Scuba Diving from Side

Side is one of those rare resort towns where antiquity and beach life share the same postcode. Roman columns rise beside ice-cream stands, the ancient theatre looks out over a harbour full of excursion boats, and the sunset behind the Temple of Apollo draws a small crowd every single evening. Around the old peninsula stretch long, gently shelving sandy beaches and the hotel districts of Kumköy, Evrenseki and Sorgun — which is exactly where your diving day begins.

The day itself could hardly be easier. In the morning our driver collects you from your hotel in the Side area — the free two-way transfer is part of the package — and brings you to the dive boat. After a full safety briefing and equipment fitting you make your first guided dive at 5–8 metres for 15–25 minutes, ideal for finding your rhythm underwater. A fresh lunch is served on board, and in the afternoon you go deeper, to around 12–13 metres, before the boat turns for home and you are dropped back at your hotel. Door to door, the trip takes about seven hours.

Divers staying in Side book this trip for a simple reason: it departs right here, and it goes somewhere genuinely unusual. The Side Underwater Museum diving trip takes you over a field of sunken sculptures — an art gallery you swim through rather than walk around — with fish so used to visitors that hand-feeding them is part of the fun. Groups stay small at three to four divers per instructor, and at €45 with equipment, lunch, insurance and transfer included there is nothing extra to pay on the day; see our price overview for the full breakdown.

You do not need a licence — most of our guests in Side are complete beginners, and try-dives are possible from around age ten. If it is your very first time, our discover scuba diving guide explains what to expect. Non-diving companions are welcome on board at a reduced rate, certified divers get their logbooks signed and stamped, and booking is free online with payment on the day and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.