Rhodes is a little (1404 sq. km) long (77km) and narrow (37 km) Greek island on the south- east Aegean sea. In the past the island has been occupied by Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Bysandines, Arabs, St. John Knights, Turks, Italians and finally Greeks.
The depths on the west coast of the island are and almost untouched, they are also rich in wrecks (beginning from -8m) from every age, the bottom is rocky and wild and full of life.
Unfortunately on this side of the island the weather is windy 360 days a year witch makes it rather difficult to dive from the beach.
The one and only wreck on the east coast of Rhodes is an Italian military carrier aeroplane from the early 30s, that lies150 m from the beach just outside Kalithea (5 minutes drive from Rhodes town). The bottom on Kalithea (the favourite place of scuba diving guided tours of the island) is rocky and in some places it looks like an underwater stoned village. Kalithea used to be a famous semester resort for the Italian middle-war over class.
Little further on the same road just five minutes walk from the cosmopolitan Faliraki bech stands Ladiko bay and the Anthony Queen rock bought by the grate actor when he was on the island during the production of Navarone movie in 1954. The water in Ladiko is clear and has a visibility up to 30 meters even in summer, the stony bottom is full of life, unfortunately this little bay is a popular destination for ????daily trip boats“ which makes scuba and snorkel diving dangerous.
A contrast to the little bay of Ladiko is the next location, Afandou bay is the longest beach of the island, it is also the less exploited, or maybe on the other hand is the big hotel buildings that seemed to be not so big compared to the greatness of the landscape. Under the surface a smooth sandy bottom even in groundwater is full of shells (Chaeronia sequenze) and not rarely (especially in winter) small schools of dolphins (Delphinus delphinus ) lonely sharks (Isurus oxyrinchus) and other open sea predators pay a visit here to spread the fear among the schools of small fishes in the bay.
Lindos used to be a quiet poor fishing village until the late 60s Jet set made it a trend. The white houses of Lindos are climbing lazily on the enormous rocks that surround the village and no cars are allowed in the narrow streets. From the sea Lindos is surrounded by a handful of small rocky uninhabited islands (Tetrapolis). The pureness and primitiveness of the underwater landscape around these islands takes your breath away.
The east coast of the island of Rhodes has a grate variation of underwater landscapes, the sea bottom changes all the time from sand to stone, one can dive from a crowded sandy beach to find oneself among rocks, caves and forests of Poseidoneia. Many tropical fishes came the late years from the Read Sea through Suez to make this island their home.
Rhodes is a known charter destination, during summer fly direct there from every major city in Europe. Combine Rhodes with Simi And Panormitis islands (1 hour by boat from Rhodes town), Halki island (30 minutes by boat from Kamiros Skala) and Marmaris on the Turkish mainland (1 hour by boat from Mandraki in Rhodes town).
Before you dive inform the Coastal guard office Rhodes +30-241-28888 & 22220 or Coastal guard Lindos +30-241-31201.
Sea water temperatures
January 17-20 c
February 16-18 c
Mars 16-18 c
April 17-19 c
May 18-22 c
June 22-26 c
July 26-32 c
August 26-34 c
September 24-34 c
October 23-30 c
November 20-25 c
December 18-22 c
