The Book-Direct Habit — and Why It Works Perfectly Here
British and Dutch travellers share two habits we genuinely admire: they research before they book, and they prefer dealing directly with the people actually running the boat. No mystery middlemen, no inflated resale prices, no third party to chase when something changes. Our booking system was practically designed for this mindset: you reserve free of charge, pay on the day of the tour, and cancel free up to 24 hours before. There is no deposit and no prepayment, which means the usual worry of online travel booking — sending money to a stranger — simply does not exist. Pickup from your hotel is in the morning, with the exact time confirmed the evening before.
Honest Expectations: The Mediterranean Is Not the Red Sea
Plenty of UK and Dutch guests have dived in Egypt, and the fair question comes up every season: how does Side compare to the Red Sea? Here is the honest answer we give on the boat. The Red Sea wins on coral — we will not pretend otherwise. What the Turkish Mediterranean offers instead is a different kind of dive day:
- A one-of-a-kind museum dive: our flagship Underwater Museum trip (€45, about 7 hours) glides past roughly 110 sculptures at around 12 metres — an experience the Red Sea simply does not have. You can hand-feed the fish that live among the statues, and groups stay at a maximum of 3–4 divers per instructor.
- Proper wrecks for certified divers: the Paris II wreck at 21–31 metres and the DO-28 aircraft at 19.5–23.3 metres, both arranged on request for certified divers.
- Caves, tunnels and history: a 9-metre swim-through tunnel at Three Islands near Kemer, sea caves around Alanya in waters with Mediterranean monk-seal heritage (a species we never promise to show anyone), and an ancient amphora area near Alanya.
- Warm, calm, close: no long-haul flight, no liveaboard logistics — a full dive day with free hotel pickup from your Side resort.
Visibility here is generally at its best from late spring to early summer and again in autumn. The sea runs from about 17°C in winter to 28–29°C in late summer — and a wetsuit is included in every trip, so the shoulder seasons work well.
What a Dive Day Actually Includes
One price, the whole day, no surprises at the harbour: two guided dives (a morning dive of 15–25 minutes at 5–8 metres, then an afternoon dive to 12–13 metres), all equipment including the wetsuit, free two-way hotel transfer, a fresh lunch cooked on board, passenger and diving insurance, and a full briefing before you get anywhere near the water. Optional extras are labelled as extras: underwater photo and video are available with the price given on request.
Which Trip Fits You
- Underwater Museum (€45, ~7 h): the signature dive — first choice for most first-timers.
- Kumköy (€43, ~6 h): the shortest day, handy with children or a packed holiday schedule.
- Kemer (€43, ~8 h): PADI-certified instructors in some of the clearest water on this coast.
- Antalya (€50, ~8 h): reefs, caves and shoals of fish — the most varied underwater scenery.
- Alanya (€43, ~8 h): sea caves and the waters off the famous Cleopatra Beach.
Beginners need no licence for the guided programme — children can try-dive from about age 10, and non-divers join as visitors or snorkelers at a reduced rate. Certified divers should pack their card and logbook: dives are signed at the end of the day, and CMAS courses are available on request.
Weather, Cancellations and Other Fair Questions
The Mediterranean is kind, but it is still the sea. If conditions or plans change, the 24-hour free cancellation means you are never trapped in a booking — and since nothing is prepaid, there is no refund to chase. Two firm rules we never bend: no diving during pregnancy or with severe asthma, heart or respiratory conditions (when in doubt, consult your doctor and the standard diving medical form — we never diagnose), and no flying within 24 hours after diving, so put your dive day at least one full day before the flight home. In winter many operators wind down; message us for current availability rather than relying on a generic calendar.
Do It the Direct Way
Compare the prices, read the trip pages, and ask us anything before you commit — reserving costs nothing and obliges you to nothing. That is booking direct as it should be.
