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Diving in Bodrum and Diving Points

Bodrum has made a significant name for itself in Turkish tourism with its yachting, beaches, coves and nightlife but it has also become known for its diving with important diving points and new diving locations opened in September 2001.* The only underwater archaeology museum in Turkey is in Bodrum and is also increasingly drawing people to the region.

The most important and interesting diving points around Bodrum are listed as follows:

Big Bango:

It is one of the symbol diving points of the region, with a maximum depth of four metres. It can be reached by sailing 20 minutes from Bodrum. The waters around Bodrum, Gümbet and İstanköy gradually get deeper whereas in the Karaada region the sea bed plunges, with the shallows being 28-32 metres. In some of shallows and on the outskirts you can see pieces of amphorae, even if in small numbers.

It is certain that you will come across large grey mullet, grouper, large rock grouper, octopus and shoals of sargo and sea bream. If you are lucky you even see turtles and barracuda.

Small Bango:

The Küçük (Small) Bango is about 200 metres from the Büyük (Big) Bango. Initially the depth is five to six metres, then increases to eight metres before graduating out to 28-30 metres. All types of life forms the you can see in Büyük Bango can also be found here. These two sties, that are popular with the Bodrum diving schools, are so interesting that they make one say, "Are there this many types and numbers of fish in the Mediterranean Sea?" If you go close you can see clearly from the boat.

Kargı Island:

The island of Kargı is about one and a half hours sail from Bodrum or 500 metres off Akyarlar Point. This island is the closest point to the Greek island of Kos (3.5 sea miles). On the top of the island is a lighthouse. The diving point is the side that faces the gulf, though there are other points suitable for diving. In the area facing towards Kos, at a depth of five to 25 metres, there are pieces of amphorae that are possibly related to a Roman ship wreck from the 4th century AD. The interesting part of diving here is the perpendicular rocks which are towering like hills from the bottom to the surface on the shores, on the hill 50 metres distance from the shores, the shallows out to 17 metres from the surface. The waters off the coast of the island are 20-22 metres in depth, with rocks at 36 metres. Fish here are also plentiful. You can certainly see many shoals of sea bream and barracuda. The only disadvantage to this location for diving are the strong currents at certain times of the year towards the island of Kos.

Köçek Island:

Köçek Island is a sea mile away from the island of Kargı in the direction of Bodrum and has small rocky islets. It is one and a half kilometres from the coves of Akyarlar, Karaincir and Aspat Hill. The advantage of this islet is that there are not many rocks near the surface but around it there are lots of pieces of amphorae from various centuries. The part near the land is 8-10 metres deep, while on the Bodrum-Kargı side it is 20-22 metres and on the Gökova side is 32-34 metres. In the direction of Gökova two iron anchors belonging to the late era are now intermixed with the rocks. At this diving point, where the number of barracuda and silver coloured sea bream are highest, other than the fish you will come across in Kargı shelled sea animals such as triton and pina.

Karaada-Kaçakçı Cove:

This is a small cove at the far end of Karaada island. The diving clubs usually prefer to use this region for their educational classes. It is possible to dive on both points at the end of the cove. The feature of this location is that there is a cave in the cove with its opening one metre under water which runs 40-50 metres inside the island. It is advised to dive with a diving tutor or an expert as the entrance to the cave is narrow. The stalactites in the cave are impressive. Moreover the temperature of this sea is 5º celcius warmer than other waters.

Karaada-Delikli Cave:

The Delikli Caves face in the direction of Kos and are in the centre of that side of Karaada. The depth in the area where the caves are located is 20-25 metres and on the small cove on the other side the depth is as much as 40-45 metres. The entrance to the first cave is 15 metres deep but it is not advisable to enter as its opening is very narrow. The second cave is 20 to 30 metres away from the first and its entrance is quite wide and comfortable to get into. It is at a depth of 12-14 metres and if you look at crevices here it is likely that you will see scorpion fish, crayfish and lobster. At the top of the cave you have a gap of one metre and you can easily get through and get to depth of six and seven metres. What is interesting is that there are air pockets everywhere once you get out of the cave. In the front of the cave, at a depth of 25 metres, you can see seaweed and it is possible that you see two very large grouper.

Karaada-Aksona Point:

Aksona Point was named by the sponge diver that discovered the place first. It is on Karaada Island in the direction of Gulf of Gökova, in other words in the south. Starting from the shore the water is three metres deep, then gradually reaches 20 metres and then further out 40-45 metres over rocky peaks. Apart from seeing archaeological pieces on the bottom, if you are lucky you can also see a wide range of fish, including octopus, grouper, sea bream, sea bass, and barracuda. If you are really lucky can see thornback rays and crayfish. For some months of the year the current is strong and sometimes there is a strong current towards the point.

Yassıkaya Island:

This island is off the south end of Karaada, some 300-400 metres from Aksona Point. The waters facing Karaada and in the north are shallow and, since it is heavily seaweed covered, is not suitable for swimming. On the south east end of the island the water is deeper as rocks drop down in sets while on the south side it is deeper and rockier still. At this point, on almost at all of the dives, you can see lobsters, octopus, see bream, crayfish, sea bream, barracuda and black tail. On some of your dives you will get to see a thornback ray at least three metres long. The divers should pay attention to the strong current on the surface or bottom that sets in from the direction of Knidos.

Orak Island and Point:

This point is in the Gulf of Gökova and is in a one and half hour sail from Bodurm. It is also the furthest point reached for daily diving. The point has an unbelievably beautiful underwater topography for those who like wall diving. You anchor in the small cove right in from the mooring point and can dive on both sides of the point.

The diving at the point facing the Gulf of Gökova is very exciting. In this direction at the 32-34 metre level there a cave covered with purple sponges. It is the dream of all divers to go down at this spot from the Point onwards as it has such interesting underwater wall diving, firstly at 25 metres and then to 65-70 metres. Although there is a not high probability of seeing fish you can still see lobster, sea bass, and 2.5 to five metres long thornback rays.

*Though Bodrum has the most interesting and beautiful diving spots in Turkey, until 24 September 2001 the only areas where diving was permitted was Akyarlar Point and Orak Island. In the Official Gazette issued on this date, as was the case in many other coastal areas of Turkey, the Bodrum Peninsula (barring the area between Gümüşlük and Yalıkavak)was fully opened up to tourism and scuba diving.