Diving in Kemer and Antalya – Paradise for Beginners

For adrenaline seekers, Turkey offers a number of exciting and captivating excursions, one of which is diving in Kemer or diving in Antalya. Essentially, the difference is minimal as the two cities are located very close to each other. In this article, we explain what diving in Kemer entails and the prices for both beginners and professionals.

General Information

Thus, a deep dive in a diving suit is not considered a completely traditional form of vacation, and not everyone dares to embark on such an adventure; however, among those who have bravely plunged into the marine depths, very few have been dissatisfied. In any case, it is an experience full of emotions and new sensations.

The Turkish coast is not the most ideal location for diving (Dive), as the Mediterranean Sea (which is the focus of this article) is not as warm as the Red Sea; hence, there are practically no corals here, nor the vibrant fish that usually swarm around them. All that is of interest beneath the surface of the Mediterranean are sunken ships, airplanes, and the remains of ancient cities. However, it should be understood that beginners are unlikely to be immediately taken to the more challenging sites from a diving skills perspective. If a tourist is attending a course for the first time, they train in a pool with a group (or individually with an instructor), and only afterward are allowed into open water. Usually, these are depths of 3–4 meters where visibility is at its best. Over time, the depth increases.

Typically, a four-day course is quite sufficient for beginner divers, which includes obtaining an international certification. For professionals who decide to combine a beach vacation with diving, that might not be enough.

Diving in Turkey (Kemer) and its price depend on the chosen method of diving. If it is a one-time dive – the cost will vary from 40 to 60 dollars per dive, whereas if it is a comprehensive training course with certification – it will cost between 300–350 dollars, depending on the company offering the tour.

For professionals (those who consider themselves experienced), Turkey offers dive charters as well as diving safaris, which vary in price depending on their complexity.

Preparation for Diving in Turkey

The above describes the preparation for diving in case you wish to obtain an international certification for future dives. If you don’t need a certificate and have simply decided to do one dive with scuba gear, nothing like that will occur. It will all be limited to a trip to one of the diving spots and a one-time dive.

Preparing for a dive is not a very complicated process; however, before purchasing an excursion, make sure you can meet the minimum requirements for divers, including:

• No ear, nose, oral cavity illnesses, asthma, lung disease, or allergic rhinitis;
• Your last meal was more than two hours ago;
• Alcohol intoxication is not permitted.

If none of these issues are present, there is no reason to deny yourself the pleasure of swimming underwater.

Starting Point

Diving in Turkey, and in particular in Antalya, is conducted in several locations spread along the coast, including:

1. Bay of the Lighthouse.
2. Kirish Bay (cave).
3. Aquarium Bay (also in Kirish).
4. The sunken ship “Paris”.
5. The sunken ship “Pati”.

However, do not expect that beginners will immediately be taken to see sunken ships; most likely, it will be Bay of the Lighthouse or Kirish, where the depth is not great and inexperienced divers can be easily supervised.

Beginner divers are transported to the dive site from Marina Port in Kemer by yacht. During the journey, a detailed briefing on water safety rules is provided, after which the vacationers are given wetsuits and assisted with their gear.

By the way, regarding the wetsuit, it should be no thinner than 5 mm since the water here is not as warm as in the Red Sea.

All the equipment is quite heavy, and moving around in it, especially in the heat, is not very pleasant. It is best to move closer to the water entry point and wait for your turn. Typically, dives are conducted in small groups of 3–4 people, and if there are more tourists (and there usually are), you can simply enjoy swimming in the warm sea while you wait.

Duration

The actual dive usually does not exceed 30 minutes, and often is even shorter, as close supervision of the tourists is necessary. On average, about an hour passes from the moment you put on the suit until you take it off, but the emotions will last much longer.

The dive itself is conducted together with a guide who helps you properly wear the regulator and descend to the bottom.

Oh, almost forgot, each additional accessory comes with an extra charge – and the price list is not very generous, especially for certain items; for example, a torch costs 6 dollars, and an underwater camera – 30 dollars. All of these can be purchased on-site.

The dive itself follows the scheme below:

1. The instructor faces the tourist and uses gestures to indicate that the regulator must be worn and to check if oxygen is flowing.
2. The tourist signals that everything is okay, and the instructor starts the countdown (counting to three or five).
3. On the count of three (or five), you dive together and head straight to the bottom.
4. Underwater, the instructor ensures that you are fine and leaves you at the bottom, while a second instructor ascends to pick up the next diver.
5. Once everyone has dived, you explore the surroundings, regularly informing the instructor that all is well.

At the bottom, you can take photos and shoot videos if you have pre-arranged photographic equipment or rented local gear. Typically, in those locations where beginners are brought, the water is not very murky, and visibility is fairly acceptable. As of 2024, the conditions were as described above; we are confident that the situation will remain unchanged in 2025.

Where to Go for Diving if You’re a Professional

Diving prices in Antalya for divers who are experienced differ from those offered to beginners – which is understandable, as experienced divers have completely different tasks and goals – dive charters. For dive charters in Turkey, there is an enormous number of locations available, including those listed above.

The diving center in the city of Kemer (Octopus Diving Center) offers the exploration of the sunken ship “Paris,” which was sunk during World War I. Although this ship has become a rare diving site, it has not lost its appeal among underwater explorers.

The ship itself is fairly well preserved, and its exploration is not very complicated. The rigging elements and armaments are in good condition, and you can see pockmarks from Turkish cannons – in short, there is plenty to see.

If antiquity is not your cup of tea, you can consider exploring a cave near the town of Kaş. Kaş, in Antalya, is generally regarded as the central hub for diving, and the cave in question was once on land, like many other features around the Mediterranean.

For dive charters, the same diving center in Kemer offers several programs with varying prices, including:

This is by no means the complete list of options available at the club; dives are also differentiated by levels of difficulty, including:

• High-altitude conditions;
• Boat-based dives;
• Dives with an underwater tow;
• Current conditions;
• Dives in a dry suit;
• Deep dives;
• Multi-level dives;
• Nocturnal dives;
• Search and recovery of sunken objects;
• Navigation exercises.

There is plenty of room for both professionals and beginners to spread out.

Prices for Beginners

For beginners, as mentioned earlier, a one-time dive will cost you 30 euros, and two dives in one day will cost 55 euros (depending on the chosen agency, prices may vary).

Where to Purchase a Tour

If you have been flying to Turkey more than once, you should be aware of the unyielding war between local guides and hotel tour guides (figuratively speaking). The latter strongly advise against taking street excursions as they claim it is dangerous (in reality, in such cases the guide cannot earn a living).

However, if you study past tourists’ reviews, take a glance at the statistics, and use your head, street excursions are no different from hotel-organized ones in terms of organization and safety, although the prices differ significantly. So, the choice remains yours.

In the case of diving, the most advantageous option is to order online, as you will have all the guarantees that the seller is completely legitimate – at least on our site it is so. Moreover, the price will be the same as on the street in Turkey.

How Far in Advance Can You Book?

It is best to clarify the number of available spots at the time of booking the excursion, as diving is generally considered a popular activity. According to tourist company policies, the booking must be paid for at least a day in advance. Naturally, nothing stops you from booking your excursion much earlier – for example, in winter, several months before heading to the sea.

The advantage of such an early booking is that you won’t have to worry about whether you have enough money left for souvenirs if you decide to go diving – your tour ticket will already be in your pocket.

So, diving in Kemer (Antalya) is an excellent choice for active individuals – diversify your vacation, and we assure you, you won’t regret it!