Is Larnaca good for beginner divers?

Yes, partly: 4 of the 10 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including LEF1, Dorida Reef and Green Bay. The others need more experience or a higher certification.

What is the water temperature in Larnaca?

The water is usually between 16 °C and 27 °C over the year.

What marine life can you see in Larnaca?

Divers regularly see amberjacks, barracuda, nudibranchs, octopus, groupers and lionfish.

Larnaca

Diving in Cyprus

10 documented dive sites, 4 of them for Open Water divers. Known for amberjacks, barracuda and nudibranchs.

Best months: May–Dec
Water: 16–27 °C
Levels: Open Water, Advanced, Experienced

When to go

Pick a month: the diving season, from published sources, and the typical weather.

Pick a month

Best
Good
Possible
Closed
Not documented yet

Larnaca in October

Best season

Air: 28 °C; 19 °C at night
Rain: 20 mm; average for the year
Wind: 11 km/h; on average

Typical weather, not a forecast: averages for 2021–2025 (air, rain, wind), data from Open-Meteo (ERA5 / Copernicus, Météo-France). Covers an area of roughly 10 to 25 km around the destination.

Dived year-round, best May–Dec; Jan–Apr is diveable but cold. Water is ~16–27 °C almost all year, and some operators run seasonally.

Source: scubadiving.com

Dive sites in Larnaca

From the easiest to the most demanding. Levels with a dashed outline are estimates we are still verifying.

Open Water friendly

usual dive down to 18 m4 sites

Wreck

down to 14 m

LEF1

A 1955 vessel lying parallel to the shore at 13 m in Larnaka's marine protected area, a wreck the tourism board rates ideal for non-experienced divers.

Open Water
Amberjacks

Reef

down to 12 m

Dorida Reef

A natural circular reef at 12 m off Voroklini, in the Larnaka Marine Protected Area, where dusky grouper and greater amberjack join the smaller fish.

Open Water
Amberjacks

down to 12 m

Green Bay

A walk-in shore dive at Cape Gkreko with no currents or waves, large schools of seabream and frequent turtle sightings.

Open Water
Turtles

down to 16 m

Sheep Dip

A protected 16 m shore dive near Larnaca Bay with very little current, where octopus, damsels and morays are the regulars.

Open Water
Octopus

For Advanced divers

usual dive down to 30 m4 sites

Zenobia

Sunk on 7 June 1980 just 2 km from Larnaka harbour, the Zenobia lies at 16-42 m, where tame groupers and patrolling barracudas await.

Advanced
Wreck
Barracuda

Wreck

down to 30 m

MV Elpida

A 1965 German-built ship sunk in 2019, with masts at 10 m, main deck at 20 m and seabed at 30 m in Larnaka's marine protected area.

Advanced
Dolphins

Cavern

down to 18 m

Cape Pyla Reef

An 18 m reef off Xylofagou with small canyons rising from the seabed and a cave whose exit point stays clearly visible.

Advanced

Wreck

down to 25 m

Lambousa II

Deliberately sunk off Oroklini for Cyprus' artificial reef program, this 20-25 m wreck has a wheelhouse, stern deck and superstructure to explore.

Advanced

For experienced divers

usual dive down to 40 m2 sites

Wreck

down to 40 m

Alexandria

An Egyptian wooden fishing boat sunk in 2006, just 200 m from the Zenobia, where schools of barracuda and big grouper gather.

Experienced
Dolphins

Wreck

down to 33 m

HMS Cricket

Commissioned during World War I, the Cricket lies at about 33 m northeast of Larnaca, and her final fate is veiled in mystery.

Experienced
Groupers

Marine life

When the big encounters happen, month by month.

Reported here, season not documented yet:

Amberjacks
Barracuda
Nudibranchs
Octopus
Groupers
Lionfish
Moray eels
Dolphins
Seals
Turtles
Seahorses

Where is Larnaca?

View on OpenStreetMapLocation: Larnaca (Wikipedia)Map: Natural Earth

Larnaca: frequently asked questions

When is the best time to dive Larnaca?: The best months to dive Larnaca are May–Dec. Dived year-round, best May–Dec; Jan–Apr is diveable but cold. Water is ~16–27 °C almost all year, and some operators run seasonally.
Is Larnaca good for beginner divers?: Yes, partly: 4 of the 10 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including LEF1, Dorida Reef and Green Bay. The others need more experience or a higher certification.
What is the water temperature in Larnaca?: The water is usually between 16 °C and 27 °C over the year.
What marine life can you see in Larnaca?: Divers regularly see amberjacks, barracuda, nudibranchs, octopus, groupers and lionfish.

About this page

Seasons and marine life come from the sources below. Site levels and depths marked as estimated come from our original catalogue and are being checked one by one. Conditions change: always confirm with a local dive centre.

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Photo: Sarah Lee on Unsplash

Photo credits

MS Zenobia dive site, Larnaca, dronepicr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sunlight and bubbles in deep blue water, Sarah Lee, Unsplash License, on Unsplash