Diving in Turkey

Diving in Turkey has become more popular as the country has become a mainstream tourist destination and is really accessible to Europeans who are looking for an alternative holiday location.  As tourism increases in Turkey so does the many opportunities to dive in Turkey with dive centres now found nearby most of the holiday resort areas.

Both beginners and experts can enjoy the many diving in Turkey opportunities as there are plenty of training dive schools for those who want to learn diving skills and plenty of liveaboard opportunities for those who want an adventure while diving in Turkey.

Most people who want to dive in Turkey head to the regions of Marmaris, Bodrum, Oludeniz, Fethiye, and Kas.

One of the advantages of planning a diving holiday in Turkey is that there are a wide variety of dive sights to visit from wrecks to tunnels to drop-offs to walls to reefs.  Plus, depending on where you go for a dive you can head to tunnels or caverns as well all in the same trip.

Therefore, you never know where you may go when you head out for a dive.  Wrecks in particular can be thrilling to visit since there are many animals that dwell in the wrecks as well as remains of amphora and pottery.  Currently many wrecks are protected by law but as time progresses more and more are being opened for public dives.

There is a wealth of sealife you will see while diving in the Turkish Riviera including morays, seahorses, stingrays, octopus, sponges, groupers, nudibranches, and sea bream.  Sometimes you may even catch a glimpse of turtles or dolphins but your timing has to be perfect as it is not common to see these animals.

A handy tip for experienced divers however, is that you will want to check what type of dive activities are available from your resort before booking your holiday accommodations.  This is due to the fact that many times divers are grouped together at a holiday resort so that people can share their experience.  Thus, if you want to experience exclusive sights you will want to avoid these types of dive resorts.

The best time to go diving in the Turkey is between April and November since the most diving centres are open during this time period.  In August temperatures can reach up to 20C and in the winter they reach down to 18C.  Thus, in the summer months of July and August a wetsuit should be sufficient but during the rest of the year a semi dry should be worn.

There are many charter flights that will take UK divers to Bodrum or Dalaman.