Most four- and five-star hotels have some sort of in-house dive school, but Pafos harbour is still home to a few independent scuba operators, In theory, there are up to fifty dive sites, near and far, from which to choose, Many are classed as morn- ing-only dives, since much of the year prevailing winds from the southwest pick up after noon and make conditions unpleasant, if not downright nauseating; ensure that any boat you're boarding is of sufficient size, ideally with a stabilizer or prominent keel, Obviously dive sites are jealously preserved trade secrets, with preferred ones changing from season to season in accordance with storm damage, oversubscription from competing outfits, or divemaster boredom, Following is a selection of some of the more common destinations, likely to continue in use, Shore dives, with transfer to the site by transit van (or even on foot from Pafos waterfront), include the Roman Wall in the harbour itself, the usual beginners' train- ing site at under 6m depth. Cynthiana, near the eponymous hotel, is another novice favourite (10m); Moray Cove, north of Coral Bay, is especially good as a night dive (15m depth); while The Maze, near "White River" beach, is a labyrinth of gullies at 11 m maximum. Boat dives include the so-called Valley of the Caves (9-15m), though this is rather underwhelming as the grottoes barely rate as overhangs; Janchor Reef, a popular morning dive with an old anchor and (often) groupers seen near the 27m bottom; Mismaloyia, a "reef" (gentle drop, no real wall) at 26-32m for the moderately experienced, where amberjack and (with luck) loggerhead turtles can be glimpsed; and Manijin, a classic multilevel site (6-22m) with a drop-off, caves (one covered in pink-and-purple algae) and an archway. The sea must be calm for this last one, as a 40-minute boat transfer each way is involved.
Of the two local wreck dives touted, the Vera K, some 25min east-southeast of the harbour, is a feasible afternoon dive at 10-11 m and more exciting than the Achilleas at the same depth west-southwest of the port; be advised that both ships are well broken-up and can't compare to the Zenobia near Larnaca. Another potential wreck dive in the offing is the Dhimitrios, a lumber freighter which ran aground off Khlorakas during a violent storm in March 1998. It is in imminent danger of breaking up and spilling oil along this coast; local dive schools are trying to get permission to work it free, pump it out and scuttle it properly as an underwater attraction.
