Cyprus

Cyprus, your diving destination... where Aphrodite rose from the sea

Cyprus has a lot to offer: an average of 310 days of sunshine per year, water temperatures of 15°C in winter and up to 26°C during the summer months: It's not surprising then that the island attracts more and more divers all the year round from almost every country on the globe, to enjoy the waters which once delivered Aphrodite to us.

When divers think of Cyprus, the first thing that comes to mind is the sunken wreck of the Zenobia, one of the three largest wrecks in the Mediterranean, with a length of some 172 metres and a cargo of 104 trucks. The hull of the Swedish ferry, which sank in 1980, lies at a depth of between 16 and 43 metres and ranks amongst the top 10 diveable wrecks worldwide. But even the most demanding divers need not worry about the plethora of underwater attractions in the sea of Cyprus. Paradise for wreck divers Agia Napa and the neighbouring area of Protaras are located in the southeast of the island and boast long sandy beaches as well as rocky cliffs riddled with caves.? Fish-Reserve The port town of Lemesos, one hour from Pafos and two from Agia Napa, welcomes its visitors with a continuous stretch of sandy beaches. Some interesting diving sites can be explored to the west of Lemesos, a few minutes away by boat. Fairly early on, you will encounter the 60-metre-long wreck of the freighter Farsas II (no longer accessible), sunk deep into the soft sand. This is followed by the fish-reserve and many other dives along the rocky Akrotiri peninsula, like The Tombs, which are reminiscent of, and in fact may be, prehistoric burial sites.

Natural coast lines Pafos is located 45 minutes to the southwest of Latchi - a place that offers both large and small bathing beaches as well as virgin, rocky coastal stretches and a wide range of tourist attractions, including the World Heritage Site „Tombs of the Kings". Several interesting boat dives off the little town's shore beckon the diver, including the Libyan freighter Vera Ê and the amphora caves, a system of underwater caverns, the ceilings of which are peppered with encrusted amphora. The shore dives also offer a variety of possibilities, such as Manidjin Isle. Steep cliffs, more caves and a landscape of archways won’t keep you out of the water for long. A place for turtles The Akamas peninsula in the north-west of Cyprus features practically untouched beaches, which are excellent locations for divers to do a bit of turtle-spotting. With a little luck you'll encounter dozens of turtles during a single dive. Unlike the south-eastern part, this area is very serene and tranquil with a well - preserved natural environment and very limited tourist infrastructure such as discotheques and fast food restaurants. But, luckily for our purposes, diving infrastructure is good, as there are well-equipped diving centres, which - after a brief tutorial - rent out small motorboats for trips to secluded bays or an individually planned and executed diving adventure. Aphrodite must have had good reasons to choose Cyprus to emerge from the sea. Whatever those rea- sons, the fact remains that today, Cyprus offers such a wide range of cultural, leisure and sports activities, well-kept infrastructure and truly special dives that it can be visited for a diving holiday or indeed as both a relaxation and action holiday destination. Cyprus has lots to offer when it comes to diving and continuously improves the product on offer.

Cyprus - the place to dive, all the year round!