Mediterranean · Turkey
Çeşme & Ildır
The Monem, a cargo wreck at 18 m that Open Water divers can explore
Çeşme sits at the tip of a peninsula west of Izmir, facing the Greek island of Chios, with around 20 dive sites clustered around Eşek (Donkey) Island and along the coast to Ildır. The headline dive is the Monem, a 75 m cargo ship that sank in a storm in 2004 and has become an artificial reef. Other draws are the Yatak Odası cave, a coast guard ship scuttled near Eşek Island in 2017, and a sand field off Ildır where stingrays gather in their hundreds.
About diving in Çeşme & Ildır
Boats leave from Ildır and from Çeşme for the sites around Eşek Island and off Ildır. Wind sets the plan: the Monem has no shelter on any side, so boats go there only on windless days, while about 10 sites can still be reached when the weather turns bad. Yatak Odası stays diveable in almost any bad weather and usually closes the day as the last dive. Current is close to nil, which keeps descents and ascents simple.
The Monem has turned into an artificial reef since it sank, and the TCSG 68 was sent down under an artificial reef project; squid now lay their eggs on spawning structures placed for them. Amberjack schools, clouds of parrotfish and large scorpionfish move around the Monem, barracuda, morays and groupers work the rock at Yatak Odası, and about seven species of stingray share the sand off Ildır.
The coast suits newcomers and photographers. Anyone over 14 can dive, introductory dives run around Makri Island, and Yatak Odası, a route used for new divers, draws underwater photographers for the light falling through its cave roof and for the two sponge-lined cave entrances on the west side of its island, which suit both macro and wide-angle work.
Best time to dive Çeşme & Ildır
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good |
Diving pauses in January and February and runs through the other ten months. The water sits at about 15 °C at its coldest in winter and reaches about 23 °C in summer. Boats keep going after the holiday season ends, which matters here because the best stretch comes late: September is among the top months for diving, and in October and November the stingrays off Ildır gather on the sand to mate. Wind picks the site on any given day: the exposed Monem needs a windless day, while Yatak Odası takes almost any weather.
Dive types & marine life
Stingrays are frequent: around seven species turn up off Ildır, the Vatoslar ground holds hundreds, and they gather to mate especially in October and November. Barracuda schools are possible at Yatak Odası, and a turtle passes the Monem now and then rather than on every dive.
- Wreck
- Cave & cavern
- Stingrays
- Barracuda
- Groupers
- Squid
- Sea turtles
Best dive sites in Çeşme & Ildır
- 1
Monem
Cargo ship on a sandy bottom at about 18 m, safe for divers of every level.
- 2
Yatak Odası (Bedroom)
Cave entered at about 8 m, lit through a hole in its roof; maximum depth 16 m.
- 3
Vatoslar
Ground holding hundreds of stingrays, beside a lively wall.
- 4
TCSG 68
Coast guard ship sunk near Eşek Island at 30 m under an artificial reef project.
- 5
88
Point sheltered from the north-easterly, suiting shallow and deep dives, with a sculpture at 30 m.
Site guides
Wall
A migrant memorial sculpture at 30 m on a wall off Eşek Island
Wreck
A full-length cargo ship that newly certified divers can explore
Wreck
A coast guard ship at 30 m with a photo exhibition inside
Cave & cavern
A cave that gets its name from a bedroom, within 16 m
How to get to Çeşme & Ildır
Çeşme lies at the tip of a peninsula 85 km west of Izmir, and the motorway makes the drive easy. A Havaş bus runs direct from Izmir airport to Çeşme every couple of hours. Dive centres work from Çeşme itself, from Ildır and from the Altın Yunus resort.
Dive videos
Wreck dive in Cesme-Çeşme Batık Dalışı · Gökhan Erezkan on YouTube
Questions divers ask
What certification does the Monem wreck need?+
Open Water (PADI) or a CMAS one-star is enough. With its masts long collapsed, the ship poses little risk at any level, and because it is not historic no permit from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is needed to dive it.
Can recreational divers visit the TCSG 68 wreck?+
Yes, but it lies at 30 m, the deepest a recreational diver may go on a wreck. Inside hangs an exhibition of old sponge-diver photographs by Mustafa Kapkın.
Is Çeşme a good place for a first dive?+
Yes. Anyone who has never dived can make a one-to-one try dive with an instructor, and a certification course takes about 3 days.
Can the Ottoman wrecks off Çeşme be dived?+
No. Two Ottoman wrecks off the coast are closed to diving because of their historic status; the Monem and the TCSG 68 are the wrecks open to visitors.
Sources
- Çeşme eyes dive tourism with rich marine life — Hürriyet Daily News
- Çeşme dalış (haber7) — haber7
- Cousto Dalış Merkezi — Cousto Dalış Merkezi
- İzmir'in en iyi dalış merkezleri — otuzbeslik.com
- Çeşme – Wikivoyage — Wikivoyage
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