The coast between Side and Alanya packs a surprising range of diving into one stretch of Mediterranean: a sunken sculpture park at 12 metres, reef tunnels and amphora fields, and two genuine wrecks — a WW1-era freighter and a 1967 aircraft. Not every site suits every diver, and pretending otherwise helps nobody. This page sorts the sites we actually dive by experience level, so you can see at a glance where you belong today and what to aim for next.
One thing to understand first: our five daily boat trips are built around guided try-dives — two dives per day, a gentle morning dive at 5–8 metres for 15–25 minutes and a second dive to 12–13 metres in the afternoon, with all equipment, insurance, two-way hotel transfer and a fresh lunch on board included. That format covers the beginner sites below completely. The deeper wreck and cave sites are real and we dive them — but only with certified divers, arranged on request.
Beginner sites: dive today, no licence needed
If you have never dived, or dived once on holiday years ago, these are your sites. They sit within the depth range of our standard guided trips, so there is nothing to pre-qualify for — a safety briefing, a patient instructor and small groups do the work.
- Side Underwater Museum — around 110 sculptures resting on the seabed at about 12 metres, the flagship site of this coast. On the museum trip (€45, 7 hours, departing from Side) you dive with a maximum of 3–4 divers per instructor and can hand-feed the fish that have colonised the statues. The morning dive stays at 5–8 metres, so the sculptures come on your second, calmer dive.
- Lighthouse (Kemer) — a friendly reef running from 3 to 18 metres with a swim-through tunnel at 9 metres and plenty of small cave life along the rock. Kemer is known for the clearest water on this coast, which makes the Lighthouse a rewarding site even in the shallow beginner range.
- Amphora site (Alanya) — ancient amphora jars near Alanya harbour, with octopus, grouper and moray eels often seen among them. History and marine life at easy depths, in the waters off Cleopatra Beach.
Try-dives are possible from around age 10; for younger children, bubble-style kids programmes from about age 8 exist in the industry — ask us and we will tell you honestly what works for your family. Non-divers can join any boat as visitors at a reduced rate, so nobody has to wait on shore.
Certified divers: deeper reef lines, caves and the clearest water
A certification card changes the map. The same sites open deeper lines, and a few places only start making sense with a licence in hand.
- Three Islands / Üç Adalar (Kemer) — reef and cave terrain around three rocky islands, with a chance of dolphins on the crossing. The shallow sections work for guided beginners; the deeper lines around the islands are where certified divers get their money's worth.
- Lighthouse at its full range — the reef drops to 18 metres, and the 9-metre tunnel becomes a relaxed swim-through rather than a highlight you only peer into.
- Alanya underwater caves — the cave systems tied to the Mediterranean monk-seal story. On standard trips we admire entrances from open water; actual cave penetration is certified-only and arranged separately.
Now the important honesty: our standard bookable trips stay in try-dive format with a 12–13 metre maximum, whatever card you hold. Certified-depth days are real and we run them — but on request, not on a published timetable. Message us via the contact page or WhatsApp with your certification level and logbook history, and we will build the day around you. Logbooks are signed on every trip, and CMAS courses can be arranged if you want to move up a level while you are here.
Wreck diving: MS Paris II and the DO-28 aircraft
Two genuine wrecks lie within reach of Kemer, and they are the reason many certified divers come back to this coast.
- MS Paris II — a WW1-era French freighter around 70 metres long, lying between 21 and 31 metres. A wreck with real scale, and comfortably the most serious dive in this guide.
- DO-28 aircraft — a Dornier plane from 1967 sitting at 19.5–23.3 metres. An unusual, photogenic dive that pairs naturally with Kemer's famously clear water.
Both are strictly for certified divers. The depths alone put them beyond any try-dive format, and we will not blur that line: no beginner is taken to 30 metres, full stop. Wreck days are arranged on request — no fixed weekly schedule and no published price, because the plan depends on who is diving, what certification they hold and conditions on the day. That is not evasiveness; it is how a responsible wreck day is actually put together.
If you are not certified yet, the honest route is simple: start on the Underwater Museum trip, get a course under your belt — CMAS training is available through us on request — and the wrecks will still be there. If you already hold a certification and want the Paris II or the DO-28 in your logbook, get in touch and we will arrange it properly.
The honest matching guide (and the small print)
Match yourself in one pass:
- Never dived, want the headline experience: the Side Underwater Museum trip — €45, 7 hours, from Side, 3–4 divers per instructor.
- Nervous first-timer who prefers a shorter day: the Kumköy trip — €43 and 6 hours, the gentlest schedule we run.
- Clearest water and varied rock terrain: Kemer — €43, 8 hours, with PADI-certified instructors, reef fish, octopus and rock formations.
- Reefs, caves and shoals in one day: Antalya — €50, 8 hours.
- Caves and amphora history: Alanya — €43, 8 hours, in the waters off Cleopatra Beach.
- Certified and hungry for depth: book any trip you like, then talk to us about a wreck or deep-reef day on request.
Every trip includes two guided dives, all equipment, free two-way hotel transfer, fresh lunch on board and passenger plus diving insurance. You reserve free online and pay on the day, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Pickup is in the morning; the exact time is confirmed the evening before. Health rules apply without exception: no diving while pregnant or with serious heart, asthma or respiratory conditions, and no flying within 24 hours after your last dive. Full pricing for all five trips is on the prices page.
