Indian Ocean · Iran
Kish Island
Shallow east-coast coral reefs, among the richest dive sites in Iran
Photo: Hamed Saber from Tehran, Iran · CC BY 2.0
Kish is an Iranian island in the Persian Gulf whose dive training and recreation centres have made it the country's diving hub. Most of the diving is shallow: the east-coast coral reefs at Big Coral and Jurassic Park, and the site around the wrecked Greek Ship in the west. Further out, the Southern Crack reef and the Senegalese freighter Dama give experienced divers something deeper.
About diving in Kish Island
Divers go out from the island's dive clubs on their boats. Big Coral can also be reached from the shore by driving to Simorgh Hotel beach, and Hendurabi Island, 23 km to the west, is reached only by charter boat from Kish. Under Iran's rules, men and women dive in separate areas. Diving stops when the weather is stormy and the sea wavy, which mostly happens in autumn and late winter, and the waves also leave the water cloudy.
The coral reefs on the eastern side of Kish are among the richest dive sites in Iran. Big Coral and Jurassic Park there reach 6 to 8 m at most, and Big Coral holds surgeonfish, angelfish, parrotfish, grouper, barracuda, eagle rays, tuna and turtles. The waters around Hendurabi Island are covered with a variety of corals. Offshore, the Dama freighter lies at 33 m in the southeastern waters, while the Greek Ship site sits in 4 to 5 m off the west side.
Kish suits new divers: the Greek Ship site averages about 5 m and needs no professional equipment, and the depth at Hoor Cottage also suits beginners. Southern Crack is different, a site that requires high experience and professional diving equipment, and the Dama is dived after an Advanced Open Water course, with special training needed to go inside. The sea is somewhat cold in winter, while in August the water averages about 34 °C (93 °F).
Best time to dive Kish Island
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good |
Clear, sunny spring and summer are best; stormy autumn and late-winter seas stop the diving on rough days.
Dive types & marine life
Southern Crack, the deeper reef to the south, is where blacktip sharks, batfish and barracuda are found. Turtles and grouper live at both Big Coral and Hoor Cottage, which also has javelin grunter and redfish.
- Coral garden
- Reef
- Wreck
- Cave & cavern
- Night
- Eagle rays
- Barracuda
- Groupers
- Sea turtles
- Tuna
- Reef sharks
Best dive sites in Kish Island
- 1
Big Coral
East-coast coral reef, 6 to 7 m at most, reached from Simorgh Hotel beach and suited to beginners
- 2
Dama Wreck
Senegalese freighter at 33 m off the southeast, for Advanced Open Water divers; going inside needs wreck training
- 3
Southern Crack
Coral reef off the south of the island, to 22 m, with blacktip sharks and batfish; for experienced divers
- 4
Greek Ship
Site around the wrecked Greek Ship off the west of the island, 4 to 5 m deep and suited to beginners
- 5
Hoor Cottage
Site at the island's westernmost point with a small 5 m long cave at its entrance
- 6
Jurassic Park
East-coast reef, 6 to 8 m at most, used for night dives and underwater photography
- 7
Sambaro
Coral reef between Kish and Hendurabi Island, reached by boat from Kish harbour
Site guides
Coral garden
A shore entry from Simorgh Hotel beach onto the east-coast reefs
Wreck
A way in through the captain's cabin window
The propeller of a 1943 steamship at 8 m
Cave & cavern
A short cave to swim through at the entrance
Reef
Shallow east-coast reef, a boat ride from the Kish dive clubs
Reef
Blacktip and nurse sharks in a gap in the reef
How to get to Kish Island
Kish International Airport (KIH) serves the island, and Kish Airlines runs the most regular domestic and international flights. The dive clubs sit in different parts of the island.
Photos from Kish Island
Mahdian (talk) · Public domain
Hamed Saber from Tehran, Iran · CC BY 2.0
Questions divers ask
Do men and women dive together at Kish Island?+
No. Under Iran's rules, men's and women's diving areas are kept separate.
What certification does the Dama wreck need?+
An Advanced Open Water course is needed to go inside the freighter, which lies at 33 m off the southeast coast.
Can beginners dive at Kish Island?+
Yes. The Greek Ship site averages about 5 m and needs no professional equipment, and the shallow east-coast reefs at Big Coral suit first-time divers.
Is there shore diving at Kish Island?+
Yes. Big Coral is reached from Simorgh Hotel beach, the Greek Ship site by steps in the seaside park in front of the ship, and Hoor Cottage from a small southern beach.
Sources
- Scuba Diving - Kish Free Zone Organization Tourism — Kish Free Zone Organization
- Diving in Iran for tourists — Legendary Iran
- Dama ship tour — Kish Diving Center
- Kish Island — Wikivoyage
- Kish average sea temperatures — seatemperature.org
Photo credits
- A school of yellow-striped snappers and grey fish swims beneath a broad reddish table coral over a sandy bottom by Hamed Saber from Tehran, Iran, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Four scuba divers in wetsuits and masks kneel on pale sand beside a brown coral head in green-blue water by Mahdian (talk), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- A black fish with white bands and orange fins nestles among the white, pink-tipped tentacles of an anemone by Hamed Saber from Tehran, Iran, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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