Outdoor Activities
Scuba diving
If you think that the best thing about Greece is sunbathing on sandy beaches and swimming in crystal blue waters, think deeper. Most of this sun stricken land’s marine beauty lies under the surface, some 10 or 20 meters below. Even if you are not an experienced scuba diver and the words buoyancy and regulator don’t mean anything to you, you can still add this unique experience to the ones you will take home when your holidays in Greece are over.
Things used to be hard for scuba diving in Greece. Until not long ago, Greek laws allowed diving only in a few restricted centres. Numerous antiquities are hidden at the depths of the Greek seas and authorities were concerned that amateur divers might end up dragging amphorae and statues up to the surface and taking them home as souvenirs! But a law voted in February 2006 finally allows scuba diving all around Greece (with only a few exceptions - too unimportant to mention).
Greece is gifted with many very well trained instructors who love their work and are eager to teach others what they know, and pass on their love for the world under. They can offer you a brief get-to-know-how-it-feels-to-be-a-fish, or one or more scuba certifications, depending on the time you can spare and how interested you are.
The non-members of the scuba diving family might thing it takes a lot to find yourself surrounded by nothing but water, 20 meters below the surface with a regulator in your mouth, watching the fish swim by. This is not actually the case. All you need is a qualified, experienced instructor to teach you all you need to know - which is not all that much, really - and the desire to go for it. Once you scuba dive, just swimming on the surface will never be enough.
For experienced divers, Greece is a scuba destination you must register in your logbook. You can wreck dive, cave dive, night dive… You will enjoy the Mediterranean marine life and you may even stumble upon some amphorae… And once you surface, you can dive in the Greek lifestyle, hospitality, fun and cuisine.... What more does a diver need?
Need to know about Scuba diving in Greece.
The average water temperature 12° Celsius in the winter and 25° Celsius in the summer.
The average visibility is 15 meters. Note this is average. In the sites you will most probably be diving, the visibility will amaze you.
Best time to dive is, well, the summer.
Best suit to wear is a 5mm full body in the summer a 7mm full body for the winter.
What you will need.
If you have your own equipment, pack it up and take it with you. If you don’t or don’t want to bring it along, the local scuba centers will provide you with everything you'll need. If you are an experienced diver, you should be holding your certification and your logbook. If this will be your first rendezvous with scuba, a swim suit will do.
Where to Scuba in Greece?
Scuba diving in Santorini
A must-dive destination in Greece is of course Santorini. The island attracts many divers eager to hover above the abyss at one of the most famous volcanoes in the world. The daily scuba routine includes lava formed bottoms, caves, drop offs and crystal clear Mediterranean waters.
Mediterranean Dive Club (a branch of Kyriakos Pozidis’ scuba center) is the best dive center to show you around the underwater beauties of Santoritini.
www.santorinidiving.com
Where to stay?
1864 Sea Captains House
Heliophos
Perivolas
Tsitouras Collection
Scuba diving in Corfu
The island of Corfu is considered one of the best diving sites in the Mediterranean. You can scuba in many different sites, and choose from wreck diving, wall diving, reef diving, cave diving and of course, beginner's diving or study up to instructor level. Pretty good variety of sea life and excellent visibility.
The Seven Islands Dive Center is very popular among visitors. You'll find them at Kontokali not far from Corfou Town.
www.corfudiving.gr
Where to stay?
Scuba diving in Myconos
The waters in Mykonos are extremely clear and full of antiquities. Octopuses, barracudas and mackerels are your usual diving companions. The island has two must-see wrecks. The Peloponnese, which sank in 1926 and is partly in the shallow and partly in the deep. The Anna II is a freighter that sank in 1995, and now lays by a reef 20-30 meters underwater.
Check out Kalafati Dive Center, a high-quality, German-run school. www.mykonos-diving.com
Where to stay?
Scuba diving in Paros
There is more to Paros than nightlife and sandy beaches. You can also wreck dive, wall dive, deep dive, cave dive, learn how to dive and go on a VIP dive. The waters’ visibility reaches 40 meters, and marine life is as colorful as it can be, from octopuses to tube worms, to clams and sometimes tunas and turtles. From Paros you can hop across to Antiparos, less that a mile away, and try those waters too.
At Naoussa, check out X-ta-sea Divers. www.x-ta-sea-divers.gr .At Parikia, we recommend Eurodivers Club www.eurodivers.gr
Where to stay?
