Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about
Best Dive Sites in Cyprus
We are always asked which are the best dive sites in Cyprus and we always answer that it very much depends on individual divers preferences.
Divers love very different types of diving or to have the opportunities to dive a number of varied types of dive sites. From reefs to wrecks, wall dives, marine rich areas and protected marine reserves, seamounts, islands, caves and a great range of depths Cyprus diving has it all.
The best dives sites are spread right across the island from the North and West coast, around the Paphos and Pissouri areas, over to Limassol and Larnaca and right around to the eastern coastal areas of Cape Greco and Protaras.
In the Northern part of the Akamas National Park there are a number of dive sites with the best being St Georges Island. Here there is a varied range of abundant marine life, a 32m wall, caves and swim throughs and depths from 5 to 50 metres plus. This is a stunning dive site with beautiful underwater features and excellent visibility throughout most of the year.
As you travel South around the coast you come to Copo Island and the larger Geronimos Island dive sites followed by Manajin Island. All are very different, have varying depth and topography, and are all excellent dive sites. Our favourites are the mainly unexplored Copo Island and Manajin Island. Then into the Paphos region you have the popular dive sites of Pistol Bay, the Stage and the Ampitheatre. The Cynthiana dive site is further along the coast and is an ideal dive site for both beginners and experienced divers.
Further along the coast to the east of Paphos and off the Pissouri and Melanda area is the famous and well regarded dive site of Jubilee Shoals. This is one of our favourite dive sites and for good reason. About 3km off the coast of Pissouri lies this massive reef, the largest known in Cyprus, with it's pinnacle at 16 metres and then stretching out to the east and west with depths up to 60 metres. There is a sheer wall down the one side for hundreds of metres and a series of large caves at depths of 36 to 41 metres. Stunning marine life can be seen here and we have regularly seen large Amberjacks, Bull Rays and Tuna. A stunning dive site but more for experienced divers due to the depths and currents.
30km further to the east we then have the Marine Park and Barge dive site in Limassol along with the Limassol wrecks and Reefs. These are all within a well protected marine reserve so the marine life here can be prolific. The two wrecks are perfect for all levels of divers and are 200 metres apart with a series of artificial reefs in between. You can do a number of different dives in this area with a lot to explore.
Then we come to Larnaca and the world famous Zenobia Wreck. What more can we say about this fantastic wreck and still one of the best dive sites in Cyprus. A must for all wreck and marine life fanatics.
Just to the east of the Zenobia then is the new Elpida Wreck which was sank in December 2019 as another artificial reef for the further benefits of diving tourism. This was a 70 metre container ship from Greece and is a great addition to the list of excellent dive sites in Cyprus. A great penetration dive with lots of rooms and levels to explore as you progressively get shallower. Just 25 minutes from the Zenobia you can dive both wrecks on the same day.
As you then get to the Eastern coast you have a number of shore and boat dives to choose from. Tunnels & Caves, Whitechapel, the Canyon, Cyclops, Green Bay and a number of wrecks sank as more artificial reefs can be dived off the coasts of Agia Napa, Protaras and Cape Greco to name a few.
So from the North, West, South and East coasts of Cyprus there are many top dive sites to suit many tastes and experience levels, with a range of many different types of diving to choose from.
And as always have a chilled day from the Viking
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