Halkidiki — Sithonia, the area around Manitari

Halkidiki · Greece · Reef · Pinnacle

Manitari

A mushroom-shaped reef from 3 m to 33 m in the open Aegean

Area photo: id.nfero · CC BY-SA 3.0

Manitari is Greek for mushroom, and this reef is shaped like one, standing in calm, clean water in the open Aegean from a 3 m top down to 33 m. Schools of small fish live on the rock, and the operator notes that in open sea you might spot anything, from small sea bass to large tuna.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Manitari: typical dive 3–33 m (10–108 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit3 m33 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

39.9400° N, 23.9303° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

Manitari is Greek for mushroom, and the reef is shaped like one, standing on the bottom in the open Aegean Sea. It starts at a depth of 3 m, so the top of the rock is almost at the surface, and it goes down to 33 m at its base. The operator describes the water as calm and clean, and the descent is simply a matter of dropping over the edge of the rock and following it down to the planned depth.

Work around the reef at the chosen depth, then come back up the rock. The reef holds a great diversity of life, with schools of small fish along its flanks, and the operator notes that out in the open Aegean you might spot anything, from small sea bass to large tuna, so the blue water off the reef deserves a look on the way round. The ascent finishes on the 3 m top, which doubles as the safety stop before surfacing to the boat.

Marine life and season

  • Reef fish swarms
Month-by-month season rating for Manitari
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Off-seasonOff-seasonOff-seasonFairGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodOff-seasonOff-season

Season follows Halkidiki: Boat trips and Try Scuba run April to October; courses are sold year-round, but the sea sits around 14 °C from January to March.

Questions divers ask

How deep is Manitari?+

The reef starts at 3 m and goes down to 33 m. Open Water divers can spend the dive on the upper part of the rock; the base needs Advanced certification.

Sources

  1. Manitari - Scubago — Scubago

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