Northern Cyprus divides neatly between Kyrenia and the Karpaz Peninsula, together offering a varied roster of walls, wrecks, canyons, caves and open reefs. Wrecks such as the Karpaz Wreck, Fred Wreck and Plane Wreck attract Silverside, Scorpionfish and Groupers, while deeper walls like The Wall and Paradise suit advanced divers seeking drop-offs that push well beyond sport depth. Shore entries at Bambi and Extra Virgin open the region to beginners and independents alike. The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is the signature encounter, observed consistently across sites. Water reaches its warmest from late summer into autumn, when visibility is typically at its best.
2 areas
Monthly water temperature across Northern Cyprus's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Water temperature climbs steadily from spring, peaking in late summer and early autumn before easing back through November and December. The warmest months bring the most favourable conditions for deeper dives on walls and drop-offs. Winter and early spring remain diveable but cooler, suiting hardier divers targeting the region's caves and shallower reefs.
16 operators
Water temperature around Northern Cyprus ranges from about 17°C in February to 25°C in October, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
In the warm season (about 25°C) a 3mm full suit is comfortable in Northern Cyprus; in the coldest months (about 17°C) step up to a 7mm or semi-dry suit.
Fin maps 16 sites in Northern Cyprus (16 scuba diving sites and 1 snorkelling spots, with some suited to both), organised into 2 areas.
Across Northern Cyprus's dive sites, May, June, July, August, September and October are most often reported as the best months to visit.
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is the standout encounter, observed across the majority of sites in the region. Scorpionfish, Cardinalfish, Silverside and Sea Slug are recorded consistently at nearly every site. Less frequent but observed encounters include Barracuda, Eagle Ray, Seahorse, European Common Cuttlefish and, occasionally, Whale Shark.
A handful of sites cater specifically to beginners, including Bambi and Lighthouse, both offering relatively shallow, accessible conditions. The majority of the site roster is pitched at intermediate level, with advanced-only sites such as The Wall and Paradise reserved for experienced divers comfortable with significant depth and demanding buoyancy control. New divers are well served by the shallower shore-entry options.
Kyrenia holds the larger concentration of sites and includes several wreck dives alongside reef and cave options. The Karpaz Peninsula offers a smaller selection of sites with its own distinct character, including the Karpaz Wreck. Both areas are served by local operators, giving divers a good spread of environments across the region.
Several sites are accessible directly from shore, including Bambi and Extra Virgin, making independent diving straightforward at those locations. Many of the more varied or deeper sites, such as The Wall, Zephiros and Plane Wreck, require a boat. Some sites offer both entry options, including Great Canyon and Paradise. Operators such as North Cyprus Scuba Centre, Öz Marine and Dive Marine Shop organise boat trips across the main sites.
