Izmir is a busy city on the Turkish coast. It is an ancient city, with the ruins of the Roman city of Ephesus nearby. It has a fantastic climate, buzzing waterfront area and great beaches. It is also the jumping-off point for travel to major holiday resorts such as Kusadasi. There is plenty to do and see in Izmir. But what if you want to get away from it all? Then join an Izmir scuba diving trip.
Izmir, and Turkey in general, has some of the Mediterranean’s best diving. The water is clear and full of life, and water temperatures reach the mid-twenties in summer. There are good diving sites all around Izmir’s coast, usually reached by a short, easy boat ride.
Under the water around Izmir, you’ll find rocky outcrops, sea grass and colourful reefs. Expect to see octopus, rainbow wrasse, grouper, moray eels and more. There are some wrecks, too, although many of them are protected and divers banned.
Cesme is one of the most popular dive spots in Izmir. Sites include Cracked Rock, where divers swim through a narrow rock channel and can head down deep walls which drop off down to 30m. There is also the Monem wreck, a German passenger ship that sunk in 2004 while being towed for demolition. It lies at just 18m, so is easily accessible. Some say the Monem is the most impressive wreck in Turkey.
Other similar sites exist all over the Izmir Coast. If you’re used to diving the Mediterranean further west, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the variety you’ll see on an Izmir scuba diving trip.
