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Turkey

Divesites
122
Centers
67
Courses & Events
38
Wildlife
15
© iStock/RudyBalasko

Explore Turkey

Nestled at the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East, Turkey offers an unparalleled diving adventure along its expansive 8,000-kilometer coastline. With a warm Mediterranean climate and temperate waters, diving here is an enticing experience year-round, particularly from April to November when conditions are ideal with visibility reaching up to 30 meters. The underwater world boasts vibrant marine life, thriving in crystal-clear waters, making it a delight for divers of all levels. Turkey's diverse dive environments range from tranquil reefs in burgeoning marine parks to historical shipwrecks and intriguing caves.

The country's commitment to protecting its underwater heritage has resulted in thriving ecosystems around these wrecks, with a variety of sea creatures calling them home. Whether you prefer the excitement of boat dives, the freedom of shore dives, or the adventure of liveaboard excursions circling the coast, Turkey's dive sites promise unique experiences. Turkey is an ideal destination for both beginners and seasoned divers. Its calm seas provide perfect conditions for novices to earn their open water certification, while advanced divers can explore deeper wrecks and caverns or pursue specialty courses. With numerous dive centers and resorts equipped with excellent facilities, divers are well-catered for, ensuring their experience is both comfortable and memorable.

Power Plug Type
C, F
Payment Method
VISA, MC, AMEX, DIS, DC, JCB, Cir, Plus
Tipping
5–10% / Restaurant Staff / Service charges are often included in restaurant bills; small additional tips are appreciated for good service.
Currency
TRY
Dial Code
+90
Electricity
230 V / 50 Hz
Time
UTC+3 (TRT)

Places to explore

Courses and Events

Dive Centers

Dive Sites

Top Wildlife Sightings in Turkey

While Turkey’s coastline is lengthy, with a large number of dive sites to explore, marine life is a little less abundant than that in tropical oceans. But that doesn’t mean the diving is inferior. Among the dramatic underwater landscape of rocks, pinnacles, tunnels, caverns, canyons and walls, divers can encounter a myriad of healthy, vibrant marine species, from coral and sponges, to adorable macro critters like crabs, nudibranchs and seahorses, and also larger animals like barracuda, grouper, rays, moray eels, octopus and even turtles. Plenty of colorful fish can be found too, such as The high number of encrusted wrecks also host an array of life, as do the easier, relaxing shallow reefs. What’s more, several species of dolphin and whale are often spotted in the water around turkey, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for these majestic marine mammals. 

Monk seals hang around the coast of Cesme and Kemer, while the coastal areas around Fethiye, Daylan, and Pataravous, divers can be blessed with loggerhead sea turtles. In the Aegean area, you can find dolphins, tuna and even some sharks. On the eastern side of Turkey, it’s a completely different world, where the underwater life differs from that found in the Mediterranean. Here, there are over six species of groupers and parrotfish are practically everywhere. In Kas, lots of other interesting species can be seen, including bluespotted cornetfish, squirrelfish, rabbitfish, hatchetfish, and if you're lucky, triggerfish.

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 200

Moray Eel

1.5k Sightings
J
11
F
9
M
6
A
33
M
33
J
83
J
370
A
404
S
262
O
184
N
52
D
17

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 300

Octopus

462 Sightings
J
1
F
6
M
6
A
17
M
21
J
35
J
102
A
131
S
89
O
43
N
7
D
4

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 27

Barracuda

414 Sightings
J
8
F
1
M
3
A
10
M
3
J
31
J
75
A
143
S
63
O
60
N
6
D
11

Loggerhead Turtle

402 Sightings
J
2
F
4
M
3
A
10
M
10
J
11
J
110
A
123
S
79
O
47
N
1
D
2

Green Turtle

281 Sightings
J
1
F
3
M
2
A
5
M
3
J
3
J
77
A
88
S
41
O
50
N
1
D
7

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 12

Lionfish

4.5k Sightings
J
21
F
9
M
17
A
58
M
194
J
442
J
809
A
1.2k
S
940
O
554
N
171
D
69

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 250

Grouper/Basslets

4.4k Sightings
J
13
F
5
M
14
A
41
M
194
J
329
J
922
A
1.2k
S
903
O
554
N
188
D
27

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

Soldierfish

647 Sightings
J
1
F
2
M
1
A
10
M
20
J
67
J
122
A
234
S
104
O
66
N
12
D
8

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 100

Parrotfish

626 Sightings
J
2
F
4
M
6
A
13
M
20
J
42
J
116
A
219
S
109
O
58
N
22
D
15

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3000

Nudibranch

388 Sightings
J
1
F
4
M
2
A
1
M
10
J
6
J
131
A
130
S
74
O
21
N
4
D
4

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 80

Stingrays

373 Sightings
J
5
F
4
M
3
A
7
M
8
J
27
J
110
A
94
S
37
O
44
N
10
D
24

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3

Trumpetfish

287 Sightings
J
2
F
3
M
2
A
3
M
10
J
0
J
62
A
97
S
40
O
54
N
4
D
10

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Goatfish

235 Sightings
J
2
F
4
M
2
A
9
M
3
J
31
J
38
A
68
S
37
O
31
N
5
D
5

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 350

Damselfish

228 Sightings
J
2
F
2
M
1
A
3
M
1
J
14
J
56
A
64
S
61
O
15
N
8
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

Triggerfish

225 Sightings
J
0
F
5
M
3
A
2
M
6
J
21
J
68
A
68
S
26
O
13
N
10
D
3