Rhodes, Dodecanese, Greece

Ladiko Bay

Ladiko Bay sits just north of Anthony Quinn Bay on the east coast of Rhodes and is one of the most-used shore-diving sites on the island. A small sandy beach gives easy walk-in access to a shallow sand-and-rock bottom that descends gently to a maximum depth of around 18 metres at the mouth of the bay. The site is sheltered from the prevailing meltemi by the two encircling headlands, currents are minimal, and the calm geometry plus shallow profile make Ladiko an obvious choice for open-water training, refresher dives and macro photography. Despite the modest depths, marine life is varied: common octopus, two-banded sea bream, Mediterranean moray, scorpionfish, ornate wrasse, painted comber, damselfish and small schools of salema are regularly seen, along with the occasional juvenile dusky grouper tucked into rock crevices. Patches of Posidonia seagrass support pipefish, sea hares and small flatfish. Visibility ranges from 12 to 20 metres depending on swell and recent weather.