The beaches of Karpathos island offer several great dive and snorkel spots, so let’s see where you can find the best places to admire the vibrant marine life.
Crystal clear waters, interesting marine life and some underwater sea caves are waiting for travelers in Karpathos island, Greece. Around Karpathos there are many diving sites, where you can admire the marine life on your own or with a support of an official diving team.

The visibility of the sea is great in the waters of Karpathos, the exceptional clarity of the Aegean Sea makes Karpathos one of the best diving and snorkeling spots in Greece. The diving sites around the coasts of Karpathos island offer almost untouched diving conditions with many varieties of fishes. The best times to visit the diving sites of the island are from end of May to late September.

Karpathos diving center
Karpathos Diving Center operates in Pigadia (Karpathos town), next to the outer port of the capital. The center start its operation in 2007, and after a change of ownersip in 2011 the services were improved. The diving center of Karpathos offer for its clients scuba diving lessons and yacht-based diving tours. The instructors of the diving center have PADI qualifications and the equipments which can be rented are in good conditions.

The team of Karpathos diving center can lead you even to sea caves of Karpathos, or to the best diving sites of Saria island. The staff of Karpathos diving offer divings for small groups up to 4-5 persons, so if you arrive to Karpathos with your friends, you can dive together.
Karpathos diving center services:
- Guided diving
- Diving equipment rental
- Diving lessons and training
- Filling diving tanks
- Diving shop
- Karpathos diving center
- Website: divingkarpathos.gr
- Pigadia (harbour), Karpathos 857 00, Greece
- Coordinates on map: 35.508467, 27.210876
Snorkel in Karpathos
Snorkeling in the shallow sea is very a popular activity in the beaches of Karpathos. If you want to snorkel, it does not require special training or unique diving skills, just the ability to swim and be able to breathe through a snorkel mask. In the waters of Karpathos island you can see many small fishes, squids (kalamari), small octoptuses, and many other interesting marine animals.

It’s important, that some of the best beaches for snorkel has rocky seabed, where water shoes may needed. If you would you like to snorkel in abandoned and secluded places, which is not so visited, always wear water shoes and protect your feet against sea urchins!
The best places for snorkel in Karpathos island
There are a lot of snorkeling spots in Karpathos, which are known as the best beaches of the island, and also there are some hidden gems which has usually just a few visitors. One of the best news for many travellers, that the famous Apella beach, the beautiful Achata beach or the picturesque beaches of Amoopi are great for snorkeling, and these beaches can be accessed easy.

For the best snorkel experiences there are two things, which are important: the sea surface must be calm, and for the best underwater lights and sight distance the sun must be shine. When the sun is covered by clouds, the line of sights decreases.
Some of the best snorkel sites in Karpathos island
- Apella beach
- Achata beach
- Agios Theodoros beach
- Agios Nikolaos beach of Spoa
- Votsalakia beach
- Kastelia beach
- Kastelia bay (Maounas beach)
- Kyra Panagia beach
- Kato Lakkos beach
- The north beaches (Agios Minas beach, Nati beach, Agnotia beach)
- The beaches of Saria island

Dangerous animals in the sea around Karpathos island
Some people ask, what are the dangerous marine animals, fishes in the Aegean Sea around Karpathos island? Good news that dangerous animals in the waters of Karpathos are not typical.
- The most common dangerous animals are sea urchins, which can be seen sometimes on the rocks. On the most beaches in Karpathos sea urchins live on underwater rocks which are further away from the popular parts of the beaches. While you visit shallow rocky beaches, or beaches which are totally secluded, water shoes may be useful.
- In recent years jellyfishes sometimes showed up near the coasts of some beaches, but this phenomenon is quite rare and jellyfishes are not typical in Karpathos. If you see a jellyfish, swim away, or if these creatures appear in large numbers, go ashore. The stink of a jellyfish can be unpleasant, dont play with them.
- The latest animals which can be dangerous in the Aegean Sea are lionfishes. Due to global warming as the sea temperatures getting higher, lionfishes can appear in the seas of Greece. If you see while do dive or snorkel in Karpathos, swim away and don’t touch these creatures, because the spikes of these fishes are highly toxic.
