Mediterranean · Cyprus
Cape Greco & Ayia Napa
Cape Greco shore-entry caves and tunnels beside the Liberty wreck
Photo: Fry72, Karel Frydrýšek · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cape Greco and Ayia Napa offer shore-entry caves and tunnels, the underwater sculpture museum MUSAN off Pernera Beach, and boat access to the Liberty wreck. Cape Greco caves reach around 13 m, MUSAN reaches 10 m, and the Liberty lies 1 km offshore at 18–28 m. Turtles feed in seagrass, while octopus, cuttlefish and lobster shelter in underwater caves. Moray eels occupy wreck crevices as barracuda and grouper circle above. Diving is possible year-round; May to October brings the warmest water and greater marine-life abundance.
About diving in Cape Greco & Ayia Napa
Around Cape Greco, many dives have shore entry into calm waters without current. The Caves site is reached by a rocky path to the water and a giant stride. AquaNaut has a dive centre in Green Bay, Protaras, and Get Wet Divers provides private dive guides in Protaras. MUSAN is off Pernera Beach and access is via an official dive centre. The Liberty lies 1 km from shore, with a boat ride of less than five minutes.
The sites include tunnels and caves at Cape Greco, reefs and seagrass seabeds, and wrecks in Ayia Napa waters. Turtles feed in seagrass, while octopus, cuttlefish and lobster hide in underwater caves. Moray eels sit in wreck crevices as barracuda and grouper circle above. The Liberty is a small cargo ship with access to its holds; Nemesis III is an artificial-reef wreck at 25 m.
Sites range from novice to advanced. Cape Greco has many shore-entry dives into calm water without current, and the Caves site is reached by a rocky path followed by a giant stride. MUSAN reaches 10 m and the caves reach around 13 m. The Liberty spans 18–28 m, lies 1 km from shore, takes less than five minutes by boat, and has access to its holds.
Best time to dive Cape Greco & Ayia Napa
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair |
Diving is possible year-round; May to October brings the warmest water and greater marine-life abundance.
Dive types & marine life
Diving is possible year-round. May to October brings the warmest water and greater marine-life abundance. Turtles feed in seagrass, while octopus, cuttlefish and lobster hide in underwater caves. Moray eels occupy wreck crevices as barracuda and grouper circle above.
- Cave & cavern
- Wreck
- Sea turtles
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Barracuda
- Groupers
Best dive sites in Cape Greco & Ayia Napa
Reef
A shallow training beach that never goes deeper than 6 m
Towering rock walls and boulders reached down two cliff ladders
Cave & cavern
Daylit swim-throughs up to 30 m long at Cape Greco
Amphora remains at 5 m and a slope past 40 m below a chapel
Wall
A shore entry onto a cliff that runs down to 40 m
Reef
A statue of Atlantis and a small canyon in a protected bay
Reef
Stone columns and statues at 9 m in a shallow training bay
Reef
A drop-off to 11 m and a deepest point of 18 m from the shore
Wreck
Three connected holds on an upright cargo ship at 18 to 28 m
Artificial reef
An underwater forest of sculptures at 8 to 10 m
Wreck
An upright trawler at 24 m, 90 m from the Liberty
Cave & cavern
Into a cave through its roof, out through its mouth at 18 m
Reef
A drop-off to 11 m and rock trenches on the way back
A breakwater-sheltered bay to 8 m for training and night dives
How to get to Cape Greco & Ayia Napa
AquaNaut has a dive centre in Green Bay, Protaras; Get Wet Divers provides private dive guides in Protaras. The Liberty lies 1 km offshore and is less than five minutes by boat. MUSAN is off Pernera Beach and can only be visited through an official dive centre.
Photos from Cape Greco & Ayia Napa
Pkshishodia · CC BY 4.0
Photo credits
- Rocky limestone coast with green scrub running out to a flat-topped headland, deep blue and turquoise sea on the left by Fry72, Karel Frydrýšek, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A low rocky shoreline enclosing a turquoise cove with dark patches on the shallow bottom, under a cloudy sky by Pkshishodia, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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