MUSAN (Museum of Underwater Sculpture Ayia Napa)

The world-first, underwater sculpture museum MUSAN intertwines nature and art to offer a unique diving experience at the Agia Napa Marine Protected Area (MPA). Its aim to rewild the seabed works alongside the artificial reef created with the sinking of the Kyrenia wreck in 2015.

Divers can glide through the intricate forms of trees, people and other figurative nature symbols that comprise the living museum, created by award-winning sculptor, environmentalist and professional underwater photographer, Jason deCaires Taylor.

Over 90 submerged artworks made from inert, pH neutral materials have been exhibited at varying depths; thoughtfully designed for both diving and snorkelling.

The continually evolving installations develop organically to entice and encourage marine communities, symbiotically enriching biodiversity and creating an underwater museum like no other.

Discover the museum https://musan.com.cy   /   Introductory video: https://www.visitfamagusta.com.cy/en/discover/museums.html

Aphrodites Rock

This area named after the Ancient Greek Goddess Aphrodite offers two dive sites within its vicinity. Both are easy and safe with crystal clear waters and a bottom that is sandy and rocky, whilst also having their own, unique charms.
A large volcanic rock emerging from the sea marks the site of Aphrodite’s Rock whilst the adjacent Aphrodite Island has a shallow cove that allows divers to then walk into the water.
At Aphrodite’s Rock, colourful stones unfold to a meadow of Posidonia seagrass. Turtles favour the spot during mating season and marine life mingles in the cracked rocks of the outcrop. The site is especially suitable and safe for night dives.
At Aphrodite Island there are small swim through canyons and the nooks and crannies of the natural formations hide a rich variety of marine life.

Divers will spot grouper, moray eels, stingrays, squid, octopi and wrasse, among other species.

Aphrodite’s Rock
Location:Latchi, Pafos
GPS Coordinates:35° 3’30.30″N 32°20’53.16″E
Type of Dive Site:Sandy and Rocky Bottom
Depth:12m
Visibility:20+ metres
Access:Shore (difficult) / By boat
Qualification Required:Open Water / Boat Diver
Dive Category:Recreational Diving

Aphrodite Island
Location: Latchi, Pafos
GPS Coordinates: 35° 3’30.41″N 32°20’54.20″E
Type of Dive Site:Rocky Bottom
Depth:18 metres
Visibility:20+ metres
Access:Shore / By boat
Qualification Required:Open Water / Boat Diver
Dive Category:Recreational Diving

Mazaki Island

The islet is one of several in the stunning Akamas peninsula area. Peaking up from the surface, it can be dived around but is subject to harsher weather conditions due to its unique location – 200 metres offshore at the tip of the cape – where the seas crash. As such, it is a site for the more experienced and adventurous diver with stronger currents than other sites in the area , but rewards the braver diver with an abundance of marine life.

Location: Latchi, Akamas Peninsula, Pafos
GPS Coordinates: 35° 6’43.33″N 32°16’50.64″E
Type of Dive Site: Rock
Depth: 22 metres
Visibility: 20+ metres
Access: By boat
Qualification Required: Advanced Open Water
Dive Category: Recreational Diving

Amphitheatre Bay

Once an old quarry in Roman times, the sea currents have cut a formation in the rocks resembling an amphitheatre, giving this interesting and easy dive its name (not to be mistaken with the Amphitheatre dive site at Coral Bay).
There are three underwater bays – each with a mini wall, and the rocky landscape protrudes above the water with the shapes below clearly visible thanks to the crystal seawaters of the bay.

Remnants of slabs from the quarry are now the home of mainly small fish whilst others hide in the patches of seagrass.

Typical marine life spotted here includes damselfish, flounder, nudibranch, sea cucumbers, sea snails and sea stars. Occasionally turtles and octopi are sighted.

Location: Latchi, Pafos
GPS Coordinates: 35° 4’33.04″N 32°19’2.09″E
Type of Dive Site: Sandy and Rocky Bottom
Depth: 18 metres
Visibility: 20+ metres
Access: Shore / By boat
Qualification Required: Open Water / Boat Diver
Dive Category: Recreational Diving

Fontana Amorosa

Fontana Amorosa (Fountain of Love) is a stunning dive site where the crystal, turquoise waters invite exploration at the rock reef labyrinth and ravine walls that lead to deeper adventures.
Once a harbour that was used for trade centuries ago, the only remnants of its bustling past are theancient amphorae hidden on the seabed of hills and valleys – offerings to the Gods made by the Romans in return for their prosperity.

Shy sea creatures hide in the crevices and holes of the natural formations, including crabs, cuttlefish, grouper, lionfish, moray eels, sea urchins and shrimp. Pufferfish are present in the sandy areas.

The luckier diver may also encounter the rare Tricolour Doris nudibranch that is a spectacular sight to behold.

This site is perfect for beginners, offering an easy and relaxing dive experience.

