FARSAS II - Paphos & Coral Bay
The FARSAS II is a favourite of ours in the Paphos area, a really atmospheric dive. She went down back in '81, capsizing right outside the harbour. You'll find her sitting upright at 21 metres, though she’s fairly broken up in places. We always head for the bow first; there's a real sense of her history there, with the anchor chains still visible. What makes FARSAS II special is the way the wreck has become part of the reef. We’ve seen octopuses tucked into crevices, moray eels peering from pipes, and schools of damselfish flitting through the superstructure. The visibility here is often superb, so you can appreciate the scale of the wreck from a distance before getting up close. Our advice? Go early if you can. You’ll have the wreck largely to yourself, and the morning light filtering down onto the deck is something else. It's a proper wreck dive, perfect for those who like to take their time exploring, imagining the final moments of a vessel. Just remember, it’s a dangerous wreck, so penetration isn't really an option.
- Location
- Paphos & Coral Bay, Cyprus, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 34.653750, 33.040867
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 21m
Marine Protected Area: MPA Dasoudi
Best Time to Dive in Paphos & Coral Bay
The warmest water temperatures in Paphos & Coral Bay occur in January, averaging 18.1°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 18.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 18.1°C (air: 13.4°C)
- February: 18.1°C (air: 13.2°C)
- March: 18.1°C (air: 14.6°C)
- April: 18.1°C (air: 18.4°C)
- May: 18.1°C (air: 21.9°C)
- June: 18.1°C (air: 25.4°C)
- July: 18.1°C (air: 28.8°C)
- August: 18.1°C (air: 28.3°C)
- September: 18.1°C (air: 26.5°C)
- October: 18.1°C (air: 23.0°C)
- November: 18.1°C (air: 18.7°C)
- December: 18.1°C (air: 15.2°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Paphos & Coral Bay
- ACCELO - 2m (wreck)
- ACHAIOS (POSSIBLY) - 3m (wreck)
- ACHILLEAS - 12m (wreck)
- ADHAM II - 6m (wreck)
- Agios Georgios Pegeia Beach - 12m
- Amphitheatre - 5-18m
- Amphitheatre (reef)
- Church Bay (reef)
- CyDive (reef)
- DIMITRIOS II - 3m (wreck)
- EDRO III - 0m (wreck)
- GREAT HARMONY - 7m (wreck)
- GYPTIS - 6m (wreck)
- KIBRIS I - 14m (wreck)
- Laboe (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to FARSAS II
- ABC Dive Ltd - ["PADI"]
- Abyss Dive Centre - ["PADI"]
- Amphibious Diving Center
- Amphora Scuba Diving Center - ["PADI"]
- Coral Bay Divers - ["PADI"]
- CREST DIVE LTD - PADI, RYA
Marine Life in Paphos & Coral Bay
Home to 44 recorded species including 26 reef fish, 9 sharks & rays, 3 other, 2 whales & dolphins, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs, 1 soft corals.
Notable Species
- Thornback skate (Raja clavata) - Sharks & Rays
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- marbled electric ray (Torpedo marmorata) - Sharks & Rays
- Brown Skate (Raja miraletus) - Sharks & Rays
- One-finned Shark (Heptranchias perlo) - Sharks & Rays
- dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
- Savigny's Brittle Star (Ophiactis savignyi)
- Blackmouth catshark (Galeus melastomus) - Sharks & Rays
- Gulper shark (Centrophorus granulosus) - Sharks & Rays
- Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) - Reef Fish
- Velvet belly lantern shark (Etmopterus spinax) - Sharks & Rays
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Silver-cheeked Toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) - Reef Fish
- Garrupa (Serranus cabrilla) - Reef Fish
- Blue-white Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) - Whales & Dolphins
- Redcoat (Sargocentron rubrum) - Reef Fish
- Three-tooth Cavoline (Cavolinia tridentata) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Jenny Lind (Seriola dumerili) - Reef Fish
- Pandora (Pagellus erythrinus) - Reef Fish
- red mullet (Mullus surmuletus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for FARSAS II
Based on average water temperature of 18.1°C.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 18°C water
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories