Beginner Greece
Zakynthos
Limestone caves and the Mediterranean's most important loggerhead turtle nesting beaches
In the southern bay of this Ionian island, the largest concentration of loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean nests every summer. The national park protecting them was among the first in the country, and diving here means doing so under rules that exist for a specific reason.
In this profile you'll find what Zakynthos diving offers (limestone caves, clear water and a bit of wreck) how the marine park works and what restrictions it imposes, when to go, and what to realistically expect from Ionian wildlife.
This is the Greek destination where conservation isn't an add-on but the very structure of what can and can't be done, and a good example of a marine park built around a single species.
Geography and access
Zakynthos is an island in the Ionian Sea, in western Greece, with a west coast of sheer limestone cliffs and a gentler south and east coast with sandy bays.
The limestone continues underwater, forming caves, arches and cracks, especially along the west coast and the nearby islets. This is fundamentally geological, light-driven diving.
The national marine park sits in the southern bay, created around the loggerhead turtle's nesting beaches. It's the most regulated area of the island, with restrictions on navigation, speed, anchoring and access to certain beaches and stretches of water.
The Ionian is an oligotrophic, very transparent sea, with visibility frequently exceeding thirty meters. The trade-off is a modest biomass, typical of the Mediterranean.
Access is by direct flight from numerous European cities in season, or by ferry from the mainland. Internal transfers are short.
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