Cydive

Cydive stands as the oldest diving establishment in Cyprus, having been operating for over 40 years. Located near Paphos Harbour, the centre has grown from a family business founded in 1978 into a highly accredited PADI 5 Star IDC centre and ISO-certified facility.

The centre serves as a central hub for diving in the region, offering everything from introductory programmes for children to advanced technical training. With a focus on high safety standards and professional instruction, it has become a cornerstone of the local diving community.

The team at Cydive is composed of international professionals trained to deliver 5-star service. They are a multilingual group, capable of conducting dives and training in English, French, Polish, Greek, and Russian, ensuring clear communication for a diverse range of divers.

As an IDC centre, the staff includes highly qualified instructors capable of teaching the full spectrum of PADI courses. The centre also maintains a strong commitment to safety and education, providing a dedicated on-site pool to support training and skill development.

The training programme is extensive, covering all levels of the PADI system. Beginners can start with Discover Scuba Diving or the Open Water Diver course, while those looking to progress can undertake the Advanced Open Water Diver or the PADI Rescue Course.

For those interested in specialised skills, Cydive offers several PADI specialty courses, including Wreck Diver, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Underwater Photography, and Search and Recovery. They also provide the PADI Zenobia Diver Distinctive Specialty for those wanting to master the local wreck.

Professional divers can utilise the centre's IDC accreditation to pursue instructor training. The centre also offers eLearning options for various courses, including the PADI Scuba Diver to Open Water Upgrade and the PADI Rescue & EFR eLearning course.

The centre operates the Cydive II, which is used for various excursions across the Paphos and Limassol regions. The vessel facilitates day trips to major sites, including the wreck of the Zenobia and the Limassol wrecks.

On board, divers can enjoy refreshments, fresh fruit, snacks, coffee, and tea. For longer excursions, the centre provides a BBQ service, making it a comfortable platform for full-day trips to more distant dive sites.

Cydive provides a full range of rental kit for divers who do not wish to travel with their own equipment. This includes everything required for a complete dive, from regulators to wetsuits.

The centre's shore-based facilities are designed to support both training and recreational diving, including an on-site pool that serves as a multifunctional teaching area for students working through their courses.

The local waters are home to a wide variety of Mediterranean species. You will frequently encounter large schools of fish, including sea bream (Sparidae), damselfish (Pomacentridae), and various wrasse species. Larger predators such as barracudas, amberjack (Seriola), and Mediterranean moray eel (Muraenidae) are also part of the ecosystem.

Macro life and smaller inhabitants are abundant throughout the reefs. Divers can find common octopus (Octopus vulgaris), cuttlefish (Sepiidae), trumpetfish (Aulostomidae), and various nudibranchs, including Chromodoris willani. Slipper lobsters and different species of rays are also known to inhabit the sandy patches.

For those looking for larger pelagics or charismatic species, the area offers sightings of Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) and Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). You may also encounter groupers (Epinephelus), including marbled groupers, and various species of triggerfish (Balistidae).

The region offers a variety of dive environments, from shallow reef flats to deeper wreck sites and underwater canyons. Divers should be prepared for different topographies, including swim-throughs, arches, and caves, particularly at sites like Geronisos Island or the Amphorae Caves.

While many sites are accessible via boat, some locations like Church Bay and Cynthiana allow for easy shore entries. Night diving is also a supported activity through the centre.