Cyprus offers plenty of opportunities for world-class diving, with an impressive diversity of marine life within easy access of the island’s shores. And with pleasant sea temperatures year-round (27 degrees C in the summer and typically no lower than 16C in the winter), it’s an attractive and yet often overlooked destination for a Mediterranean diving holiday.
One of the most popular spots for a diving holiday in Cyprus is Latchi in the north-west of the island. Latchi is a tiny laid-back place between Polis and the Baths of Aphrodite, around one hour’s drive from Paphos Airport. It can barely be classed even as a village, being little more than a collection of tavernas serving fresh seafood and shops catering for holidaymakers. It’s a good place for those wanting to relax with a glass of wine and a plate of seafood after a swim on the beach (awarded a European Blue Flag) or a walk on the nearby Akamas Peninsula. Boat trips leave regularly from the harbour for trips along the coast while motorboats can be rented for those wanting explore the Akamas coastline.
But for divers it’s the underwater attractions that draw them to Latchi. The coastline off the Akamas Peninsula is considered to be the best diving area on Cyprus. Attractions include St. George’s Island, a popular wall dive with excellent visibility, plentiful marine life and geologically interest; the Blue Lagoon, an easy dive in crystal-clear waters; and Aphrodite’s Reef, an alluring maze of caves and rocks. There are virtually no tides and currents in the sea around Latchi and Akamas, making it a particularly good choice for beginners and novice-grade divers.
The dive centre in Latchi offers a full range of professional courses, with tuition available up to Assistant Instructor level. It was recently awarded the prestigious 5 Star Gold Palm Resort designation by PADI.
Daily dives are organised for small groups of qualified divers to a number of nearby sites. One of the star marine attractions in the waters off Latchi are the Loggerhead and Green turtles; the Green turtles were almost extinct a while ago and are still on the endangered list. There are night dives and scooter-assisted dives to view the turtles and as with all dives from Latchi, diving equipment is available for hire.
For those who like the idea of messing about in the water but prefer to stay above the surface, the region also offers waterskiing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, sailing, parasailing, banana and tube rides, with tuition available where necessary.
