Beautiful diving in Sicily? Santorini? South of France? Which do you prefer and why?

[angel in the sky]

I'm looking for a client that is traveling and they want to have some great diving.... Looking where I should send them!

He is looking at either of these destinations as he has been to Spain and Croatia many many times!

Any suggestions?

 

[Air One]

Don't know Sicily, never dived at Santorini ( beautifull sceneries on surface)
In the south of France the best places are located between Marseille and Nice.
Marseille is a very good place when it's not windy...it's very often windy.
Near Toulon : la presqu'île de Giens, fantastic deep wreck diving and also very good shallower dives near the islands.
Cavalaire : very good deep dives and wrecks also ( including " le Rubis")
Good dives in the St Tropez gulf to Cannes.

There is a french island in the Med : Corsica where he would find very good places also, the sceneries are beautifull also .

 

[AnneSat]

Hello,

Sicily and Santorini have higher temperatures than the south of France.

I would recomend Sicily and Santorini because of this reason and of the fact that they both have volcanos and the UW life near a volcano is interesting.

Althouh I must say I have never dived in the South of France, so I might be missing something...

 

[angel in the sky]

Thanks!
I have been doing some research and it seems that Santorini would not have much for diving although out of the water its a stellar spot to travel to! Sicily has beautiful diving and the best would be south of France - Hyeres islands, Calanques of Marseilles..... If anyone has any additional information on any of this... please let me know!

Thanks again
I think I should make a trip out and do some diving in the meditarranean!

 

[annlaur]

Hi

I dove in the Marseille calanques, namely in Niolon, but that was with a French type of YMCA, so not an option for your client. If you google "Club de plongee Marseille", you'll find many options, both on the continent (there's even one in the old port) and on the close-by Frioul island.
Everyone on the French dive forum (plongeur.com) recommands this club :
Plongée Passion Carry-le-Rouet Marseille
It's located West of Marseille itself and I've never been there myself, but I will definitely check it out as soon as I have a bit of time and money.

I also dove the Hyères islands (Port Cros and Porquerolles) with these guys two or three years ago, they were great and are supposedly the best in the area according to plongeur.com :
Aqualonde Plongée - Bienvenue sur le site d'Aqualonde Plongée
I don't know if they accept Padi divers, so you should drop them a mail.

Only downside is that they're located in a small town, so not much to visit or do besides diving, laying on the beach or going out to cafés and restaurants, if he doesn't have a car.

Now, if he does rent a car and is also interested in visiting the French riviera, here's an option : in a week he could very easily dive Marseille, Hyères, Cavalaire and Nice.

Heard good things about Cavalaire but don't have any info.

Spent a week-end diving in Nice, beautiful town, saw many groupers and squids, I personnally didn't like the dive op I used (Nautile), but there are at least two others right on the old port, a very convenient location.

Hope that helps, let me know if you need more info.