INTRODUCTION
Turkey has a coastline of more than 8,000 km and is surrounded by sea on three sides and, by the Black Sea in the north, the Mediterranean in the south and the Aegean Sea in the west.

Turkey has become increasingly accessible to European holidaymakers and the diving industry has taken off with dive centres in many holiday resorts. For experienced divers wishing to experience a wider variety of sites, liveaboards and two-centre trips are viable options. Most of the diving in Turkey is conducted around the Mediterranean resorts of Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye, Oludeniz and Kas. Here you will find warm, clear waters and varied underwater scenery with tunnels, caverns and rocky pinnacles providing divers with plenty to explore. There are many wrecks along the Turkish coast, both recent and modern; many wreck sites are protected by law, although more are being opened up with time. It is also common to find remains of pottery and amphora.

Turkey is an ideal destination for a family or for divers who have a non-diving partner, or for those who want to try diving for the first time. It is possible to combine diving with a normal holiday and package deals tend to be very reasonably priced. The diving is typical of the Mediterranean, so although very pleasant, the marine life will not be as abundant as in the Red Sea or the Caribbean.

THE DIVING
Aegean/Mediterranean
Turkey's main diving area is the west and south coast in the Mediterranean, particularly around the resorts of Bodrum, Fethiye, Marmaris and Kas. Diving can be undertaken from a range of dive operators offering either day or live - aboard options.

Map provided by www.worldatlas.com

Diving conditions are generally excellent throughout the diving season from April to November with visibility up to 30 metres and water temperature well above 20° C. Underwater landscape is typically a varied selection of reefs, walls, drop - offs and caverns. Marine life is less abundant than in tropical seas but includes grouper, rays, moray eels, turtles and octopi. Observant divers may be able to catch a glimpse of seahorses in some areas and there is an abundance of nudibranch. Many sites also boast amphora and other pottery remains.

There are many wrecks around the Turkish coast, both ancient and modern. Many of these sites are protected by law but more and more are being opened up to sport divers and dive operators may be able to arrange clearance to dive some wreck sites.

The good visibility, warm water and landscape features make Turkey a good option for divers of all abilities.

DIVING LOCATIONS

FETHIYE AND OLUDENIZ: Fethiye is located on the south west coast of Turkey and is a place of outstanding natural beauty, where pine clad mountains plummet into the turquoise Mediterranean Sea. The Fethiye area is stunning and has four main holiday resorts offering holiday options as well as accommodation in the town of Fethiye itself. Oludeniz with its famous Blue Lagoon nestles between impressive mountains on the Mediterranean and with laid back waterfront cafes, bars and restaurants provides a relaxing holiday spot. The lively holiday resort of Hisaronu lies in the mountains between Fethiye and Oludeniz. Ovacik is the quieter neighbour of Hisaronu. Calis is the closest beach to Fethiye town, with its refreshing breeze and shallow calm sea. Calis is a popular holiday choice in the hot summer months. Fethiye offers a variety of Mediterranean dives ranging from shallow calm reefs to caverns, walls and dramatic drop offs, tunnels and swim-through arches coated in soft corals. Night dives offer the opportunity for spotting octopus, shrimps and lobsters. Normal fish life includes grouper, moray eels, jacks, barracuda and cuttlefish with the occasional visit from turtles, dolphins and rays. Scanning of patches of sea grass can reveal peacock flounder, gurnards and seahorses.

MARMARIS: The Marmaris coastline is extraordinarily beautiful with hidden coves, sandy beaches and evergreen pine forests meeting the Aegean Sea. Marmaris and neighbouring Icmeler are among Turkeys most famous holiday resorts, surrounded by tree clad mountains, the coastline meanders along the shoreline of the Aegean Sea. Turunc is a quiet yet popular holiday resort further along the coast. Marmaris is a large bustling resort with a huge choice of bars and restaurants. As well as scuba diving, numerous other activities and sports are offered.

ANTALYA: The Antalya area has three main holiday resort areas. Alanya is one of the most beautiful cities on the Mediterranean Riviera of Turkey, it was originally built on a big rock stretching into the sea. Alanya has a variety of hotels, many set on private sandy beaches and an array of top quality restaurants and bars. The cafes of the harbour area are very popular places and generate a lively and friendly atmosphere. Further along the coast is Antalya and Belek with their beach front club style hotels and lots of activities and watersports onsite. At the far side of Alanya is Side, one of the first resorts to become popular in Turkey. Dive sites range from shallow calm reefs to walls and dramatic drop offs.

BODRUM: Bodrum is a fascinating port on the Aegean Coast of Turkey. The centre of the town is around the harbour, where shops, bars and restaurants jostle together in the narrow streets under the shadow of St. Peters Castle. The main beach resort is located in the lively resort of Gumbet. Bitez is a popular holiday resort as is Turgutreis situated at the end of the Bodrum peninsula, it is a quiet resort with a sandy beach, a selection of bars and restaurants and the best diving in the area. Underwater there are a number of wreck dives with ancient amphora scattered on the seabed, reefs, tunnels and swim-throughs. The Aegean sealife in this area includes jack fish and barracuda.

