Ayrıktaş
Off the northern tip of Eşek Island — the region's largest and most-dived site. A classic route along rocky drop-offs heading out into open water.
- Depth
- ~20 m and below
- What you see
- Rocky walls, grouper, amberjack schools
- Level
- Advanced
07 / Diving
Beneath the surface,
another Çeşme.
Çeşme is known first for its coastline — yet the real surprise begins a few metres underwater. With high visibility, rocky walls, wrecks and ray fields seen in such density at only a handful of places in Türkiye, the area has long been a quiet favourite among divers. And the season isn't limited to summer — you can get in the water for most of the year, except January and February.
Underwater world
Why Çeşme?
Clear water,
a rich seabed.
Çeşme's underwater landscape is surprisingly varied. From the rocky drop-offs around Eşek Island to the calm waters of Gerence Bay, the region lines up close to twenty dive sites — each with its own depth and its own scenery.
In the clear water you may meet grouper, dusky grouper, moray eels and octopus, along with schools of amberjack and barracuda, and at times sea turtles. One detail that makes Çeşme special is the rays: this is one of only a few areas in Türkiye where they're seen in such numbers. The underwater statues of Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli and Yunus Emre are among the route's more unexpected stops.
- Season
- ~10 months · except Jan–Feb
- Visibility
- High
- In the area
- ~20 sites
- Training
- PADI · CMAS
- To begin
- Discovery dive
- Departure
- Çeşme centre / Dalyan
Dive sites
One coastline,
many routes.
The sites below are the region's best known; the dive centres choose the route according to your certification and the conditions on the day.
Monem Wreck
A roughly 75-metre German cargo ship built in 1956, resting on the bottom. Çeşme's best-loved wreck dive.
- Depth
- ~18 m
- What you see
- The ship's hull, moray eels, life that has settled on the wreck
- Level
- Certified divers
Madonna
Near Pırasa Island, a twin-chambered cave that descends from a five-to-six-metre plateau. A calm site where shafts of light filter in.
- Depth
- 5 – 21 m
- What you see
- Cave, plays of light, octopus, moray
- Level
- Intermediate
Göbektaşı
A two-tier rock formation: the first step begins in the shallows, the second drops away markedly along a wall. A route for those who like depth.
- Depth
- 10 – 45 m (two tiers)
- What you see
- Stepped rock wall, bottom-dwelling life
- Level
- Intermediate – Advanced
Mengene
Descending from shallow to mid-depth, with a rocky bed and bottom life — a balanced site, well suited to early dives.
- Depth
- 12 – 23 m
- What you see
- Rocky bed, bottom fish, octopus
- Level
- Beginner – Intermediate
Tuna Farm (Orkinos Çiftliği)
In Gerence Bay, a different kind of dive around the large cages on the bottom — for those who want a close look at open-water fish.
- Depth
- ~30 m
- What you see
- Tuna cages, open-water fish
- Level
- Advanced
Alongside these, the sheltered rock chambers of Yatak Odası (“the Bedroom”), a coast-guard boat sunk as an artificial reef, and the ray fields stretching along the bottom are also favourite routes in the area.
If you've never dived
A first breath, in shallow, safe water.
It doesn't matter if you've never used a tank before. A discovery dive is a short programme designed to let you take your first underwater breath in shallow, sheltered water with an instructor at your side — no prior experience needed.
For those who want to go further, Çeşme's licensed centres offer internationally recognised PADI and CMAS certification courses throughout the season. Boats typically head out twice a day, morning and afternoon; equipment and safety gear are provided by the centre. That makes it possible to go from a one-day taster to certified diving all on the same shore.