If you dive, or have ever wanted to try, Kaş is the place on this coast to do it. Certified divers should book a two-tank boat day to take in a wall, the sunken plane and a reef. Complete beginners should do a Discover Scuba try-dive first — a supervised shallow dive, no licence needed — and only commit to the full Open Water course if you're hooked. Go between June and September for the warmest, clearest water, book through one of the established harbour schools, and confirm exactly what's included before you pay.
What to be realistic about: this is Mediterranean diving, not the Red Sea — the fish life is good but you won't see reef sharks and turtles on every dive; the appeal is the dramatic topography, the clarity, the plane and the amphorae. And deeper dives can be cold below the thermocline even in August, so listen to the school on exposure protection.
Why Kaş is Turkey's top dive town
Plenty of Turkish resorts offer "diving", but Kaş is where serious divers actually base themselves, and the reasons are geological as much as anything. The coast here drops away steeply within metres of the shore, so the boat doesn't have to travel far before you're over walls, canyons and pinnacles that fall into deep blue. The water is clear — visibility is often 20–30 metres in season — and there's real variety packed into a small area: gentle shallow bays for training, dramatic walls for experienced divers, and standout features like the sunken plane and the amphora fields in between.
On top of the diving itself, Kaş is simply a lovely town to be in — a compact, boho harbour ringed with cafés and Lycian rock tombs, easy to walk, with the dive schools clustered right by the water. You can dive in the morning and be eating at a harbour table by lunch. For the town beyond the diving, see our things to do in Kaş guide and the main Kaş page.
The dive sites
The exact roster a school runs on any given day depends on the wind, the conditions and your certification level — but across a couple of days most divers see a mix of the following. (The schools choose and brief the specific sites; this is the flavour of what's down there.)
The sunken plane
A small aircraft was deliberately scuttled offshore as an artificial reef, and it's become Kaş's signature dive — sitting upright on the seabed, easy to swim around and through, and gradually colonising with marine life. Atmospheric and very photogenic, and accessible to divers who aren't deep specialists.
Walls & canyons
This is what Kaş does best: reef walls and narrow canyons where the rock plunges away beneath you into deep blue water. Drifting along a wall with the bottom out of sight below is the classic Kaş experience, and it's why the town draws divers who've outgrown flat, sandy resort sites.
Amphorae & ancient remains
This was a Lycian and Roman shipping coast, and some sites are scattered with ancient amphorae — clay storage jars from long-sunk cargoes. Combined with the nearby Kekova sunken city, it makes diving here feel like swimming through history. These are protected: you look, you photograph, you take nothing.
Beyond these headline acts there are pinnacles thick with fish, a small wreck or two, and a few caverns and swim-throughs for suitably qualified divers — easily enough variety to fill several days without repeating yourself.
Beginners, courses and try-dives
You do not need a licence to start diving in Kaş, and the town is a genuinely good place to learn. The options:
| Option | Who it's for | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|
| Discover Scuba (try-dive) | Never dived; want a taste | ~€50–80 |
| PADI Open Water course | Want to certify (3–4 days) | ~€350–450 |
| Two-tank fun-dive day | Already certified | ~€60–90 |
| Advanced / specialty courses | Going deeper, wrecks, nitrox | varies |
A Discover Scuba Diving session is the gentle way in: a short briefing and skills practice in shallow water, then a supervised dive to modest depth with an instructor beside you, no certification required. If you love it, the PADI Open Water course over three to four days gives you a qualification you can dive on anywhere in the world. Already certified? Just book fun dives and show your card and logbook. Prices above are approximate — Turkey's inflation and the exchange rate move them — and most full-day trips bundle equipment, boat, guide and lunch.
Water temperature and when to dive
The Kaş dive season runs roughly May to October. Surface water warms from around 18–19°C in spring to a balmy 25–26°C in August and September, then cools gently through October. A 5 mm wetsuit handles most of the season comfortably; in the warmest weeks plenty of divers drop to a 3 mm shorty.
One honest caveat: on deeper dives the water below the thermocline can be markedly colder than the warm surface, even in high summer — so don't be surprised if the school recommends a thicker suit or a hood for a deep wall dive. For the broader picture of when the coast is at its best, see our best time to visit Lycia guide; the warmest sea overall lines up with late summer into early autumn.
Don't dive? Snorkelling and the boat day
You don't have to scuba to enjoy Kaş's water. The bays around the harbour and on day-boat trips have rocky shores that fall into clear, fish-filled water, and a mask and snorkel get you plenty. Some boat trips toward Kekova pass shallow ancient remains visible from the surface. It's also the perfect low-commitment option for non-divers in a group — everyone shares the boat day, some go below, some snorkel and swim off the back.
The one firm rule: at the Kekova sunken city, swimming over the protected ruins is restricted, so you admire those from the boat or by kayak rather than snorkelling directly above them. For a relaxed alternative to a hard dive day, a Kaş or Kekova boat trip is a brilliant way to see this coast — see Kekova for the sunken-city options.
Getting to Kaş and basing yourself
Kaş sits about 2.5 hours from Dalaman airport and around 3 hours from Antalya — for which to fly into, see our Dalaman vs Antalya comparison. It makes an excellent base in its own right: small enough to walk, with the dive schools, harbour restaurants and Lycian tombs all close together, and Kaputaş beach and Kekova within easy reach. To weigh it against the other coastal towns, our Fethiye vs Kaş vs Kalkan guide lays out who each suits. For getting there, see transfers.
Plan your trip
Or read: Kaş guide · Things to do in Kaş · Kekova · Transfers
Frequently asked
Why is Kaş considered Turkey's best dive town?
The seabed drops steeply just offshore into walls, canyons and pinnacles, so you get dramatic diving a few minutes from the harbour. The water is clear (often 20–30 m visibility), there's real variety — reefs, a sunken plane, amphora fields — and a cluster of long-established PADI schools in an easy harbour town.
Can beginners dive, or do I need a licence?
Beginners are welcome and no licence is needed to start. Try a Discover Scuba session — a supervised shallow dive with an instructor — or take the full PADI Open Water course over 3–4 days to certify. Certified divers just book fun dives. The sites range from gentle bays to deep walls.
What are the best dive sites?
The deliberately sunk aircraft (an artificial reef, sitting upright), the wall and canyon dives, and the amphora/pottery sites scattered with ancient jars. There are also pinnacles, a small wreck or two and some caverns. Which sites you dive depends on conditions and your level.
How warm is the water?
The season runs roughly May–October. Surface temperature climbs from about 18–19°C in spring to 25–26°C in August–September, then eases through October. A 5 mm wetsuit covers most of the season; a 3 mm shorty suits the warmest weeks. Deeper dives can be colder below the thermocline.
How much does diving in Kaş cost?
Approximate ballparks (Turkey's inflation moves them): a two-tank fun-dive day with kit ~€60–90; a try-dive ~€50–80; a full PADI Open Water course ~€350–450. Most full-day trips include equipment, boat, guide and lunch — always confirm what's bundled and the group size.
I don't dive — is snorkelling worth it?
Yes. Bays around the harbour and on boat trips drop into clear, fish-filled water, and some Kekova trips pass shallow ancient remains visible from the surface. It's a great low-commitment option for non-divers in a group — but you can't snorkel directly over the protected Kekova sunken-city ruins.