Paros & Naxos · Greece · Reef
Preza
An 8 to 12 m plateau where big barracuda schools pass over nudibranch-rich rock
Area photo: kallerna · CC BY-SA 4.0
Preza, also called Mikronisi, is a small islet in the strait between Paros and Antiparos, less than 10 minutes by boat from the fishing village of Aliki. Its south-west side has a plateau between 8 and 12 m with a small drop-off at the end reaching 16 m, and the operator lists it for all levels with a 15 m maximum. The plateau holds nudibranchs, moray eels, octopus, large numbers of damselfish, cardinalfish and seabream, and big schools of barracuda.
Also known as Mikronisi.
Where it is and how deep
36.9888° N, 25.1017° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The boat trip from Aliki takes under 10 minutes. Drop onto the plateau on the south-west side of the island, which sits between 8 and 12 m, and work across it; there is often a mild current from the north side, so the guide sets the direction. The plateau is the dive: yellow solitary corals (Leptopsammia pruvoti), cardinalfish (Apogon imberbis) and parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense) on the rock, with damselfish and seabream in large numbers over it.
Look closely for nudibranchs: the purple flabellina (Flabellina affinis) and Cratena peregrina are both found here, alongside moray eels and octopus in the holes. Then watch the blue for the big schools of barracuda that pass the plateau. At the far end a small drop-off reaches 16 m, the deepest point on the site; the operator gives 15 m as its maximum and lists the dive for all levels, so the plateau at 8 to 12 m is where most of the dive is spent.
Marine life and season
- Nudibranchs
- Barracuda
- Octopus & cuttlefish
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Good | Off-season | Off-season |
Season follows Paros & Naxos: The Naxos centre opens mid-April to early November. The meltemi blows mid-May to mid-September, most constant in July and August, when boats keep to moorings sheltered from the north wind.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Preza?+
The plateau is between 8 and 12 m, with a small drop-off reaching 16 m at its end. The operator lists 15 m as the maximum and the site for all levels.
Is there current at Preza?+
Often a mild current from the north side of the island; the guide sets the direction across the plateau accordingly.
Sources
- Preza — Scubago
- Les meilleurs sites de plongée de Paros — Cycladic Diving
More dive sites in Paros & Naxos
Pinnacle
A single rock out of a Posidonia meadow at 25 m, a hundred metres from Tripiti
Reef
A 50-minute lap of a rocky islet a mile off Alyko Bay
Wreck
A WWII heavy fighter at 33 m, found in 2007 after a year-long search
Wall
Amphorae from a pirate-era wooden wreck below a current-free wall
Wall
The area's big fish: barracuda and amberjack schools off a wall from 10 to 40 m
Reef
Canyons and a swim-through that fill with nudibranchs late in the season
Wreck
A 1981 cargo wreck whose crane still breaks the surface; the bow section rests at 24 m
Reef
Ridge tops at 5 m, a Classical amphora, and amberjack hunting over the reef
Similar dives elsewhere
A sheltered 7 m dive beside the Deux Frères rocks
A big shallow rock pile at 6-10 m
Black volcanic rock in 3–11 m, with octopus through the holes
Walk-in shore bay near Capoliveri in 2–10 m, with turtles since 2021