Çeşme is home to around 20 dive sites, offering routes suitable for both beginners and experienced divers.
nown for its beaches and coves, the Aegean resort town of Çeşme is now seeking to attract visitors with its underwater treasures and expand its profile as a diving tourism destination.
The district, one of Türkiye’s best-known holiday resorts, is home to around 20 dive sites, particularly around Donkey Island (Eşek Island), offering routes suitable for both beginners and experienced divers.
Among the area’s highlights is the 75-meter-long Monem cargo ship, which sank during a storm in 2004. Resting on a sandy seabed at a depth of around 18 meters, the wreck has gradually become an artificial reef, providing a habitat for a wide variety of marine life.
The thriving ecosystem around the wreck offers divers excellent visibility alongside colorful underwater scenery, making it one of the region’s most attractive dive sites.
For first-time divers, introductory dives are organized around Makri Island, while experienced divers are drawn to the cave site known as the “Bedroom.” The cave, entered at a depth of around 8 meters, features a natural opening in the ceiling through which sunlight filters, creating striking underwater light effects that are especially popular with underwater photographers.
Erdinç Ergün, an official at the Derin Doğa Diving Center in Çeşme, said the district remains underrecognized internationally despite its easy accessibility, clear waters and diverse dive sites.
“When people think of diving in Türkiye, they usually think of the southern coast. Çeşme is still not widely known as a diving destination,” Ergün said.
“The sea temperature is currently around 23 degrees Celsius, access is very easy thanks to the motorway and we have nearly 20 dive sites. Through international tourism fairs and partnerships with travel agencies, Çeşme should be promoted as a dedicated diving destination,” he added.
Ergün described the Monem wreck as one of Türkiye’s most impressive shipwreck dives, noting that its transformation into an artificial reef has created a rich marine habitat. He also highlighted the “Bedroom” cave as a unique location for underwater photography because of its dramatic natural lighting.
Öznur Yazılan Çamlık, a doctoral student in marine biology at Manisa Celal Bayar University, said Çeşme’s waters support a rich ecosystem due to their high quality and oxygen levels.
“The area hosts macroalgae species, commonly known as seaweed, which indicate good water quality and sustainability while supporting biodiversity,” she said.
“Çeşme has a very rich ecosystem in terms of ecology and biodiversity. Tourists are eager to see colorful fish and invertebrates, and high biodiversity directly translates into strong tourism potential. The area offers enjoyable and rewarding diving experiences.”
Professional diver and internal medicine specialist Doctor Canan Sabay said the district’s caves and the Monem wreck make Çeşme an exciting destination for anyone wishing to explore the underwater world.
Sixteen-year-old underwater photographer Doğa Ergün added that the “Bedroom” dive site, with its two caves, offers exceptional opportunities for underwater photography.
