5 unusual dives

A drowned forest

Lake Kaindy

Kazakhstan

Spruce trunks still standing in a lake at 2,000 m, formed when a landslide set off by the 1911 Kebin earthquake dammed the valley. Water stays at 4–6 °C; June has the clearest water, and January to March is ice diving only.

Best season:

Jun

Water:

4–6 °C

Season: uvu.kz · See the destination, its sites and sources

A hot-water chimney

Eyjafjörður (Strýtan)

Iceland

A 50 m mineral chimney rises from the floor of Eyjafjörður and vents 72 °C fresh water: Iceland's first underwater protected area. The local dive centre runs the trip all year, weather permitting.

Water:

4–8 °C

Season: strytan.is · See the destination, its sites and sources

A postbox 10 m down

Susami Bay

Japan

A working postbox 10 m deep in Susami Bay, officially part of the local post office: divers post special waterproof postcards. Open Water level; the local centre offers try dives with a postcard all year.

Season: asoview.com · See the destination, its sites and sources

A sunken Roman town

Baia (Bay of Naples)

Italy

The Nymphaeum of Emperor Claudius, the Villa dei Pisoni and Roman mosaic floors lie 4–8 m deep in the Bay of Naples, visited on guided dives. The water is clearest in June, July and September.

Best season:

Jun–Jul, Sep

Water:

13–27 °C

Dive:

€40–45

Season: napolike.it · See the destination, its sites and sources

A village in a lake

Sundhäuser See

Germany

Nordhusia, an artificial village at about 10 m with a church, a graveyard and a gallows, plus a fishing-boat wreck at 21 m in the same lake. Dived all year; summer is best, and winter needs a drysuit.

Best season:

Jun–Aug

Water:

3–19 °C

Try dive:

€120

Season: scubadiverlife.com · See the destination, its sites and sources