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Kuşadası · Turkey · Reef · Wall

Ada Banko

A reef edge on the north side that falls away from 15 m toward 40 m

Ada Banko is an offshore reef bank about 1.5 to 2 km from the Kuşadası shore and one of the most famous sites in the gulf. The top of the bank lies at 5 m and its northern edge drops away into deeper water, so one site serves both a shallow reef dive and a descent along the edge.

Also known as Adabanko Reef, Adabanko, Ada Bango, Ada Bank.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Ada Banko: typical dive 5–15 m (15–50 ft), deepest point 40 m (130 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit5 m15 m40 m maxtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 50 m (164 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

37.8658° N, 27.2300° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The dive starts on top of the bank, where the reef begins at 5 m. Heading north brings divers to the edge of the reef, and from there the descent is free down to 15 m, the usual floor of the dive.

Past 15 m the edge keeps dropping and eventually reaches 40 m, so going below the usual 15 m floor of the dive is only for divers who are trained and have planned for that depth.

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Ada Banko
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
GoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGood

Season follows Kuşadası: Dives run in all twelve months, and no single month stands out as the best time to come.

Know before you go

  • The north edge has no bottom to stop a descent at 15 m: it keeps dropping toward 40 m, so depth needs close watching.

Dive videos

ADA BANKO OLYMPIA DIVING · Turgay Ali Sanli on YouTube

Sources

  1. Adabanko Reef dive site — ScubaGo
  2. Yilanci Burnu dive site (lists Adabanko Reef nearby) — SSI

More dive sites in Kuşadası

Cave & cavern

Ada Kule Cave

A second, wide cave where a seal sometimes rests

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Wreck

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A full-size airliner with a 44 m wingspan on the gulf floor

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Reef

Yılancı Burnu

The bay where most of Kuşadası's try dives take place

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