Marmaris & İçmeler · Turkey · Cave & cavern
Baca (Chimney) Cave
Daylight falling through a narrow rock chimney into a conical cave
Baca Cave is the most popular dive in Marmaris, a conical cave named for the narrow chimney that forms its exit. Divers come for the light: the chimney channels daylight into the interior and throws it across the rock in shafts and shadow, and large moray eels and dentex are almost always at home.
Also known as Baca Cave, Baca Mağarası, Chimney Cave.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Marmaris & İçmeler and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The cave is dived anywhere from 5 m down to 50 m. Its entrance is 14 m wide and the cone narrows towards a tight exit at 4 m, the chimney that gives the site its name. Inside, the light coming down the chimney plays over the walls, and small shrimp and red and white cardinalfish shelter in the rock, with large moray eels and dentex close by.
Marine life and season
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Marmaris & İçmeler: May to October is the best time to dive; in the cooler months the water drops to about 20°C (68°F).
Sources
- Marmaris Diving Spots — Marmaris Travel
- Paradise Diving Center, Marmaris — PADI
More dive sites in Marmaris & İçmeler
Reef
Clear water that earned the cove its nickname, the Aquarium
Reef
Hundreds of Hellenistic amphorae still lying on the rocks
Reef
Moray eels and octopus on the rock below the Goat Island light
Reef
First World War mine carts laid by the French against German submarines
Similar dives elsewhere
A drop-off to 45 m and an air pocket from 14 m to 3 m
A 50 m training cavern at 17 m, 15 minutes from Moraira port
The exit opening is shaped like a huge butterfly
A wide 4-9 m entrance into a chamber with an air pocket