Location:Latchi, Pafos
GPS Coordinates: 35° 5’21.06″N 32°18’7.26″E
Type of Dive Site:Sandy and Rocky Bottom
Depth:15 metres
Visibility:20+ metres
Access:Shore / By boat
Qualification Required:Open Water / Boat Diver
Dive Category:Recreational Diving


 

Blue Lagoon

With its mesmerising turquoise waters, this is one of the most iconic and stunning beauty spots on the island and as picturesque as its name with a spectrum of sparkling blue shades.

The clear waters and sandy bottom unfold with patches of Posidonia seagrass, rocks and sponges to reveal a site that is ideal for beginners, and perfect for practising buoyancy and skills.

The marine life here is moderate; little fish dart among the small rocks within the bay, whilst the larger species dwell outside the bay.

Location:Latchi, Pafos
GPS Coordinates:35° 4’57.83″N 32°18’26.90″E
Type of Dive Site:Sandy Bottom
Depth:10 metres
Visibility:20+ metres
Access:Shore / By boat
Qualification Required:Open water / Boat Diver
Dive Category:Recreational Diving

Kakoskali Reef

Located opposite the Saint George/Geronisos Island dive site, Kakoskali Reef is a shallow and easy dive that is perfect for beginners, but that will equally delight the more experienced diver thanks to a varied landscape comprised of rock, ravine, canyon, archways, overhangs and elongated openings.
The bright colours of the soft sponges steal the show whilst other marine life contributes to the rich rainbow. Many are hidden in the crevices of the rock formations, and pinna nobilis nestle in the meadows of Posidonia seagrass. Among the species divers will spot are schoolsof amberjack, crab, crayfish, groupers, moray eels, starfish, stingrays, and wrasse, with sightings of seahorses and turtles too.

Other interesting elements of this dive include the upside down half-buried yacht that is now the comfortable home of a large grouper and the ancient amphorae fragments within the rocks.

Location:Latchi, Pafos
GPS Coordinates:35° 4’13.47″N 32°19’49.38″E
Type of Site:Rocky Bottom
Depth:10 metres
Visibility:30+ metres
Access:By boat
Qualification Required:Open Water / Boat Diver
Dive Category:Recreational Diving

Photiades Wall

A rich array of marine life flourishes amidst the series of natural formations and coarse white sand of this easy dive site.

From rocks of varying sizes, including some with flat tops, to the long wall drop-offwhere the currents safely drift divers along, this is a pleasant experience for any level.

A large number of microrganisms and other sea creatures can be spotted, including the impressive sight of black and gold sponges in their hundreds, schools ofamberjack, crayfish, grouper, lionfish,moray eels, starfish, stingrays and wrasse, among other species.  
Location:Latchi, Pafos

GPS Coordinates:35° 4’39.10″N 32°19’0.26″E
Type of Dive:Rocky bottom, Reef, Drop-off
Depth:25m
Visibility:20+ metres
Access:Shore 
Qualification Required:Open water
Dive Category:RecreationalDiving

Kakoskali MPA

With so much to explore at this stunning site, more than one dive is recommended to fully appreciate its underwater wonders, with beginners and more experienced divers each able to tailor a unique experience.

Also known as ‘Kakoskali’, the series of walls and caves form part of a marine protected area. The shallower parts of the dive site closer to the island feature interesting formations such as gullies and caves, including a cave filled withgoldenmoluccan sweeperhiding in the shadows.
The more seasoned diver can enjoy technical and deep diving, exploring the small and large caves at a depth of 40-50 metres where the impressive mountain wall is dense with brightly coloured corals and algae and there are impressive 16th century stone anchors. Luckier divers may also spot intact amphorae on the sandy bottoms, alongside the fragments found more easily.

The flourishing and diverse marine life includes schools of amberjack, crayfish, grouper, moray eels, starfish, stingrays and wrasse, among other species.

Location:Pegia, Pafos
GPS Coordinates:35° 4’29.16″N 32°20’0.79″E
Type of Site:Island Drop-offs and Caves
Depth:55 metres
Visibility:30+ metres
Access:By boat
Qualification Required:Open Water / Boat Diver
Dive Category:Technical and Recreational Diving

St George “Geronissos”

Saint George (Island) is also known as Geronisos (Island), meaning ‘holy island’ and offers a more challenging experience for the adventurous diver.

A drop-down mouth onto a 12-metre ridge heralds the start of the dive, where a huge swim through sits between rocks. Here the more experienced diver can enter the darkness that unfolds with a series of dramatic twists, turns and corridors before exiting through a crack in the reef. Less experienced divers can follow along the top of the ridge.

Heading towards the bottom of the ridge, a colourful underwater kingdom is revealed; from the nudibranch and sponges to bright algae, whilst a series of smaller caves and ridges are home to other species such as bream, damselfish, grouper, lionfish and wrasse.

Location:Pegia, Pafos
GPS Coordinates:34° 54.171’N 0 32° 18.543E
Type of Site:Rocky and Sandy Bottom
Depth:12 – 35 metres
Visibility:20+ metres
Access:By boat
Qualification Required:Open Water
Dive Category:Recreational Diving