KAS: Kas is a small picturesque village nestled at the bottom of the Taurus Mountains on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. A quiet and laid back holiday resort, with a selection of small and individual hotels and good choice of restaurants and bars. Snorkellers can visit the sunken city at Kekova while paragliding and kayak rental and escorted trips are available locally. The neighbouring resorts of Kalkan and Patara enjoy one of the longest beaches in Turkey. Kas is one of the few areas of Turkey where wreck diving is possible and there are several wrecks off the coast, ranging from ancient trading ships from 100BC to the Iberian Coast which sank in 2003. The amphora which scatter the sea bed attract a variety of aquatic life and moray eels, barracuda and stingrays are common. Visibility is generally between 20 - 40 metres and dive sites for all abilities can be found.

GALLIPOLI: The province of Canakkale lies on both sides of the Dardanelles which connects the Sea of Marmara to the Aegean Sea. Its shores touch both Europe (with the Gelibolu Peninsula) and Asia (with the Biga Peninsula) and there are regular ferries between the two sides. Canakkale has a nice archaeological museum. Many divers are attracted to this area for the wreck diving. The Gallipoli campaign commenced on 18 March 1915 when the British navy sought to attack Istanbul via the Çanakkale Strait, or ancient Dardanelles. Over that period of nearly a year, several hundred ships and boats were sunk in the coastal waters between Anzac Cove and Suvla Bay on the western side of the peninsular. These included war ships, landing craft, and lighters carrying troops and provisions. Today the locations of 216 of these wrecks have been identified, the most important being the British warships Irresistible, Triumph, Ocean, Majestic and Goliath and the French Bouvet. Normally the boat ride takes just 20 minutes to an hour to reach the diving areas, so that two dives can be completed in a day.

LIVEABOARD DIVING

Liveaboard diving in Turkey is frequently mounted from gulets, traditionally designed sailing and motor vessels typically accommodating 20 or so guests. Although gulets will normally provide en-suite equipped cabins, it is normal practice to sleep on the open decks during the summer months.

NON DIVING ACTIVITIES
Non divers will find plenty to do in Turkey from water sports or sunbathing on a sandy beach to visiting the many historical sites in the area. There are many markets selling hand made goods and clothing and the strength of the pound against the Turkish Lira means that holiday money goes a long way.

Above water you can visit ruins and other historical sites, go sailing, explore the countryside, shop in markets and fit in a trip to a Turkish bath. There are usual beach holiday activities on offer for those who want to relax in the sun and go swimming. Restaurants and bars are cheap and the food on offer is fresh and varied.

Divers staying in the Bodrum area will not wish to miss the famous Bodrum museum with its displays of nautical archaeology.

CLIMATE

The Aegean and Mediterranean coasts have cool, rainy winters and hot, moderately dry summers. Annual precipitation in those areas varies from 580 to 1,300 millimetres, depending on location. The Black Sea coast receives the greatest amount of rainfall, up to2,200 millimetres annually.

DRESS

For diving a 7mm semi dry is appropriate in cooler months, while a 3mm wetsuit will be satisfactory in July and August.

On shore, light, cotton summer clothing is appropriate for day wear with cardigans for evening. Sun hats and sunglasses are advisable in the summer. Comfortable shoes are necessary for visiting archaeological and historical sites. Headscarves should be worn by women visiting mosques.

VISA REQUIREMENTS

British and Irish passport holders travelling to Turkey require a visa. Visas can be obtained at the port of entry in Turkey or from the Turkish Consulate General in London or Turkish Diplomatic Missions in other countries. Visas issued at the port of entry allow a stay in Turkey for up to 90 days and cost in the region of £10 for UK passport holders. This type of visa does not permit employment.

HOW TO GET THERE

From the UK a number of charter flights are available, usually flying to Dalaman or Bodrum. On departure from Turkey, allow for plenty of time to get through airport security as hold ups are common

COUNTRY FACTS

Language: Turkish.

Currency: New Turkish Lira.

Religion: 99 percent of the population is Muslim. Turkey is a secular state.

Time: Turkey has a single time zone. Local time is equal to GMT + 2 hours.

Electricity: 220 volts AC all over Turkey (A European adaptor will be suitable).

Medical: For most parts of Turkey, no inoculations are required before travelling but bottled water is recommended for drinking and beware of the very strong sun during the summer months.

Post offices: Turkish post and telephone offices are recognizable by their "PTT" and "Turk Telekom" signs. Major post offices are open from 8:00am to 12 am Monday to Saturday and 9:00am to 7:00 pm on Sunday.

Mobile Phones: Mobile phones work well in Turkey although there may be periods of interference. Using a UK network mobile phone to make calls is quite expensive, but text messages work well and are cheaper.

A WORD TO THE WISE

Some dive centres tend to group experienced divers with new divers during dives. Check with the dive company in advance as this practice can limit the dive sites you will be able to cover.

Out of season, when there are fewer divers around, some operators may be reluctant to travel to the more distant dive sites.

Allow plenty of time to clear airport formalities on leaving Turkey. Security and booking-in procedures can be very time-consuming.

Tourist Authority Address
TURKISH TOURIST OFFICES:
170-173 Piccadilly,
London
W1J 9EJ

Telephone: 0207 629 7771
Fax: 020 7491 0773
E-mail: info@gototurkey.co.uk

Brochure line: 09001 88 77 55
Official site of the Turkish Ministry of Tourism, including a list of diving clubs and schools: Here

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