Of all the dive sites along the Antalya coast, none carries the weight of history quite like the MS Paris II. This French freighter from the First World War era lies off Kemer at a depth of 21 to 31 metres, its roughly 70-metre hull resting in some of the clearest water on the Turkish Riviera. For certified divers, it is the signature wreck dive of the region.
One thing we say plainly from the start: the Paris II is a dive for certified divers only, never a discovery dive. Beginners with us have a 13 metre ceiling, but certified divers go out on the same boats and dive the real profiles: around 30 metres on standard certified dives, and down to 60 metres on the deep sites for suitably qualified divers. At 21-31 metres the Paris II sits comfortably inside that range, and which site you dive on a given day depends on your qualification level, the conditions and the day's plan.
On this page you will find the honest story of the ship, what the dive itself is like, and how to arrange a visit with our team, plus the best way to start if you are not certified yet.
A First World War Freighter Beneath the Turkish Riviera
The Paris II was a French cargo steamer of the First World War era that came to grief off the Kemer coast. As with many wrecks of that period, the surviving records are thin and the stories told around dive centres vary in their details, so we will not dress the history up with invented dates or dramatic embellishments. What is beyond dispute is what remains on the seabed today: a steel freighter of around 70 metres, lying in the 21-31 metre range within reach of the Kemer shoreline.
More than a century underwater has transformed the ship. The hard lines of a working freighter have softened under layers of marine growth, and the hull now functions as a large artificial reef in a region where natural rocky reefs, canyons and caves already make the diving exceptional. Wrecks like this become gathering points for Mediterranean life, and part of the appeal of the Paris II is watching a man-made structure being slowly reclaimed by the sea.
For divers who care about context, the Paris II sits alongside the region's other historic underwater attractions: Kemer also hides the DO-28 aircraft wreck, a Dornier plane from 1967 lying at 19.5-23.3 metres, and reef sites such as Three Islands and the Lighthouse. Together they make Kemer the most interesting stretch of coast for experienced divers in the Antalya region, and the Paris II is its undisputed centrepiece.
The Dive: 21-31 Metres Along a 70-Metre Shipwreck
Kemer is known for the clearest water on this coast, and that matters enormously on a wreck of this size. In good visibility the scale of the Paris II reveals itself the way it should: descending onto a large, shadowed silhouette that gradually sharpens into bow, hull plates and deck structures as you approach.
The wreck's depth profile, from roughly 21 metres at its shallower sections down to 31 metres at the seabed, allows a classic multi-level wreck dive. A typical profile begins deeper along the hull and finishes shallower over the upper structures, giving you the longest possible time on the ship within safe no-decompression limits. At around 70 metres in length, there is far more to see than a single dive can cover, which is one reason wreck divers return to it again and again.
Marine life adds the final layer. Wrecks in the Mediterranean act as shelter and hunting ground, and divers here regularly encounter the kinds of species that favour structure, such as grouper, schooling bream and the occasional octopus tucked into a recess. We never guarantee sightings, because the sea makes no promises, but a large steel reef that has matured for over a century is always worth exploring slowly and with your torch ready.
This is a dive that rewards calm, controlled diving: good buoyancy, an unhurried pace, and time spent letting the details of the ship emerge.
Certified Divers Only: How We Dive the Paris II
Our five daily boat trips carry two kinds of diver on the same boats. Guests without a licence stay in the discovery format: a gentle first dive at 5-8 metres, then a second dive to about 13 metres, always beside an instructor, and 13 metres is the beginner ceiling. Certified divers dive the real profiles here, roughly 30 metres on standard certified dives and down to 60 metres on the deep sites for suitably qualified divers. The Paris II, at 21-31 metres, therefore sits comfortably inside that certified range: a dive our certified guests do here, and never a discovery dive. Which site you actually dive on a given day depends on your qualification level, the conditions and the day's plan.
Here is how it works in practice:
- Tell us your level in advance. Send us a message through our contact page or WhatsApp and tell us your certification level, roughly how many logged dives you have, and your preferred dates.
- Bring your credentials. On the day we will ask to see your certification card, and we sign logbooks after the dive as standard.
- We plan the day together. Depth, dive plan and logistics are agreed in advance, and a morning pickup is arranged, with the exact time confirmed the evening before.
The usual health rules apply to every dive with us: diving is not possible during pregnancy or with severe asthma, heart or respiratory conditions, and you should not fly within 24 hours after diving. If you are unsure whether your certification level suits the 21-31 metre range, ask us; we would always rather plan a suitable profile than push anyone beyond their training.
Not Certified Yet? Start Your Diving Story in Kemer
If the Paris II is the reason you want to learn to dive, you are in good company, and the path there is simpler than you might think. Our Kemer scuba diving trip (43 euro, a full 8-hour boat day) takes you to the same stretch of coast, with its famously clear water, reef fish, rock formations and octopus often spotted there, under the care of PADI-certified instructors.
Every standard trip includes two guided dives: a morning dive at 5-8 metres for 15-25 minutes to learn the basics, and an afternoon dive to about 13 metres once you have found your confidence, which is the ceiling for divers without a licence. All equipment, a fresh lunch on board, free two-way hotel transfer and passenger and diving insurance are included, and no licence is needed. Friends or family who prefer to stay dry can join as boat visitors at a reduced rate.
When you are ready to go further, we offer CMAS courses on request, the certification route that eventually opens up wrecks like the Paris II and the DO-28. Booking the first step is easy: reserve free online, pay on the day, and cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before. Browse all five of our boat trips on the tours page and start working your way down to the wreck.