Scuba diving in Pelion
Mount Pelion is not just destination for skiing and walking. There are numerous sites with crystal clear waters and a rich marine life. You can swim through gorges and past walls and drop offs.
Note that once you surface, you have to wait a few hours before heading back up the mountain (scuba health regulations, you can’t ascend much after a dive), so you’ll have all the time you need to explore the famous tavernas of Volos!
Try the diving school of Chris Zoumbos. This extremely enthusiastic diver will cater for your scuba needs all year round. His school’s 7.5-meter boat will take you to some amazing diving sites. Chris can be contacted at Zoumbosub@yahoo.gr
Where to stay?
Arhondiko Pandora
Arhondiko Vogiatzopoulou
Santikos Mansion
The Lost Unicorn
Scuba diving in Rhodes
Extremely clear waters and lots of marine life is what you'll see in underwater Rhodes. The island has quite an interesting selection of diving sites, but the most well known is Kallithea Bay, since up until recently, it was the only place in the island where one could dive legally. Still, the “mushroom”, the "blue hole” and the “crystal fish alley” in Kallithea bay are very popular.
One of the most popular dive centers in Rhodes, is Waterhoppers, with multinational stuff eager to show you the island’ s underwater beauty. www.waterhoppers.com
Where to stay?
Marco Polo
Melenos Lindos
Nikos Takis Fashion Hotel
S.Nikolis
Scuba diving in Zakynthos
Lots of memorable diving experiences await in underwater Zakynthos. The most interesting are in the Kerry peninsula. The reefs, the caves, the underwater arches and drop-offs (100 meters and more) will amaze you and the clear waters enhance the experience.
The multilingual stuff of the Eurodivers scuba centre seems the best choice for your first get-to-know with underwater Zakynthos. www.eurodivers.nu
Where to stay?
Scuba diving in Lefkada
Lefkada is one of the most popular diving destinations in Greece, as its marine life is astonishing for Greek standards. You can get to know, or even train in cave diving. The waters are as clear as they get and you swim past steep walls, making your dive memorable.
At Perigiali, you’ll find your ideal scuba guides, the Ionian Dream Divers. Their multinational staff can take you on a get-to-know-scuba dive or train you in any available certification. www.iddivers.com
Where to stay?
Arethousa Villas
Pavezzo Country Retreat
Scuba diving in Halkidiki
Halkidiki is known as Greece’s ‘secret paradise’ and its underwater life really is a paradise. One of the most famous diving sites in the area is the Mitilini wreck, just 22 meters underwater and all covered with marine life. But even if wrecks aren’t your thing, the waters are crystal clear and full of fish, sponges, sea stars, octopus and algae.
The best person to show you around is Phredie, at the Odyssey Dive Club. Her British run school can take you from beginners’ level to instructor, let you choose among 23 diving sites, or take you on a snorkeling excursion in a series of tunnels and caves if you don’t feel like scuba diving or have kids with you.
You can find the Odyssey Dive Club at the Pefkohori-Paliouri Main Road.www.odysseydive.com
Where to stay?
Scuba diving in Crete
Crete is a scuba-for-everyone destination. Just by snorkeling you see 2000 year-old amphorae beneath your fins. But if you are above beginner level, you can go wall diving, deep diving, night diving, cavern diving, reef diving and get acquainted with the colorful sea life. You’ll be diving in crystal clear waters, with impressive rock formations, steep walls, caves, and vivid color marine life. Of course, Crete is a big island, and the possible dive sites are almost countless, and all of them have something different to offer.
At the old harbor in Chania, check out Blue Adventures Diving www.blueadventuresdiving.gr In the Rethymno area, you'll find the Dive Together Crete school. The Dutch family who owns it will meet you in their Plakias scuba center all summer and show you around the Cretan underwater beauties.
www.dive2gether.com
Where to stay?
Metohi Kindelis
Suites Pandora
Veneto Hotel
Kouriton House
Villa Kynthia
Scuba diving in Hios
The underwater world of Hios has just about all you’ll need: fascinating rock formations, steep walls, small wrecks, small caves, vivid color reefs, and scores of fish passing you by while you explore. You can take a private boat trip, if you feel like diving a little bit more secluded.
Island Divers, at Karfas Beach know all the ins and outs of diving in Hios. www.islanddivers.gr
Where to stay?
Book online
