off
Depth:25m
Visibility:20+ metres
Access:Shore 
Qualification Required:Open water
Dive Category:RecreationalDiving

Kakoskali MPA

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With so much to explore at this stunning site, more than one dive is recommended to fully appreciate its underwater wonders, with beginners and more experienced divers each able to tailor a unique experience.

Also known as ‘Kakoskali’, the series of walls and caves form part of a marine protected area. The shallower parts of the dive site closer to the island feature interesting formations such as gullies and caves, including a cave filled withgoldenmoluccan sweeperhiding in the shadows.
The more seasoned diver can enjoy technical and deep diving, exploring the small and large caves at a depth of 40-50 metres where the impressive mountain wall is dense with brightly coloured corals and algae and there are impressive 16th century stone anchors. Luckier divers may also spot intact amphorae on the sandy bottoms, alongside the fragments found more easily.

The flourishing and diverse marine life includes schools of amberjack, crayfish, grouper, moray eels, starfish, stingrays and wrasse, among other species.

Location:Pegia, Pafos
GPS Coordinates:35° 4’29.16″N 32°20’0.79″E
Type of Site:Island Drop-offs and Caves
Depth:55 metres
Visibility:30+ metres
Access:By boat
Qualification Required:Open Water / Boat Diver
Dive Category:Technical and Recreational Diving

St George “Geronissos”

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Saint George (Island) is also known as Geronisos (Island), meaning ‘holy island’ and offers a more challenging experience for the adventurous diver.

A drop-down mouth onto a 12-metre ridge heralds the start of the dive, where a huge swim through sits between rocks. Here the more experienced diver can enter the darkness that unfolds with a series of dramatic twists, turns and corridors before exiting through a crack in the reef. Less experienced divers can follow along the top of the ridge.

Heading towards the bottom of the ridge, a colourful underwater kingdom is revealed; from the nudibranch and sponges to bright algae, whilst a series of smaller caves and ridges are home to other species such as bream, damselfish, grouper, lionfish and wrasse.

Location:Pegia, Pafos
GPS Coordinates:34° 54.171’N 0 32° 18.543E
Type of Site:Rocky and Sandy Bottom
Depth:12 – 35 metres
Visibility:20+ metres
Access:By boat
Qualification Required:Open Water
Dive Category:Recreational Diving

Manijin Island

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Despite its name, Manijin island is actually an outcrop of rocks that is best known for its huge, unique bowl feature that finishes off the dive in a special way.

The bowl was created by the roof of the rock collapsing and can be entered through an archway followed by a swim under the 360 overhangs. A blowhole exit gives the sensation of being ‘shot’ out in a frenzy of bubbles.

The bowl is not the only stunning element of this easy dive; a cave covered in pink and purple calciferous algae is a colourful spectacle, whilst amazing hues and patterns are cast in the sand by the overhang of the island wall. Remnants of ancient pottery also remain on the seabed and the whole outcrop is small enough to dive around, making it great for snorkelling too.

Marine life here also includes crab, octopi, moray eels, shrimp and wrasse.

Location: Pegia, Pafos
GPS Coordinates: 34°53’16.4″N 32°19’22.8″E
Type of Dive Site:Rocky and Sandy Bottom
Depth:18 metres
Visibility:20+ metres
Access:By boat
Qualification Required:Open Water
Dive Category:Recreational Diving

Church Bay

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Set in the waters of Coral Bay, the Church Bay dive site is located by the Amphitheatre dive site and is accessed by a rope rail that safely guides divers down the side of a cliff to enter the sea.
 
Despite its seemingly challenging start, the site is perfect for beginners as it offers a gradually increasing water depth and a mostly sandy and flat surface.
 
The stunning rock formations add interest to this easy dive, including overhangs, canyons, gullies, swim throughs and a large cavern where light streams in from the dome ceiling.
 
The moderate marine life includes bream, cuttlefish, grouper and pufferfish, along with schools of thousands of transparent sand smelt fish that look like masses of glittering glass in the water.
 

Location: Coral Bay, Pafos
GPS Coordinates: 34° 858629”N 32° 347172”E
Type of Dive Site:Rocky and Sandy Bottom
Depth:23 metres
Visibility:20+ metres
Access:Shore
Qualification Required:Open Water
Dive Category:Recreational Diving

Airport Reef

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Located at a beautiful bay next to Pafos International Airport, this dive site is a series of high reefs that stretch out for 200 metres, forming the illusion of being in a labyrinth and revealing underwater treasures with each turn.

