Kos, Dodecanese, Greece

Paradise Reef

Paradise Reef sits off Kemer Beach on the southern coast of Kos in the Dodecanese, accessible by short boat ride. The site is famous for the streams of warm volcanic gas bubbles that vent through cracks in the seabed at around 5 to 10 metres, a reminder that the southern Dodecanese sits on the active Hellenic volcanic arc. The reef itself is a stepped rocky structure that descends from a shallow shelf at 4 metres to a sandy interface at approximately 22 metres, with cracks, small overhangs and short swim-throughs along the way. Marine life is varied: dusky grouper, Mediterranean moray, common octopus, two-banded sea bream, painted comber, ornate wrasse, scorpionfish and damselfish are all routinely seen. The bubbling vents create photogenic foreground for wide-angle photography and locally warm patches of substrate that draw small reef fish. Currents are usually weak in the lee of the bay, making the dive accessible to beginners just past open-water level under guide supervision.