Mediterranean · Greece
Leros & Lakki
Battle of Leros wrecks from 1943, led by the destroyer Vasilissa Olga
Leros, in the Dodecanese, was the scene of the Battle of Leros in the autumn of 1943 and ranks second in the world, after Normandy, for the number of war wrecks. Ships and aircraft from that fight now lie in its bays: the destroyer Vasilissa Olga at Lakki, a Heinkel 111 bomber off Blefouti beach, a German landing craft cut in half near Strongyli islet. A single dive centre guides divers through this underwater museum, with reefs and a cave between the wrecks.
About diving in Leros & Lakki
Diving on Leros runs through one centre, the only dive resort on the island, which leads guided dives to the historical and natural sites and takes divers out by boat. Lakki, where the destroyer lies, is a naturally protected harbour, and Partheni Bay in the north is one of the places sheltered from bad weather. The south and south-west coasts are military areas, where anchoring and taking pictures are prohibited.
Eight wrecks of ships and aircraft are open to divers, and Vasilissa Olga is the most impressive of them. At the entrance to Lakki harbour, antisubmarine nets wrapped in huge balls still stand where the Italians placed them at the start of the Second World War, and the Italian steamship Ivorea lies close to the coast in the port of Rina. Portable equipment still lies on the seabed around the halved landing craft. Between the wrecks are rocky coasts, Posidonia meadows, coloured corals, reefs and a cave with beautiful fauna, in water that can clear to 50 m.
Leros suits divers who come for history, above all those with deep training: five of the eight wrecks lie at 40 m or deeper. The Heinkel and the Arado lie shallower, and the centre runs guided dives and PADI courses for all experience levels. The barge at Partheni sits next to a fish farm and has limited visibility.
Best time to dive Leros & Lakki
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
Leros is at its best from Easter to October, when most facilities are open; no single month stands out for the wrecks.
Best months: April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Dive types & marine life
Seals, dolphins, sea turtles and even sperm whales are chance sightings for lucky divers rather than regular ones. The seabed also holds valuable ecosystems with rare underwater vegetation.
- Wreck
- Seals & sea lions
- Dolphins
- Sea turtles
Best dive sites in Leros & Lakki
- 1
Vasilissa Olga
Legendary destroyer sunk at Lakki by a Luftwaffe raid, lying at 40 m.
- 2
Heinkel 111
Heinkel 111 bomber on the seabed off Blefouti beach at 16 m.
- 3
Strongyli
German type H landing craft cut in half, at 16 to 18 m beside the islet of Strongyli.
- 4
Arado Ar 196
Warplane on the seabed at Mavro Kavos, resting at 20 m.
- 5
Junkers 52
Three-engine German transport aircraft that carried paratroopers, now at 51 m.
- 6
Partheni
Greek barge commandeered by the Italians for anti-submarine work, near Cape Korais.
Site guides
Wreck
A Heinkel 111 bomber in the shallows off Blefouti beach
Wreck
A German landing craft split in two by a direct hit in 1943
Wreck
A Greek destroyer sunk by German bombers inside Lakki harbour
How to get to Leros & Lakki
Leros Municipal Airport at Partheni has daily flights from Athens and less frequent links to neighbouring islands. Ferries connect Lakki, the main port, with Piraeus and the other Dodecanese islands. The dive centre sits on the seaside at the bay of Krithoni.
Dive videos
Diving at Lakki Bay - Leros - Greece · ovnijad on YouTube
Questions divers ask
What wetsuit is needed on Leros?+
The sea is coldest in January at 16 °C (60 °F), when a full wetsuit is needed; by August it reaches 26 °C (78 °F).
Can beginners dive on Leros?+
Yes. After fast-paced lessons and practice in shallow water, beginners can make a first supervised dive with the centre at Agia Marina.
Are all the Leros wrecks dived in any conditions?+
No. Some wreck dives, among them Vasilissa Olga and the Italian barge, go ahead only under certain conditions.
Sources
- Diving in the crystal-clear waters of Leros — Greek National Tourism Organisation
- Leros Diving Activity — The Aegean Islands
- Hydrovius Diving Center — Hydrovius Diving Center
- Organized diving released in 91 shipwrecks in Greece – 8 of them in Leros — Hydrovius Diving Center
- Diving Tourism — Municipality of Leros
- Leros Scuba Diving — Greeka
- Weather in Leros — Greeka
- Leros — Wikivoyage
- Annual average weather for Leros, Greece — beach-weather.com
Embed
Run a dive centre, club or blog? Embed this map of 11 dive sites near Leros & Lakki on your own page.
Similar destinations
Caves, arches and gorges in the Labyrinth of Telendos
Mediterranean
Amphora shards over 800 years old on The Potteries reef off Pserimos
A cluster of cavern dives at Paleokastritsa, wrecks and reefs off the north-east coast
Mediterranean
Kemer & Tekirova
Turkey
Canyons and an air-filled cave at the protected Three Islands, plus two wrecks