The mesmerising site unfolds across swim throughs, chimneys and gullies and is ideal for beginners as it offers easy access from the shore and has a mostly flat, sandy surface.

Among its inhabitants are octopi, squid, and shrimp, whilst crab and turtles have also been spotted.

Location: Pafos
GPS Coordinates: 34°42’37.6″N 32°29’15.1″E
Type of dive site: Rocky and Sandy Bottom
Depth: 16 metres
Visibility: 20+ metres
Access: Shore
Qualification Required:Open Water
Dive Category:Recreational Diving
 

Jubilee Shoals

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This majestic site is the largest natural reef on the island, stretching out for 2km along the Pissouri coastline of Lemesos. As such, two dives are advised to fully appreciate all this amazing reef has to offer.

As one of the most stunning dives of Cyprus, the experience is characterised by a mountain wall, immense rocks that resemble stalagmites, and multiple caves at various depths, including a large cave with three entrances that is encountered after a dramatic, plunging cliff face.
The site is also considered to be the top site for cave and wall diving; excellent for technical diving, and one that will challenge and delight the more experienced diver.

The flourishing and diverse marine life at the reef includes schools of amberjack, coloured wrasse, crayfish, damselfish, grouper, moray eels, lobsters, and more. Particularly impressive are the bright nudibranch, flamboyant flambelinas and turtles. The larger marine species are found at the feeding ground created by the upwelling along an immense rock wall known as Jubilee Arches.

Location:Pissouri, Lemesos
GPS Coordinates: 34° 37’46.44″N 32° 46’12.78″E
Type of Dive Site: Rocky, Drop-off, Wall, Cave
Depth: 65 metres
Visibility: 20+ metres
Access: By boat
Qualification Required: Advanced
Dive Category:Technical & Recreational

Amathus Archaeological Site

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The Amathunta Marine Protected Area (MPA) is also known as ‘The Pyramids’ in reference to the artificial reef created there in 2009 with large concrete blocks in the shape of pyramids.

The reef was the island’s first and remains its largest at 2.5 square kilometres, with the name deriving from its location at the old harbour of ancient city kingdom ‘Amathus’.

Fourboulderpyramids forming a square – and approximately another 100 concrete blocks distributed around the area- form the reef.The highest pyramid is 18 metres tall, and the holes inside the structures allow fish to seek shelter and safety, without allowing larger species – or humans – to enter their refuge. A series of statues add further interest for the diver and habitat for marine life.

With such a wonderland created for marine life, the reef was rapidly populated, and today includes a thriving plethora of different species, including bream, grouper, moray eels, octopi and sea urchins, among others.

Location: Amathunta,Lemesos
GPS Coordinates: 34°40’50.34″N 33° 5’4.74″E
Type of Dive Site:Artificial Reef
Depth: 18-35 metres
Visibility:15+ metres
Access:By boat
Qualification Required: Open Water
Dive Category:Recreational

Dorida

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The Dorida natural, circular reef forms part of the Larnaka Marine Protected Area (MPA) that also features the MV Elpida and LEF1 wrecks that were sunk in 2019 to create an artificial reef and enrich marine diversity in the area.

Situated just 600 metres from the coast of Voroklini, the shallow waters make the reef perfect for snorkellers, as well as for a leisurely recreational dive. The reef offers an interesting combination of sandy and rocky substrates, withmeadowsofPosidonia seagrassalso contributing to the optimum environment for a variety of marine organisms, including sponge species and small sea creatures. Divers can see combers, damselfish, fan worms, gobiids,marbled spinefoot rabbitfish, parrotfish, pufferfish, scorpionfish, sea cucumbers and starfish. Larger species include dusky grouper and the greater amberjack. Octopi can also be spotted.

Tour the site virtually here.

Location:Voroklini, Larnaka
GPS Coordinates:34° 57’55.2″N 33° 40’35.6″E
Type of Dive Site:Natural Reef (Circular)
Depth:12 metres
Visibility: 30 metres
Access:By boat (600m from the shore)
Qualification Required:Open Water
Dive Category: Recreational