Ombros Gialos Diving Park, Apokoronas — Greece's First Authorized Underwater Marine Park near Almyrida, Crete

Ombros Gialos Diving Park in Apokoronas, near Almyrida — Greece's first officially authorized underwater marine park in Crete, now home to two wrecks (R/K Nestor and HMS Folegandros, scuttled 10 June 2026) and 37 artificial reefs.

Category: Dive Sites

Date: April 6, 2025

Read time: 12 min read

Dive Sites

April 6, 2025

12 min read

Ombros Gialos Diving Park in Apokoronas near Almyrida — Crete's new underwater marine park

What Is the Diving Park in Apokoronas?

Explore the Beauty of Apokoronas, Almyrida, and Chania

Scuba Diving in Crete, Chania and Almyrida

A Decade in the Making

Meet the Tugboat Nestor

What Is a Tugboat?

What You'll Find Underwater

Why Scuttle a Ship?

Artificial Reefs & Environmental Impact

Why the Underwater Park Matters

Why it's Great News for Divers in Almyrida and Chania

Dive Into Adventure with Kefi Divers

Visitor Tips: Plan Your Dive

✅ Update — Second wreck now in place

The Ombros Gialos Diving Park (also known as the Apokoronas Diving Park) now has its second wreck. The Hellenic Navy landing craft HMS Folegandros was scuttled here on Wednesday 10 June 2026 — joining the R/K Nestor tugboat sunk in April 2025. The park is expected to open to recreational divers toward the end of the tourist season (around October–November 2026) and operate year-round, with continuous camera and physical surveillance of the site.

🌊 Reef Field

37 artificial reef structures were placed on the seabed in October 2024, engineered with the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research as part of Greece's first officially authorized underwater marine park, here at Ombros Gialos near Almyrida.

Tugboat Nestor in Apokoronas diving marine park

Diving park in Apokoronas - Nestor wreck side view

Diving park - Nestor cabin exploration

Diver exploring the Tugboat Nestor wreck

Tugboat Nestor structure details

Artificial reef structures in Ombros Gialos

Artificial reef structures placed on the seabed at Ombros Gialos

Ombros Gialos bay - Crete's newest dive site

Ombros Gialos – The stunning coastal bay that's now home to Crete's newest dive site!

Diver inspecting artificial reef at the diving park

A diver inspects one of the artificial reef structures at the Apokoronas Diving Park

Artificial reef structure on the sandy seabed at Ombros Gialos

Underwater view of artificial reefs in Ombros Gialos, enhancing marine life habitats.

The Tugboat Nestor on the ocean floor with diver

The historic Tugboat Nestor on the ocean floor, photographed April 6, 2025.

Tugboat R/K Nestor

The ship was donated to the municipality of Apokoronas.

Max Depth:

15.5m

Min Depth:

Length:

23.5m

Width:

Looking for the new diving park in Crete? The Ombros Gialos Diving Park — also called the Apokoronas Diving Park — sits in a sheltered bay near Almyrida, just 20 km east of Chania, and is Greece's first officially authorized underwater marine park.

As a PADI dive centre based right here in Almyrida, Kefi Divers is minutes from this brand-new underwater park near Almyrida — a 60-hectare protected zone built around the R/K Nestor tugboat wreck, 37 artificial reef habitats, and the newly scuttled Hellenic Navy landing craft HMS Folegandros (sunk 10 June 2026).

Located at Ombros Gialos — sometimes spelled Omprogialos, Ompros Gialos or Ombrogialos — the Apokoronas Diving Park is a protected marine area of roughly 60 hectares (600,000 m²) on the Apokoronas coast of Crete. It's the first underwater park in Greece to receive full ministerial authorization.

Whether you're searching for a new diving park in Crete, a fresh wreck dive near Chania, or a scuba diving day from Almyrida — this is the site everyone is talking about.

Local Attractions Around the Diving Park

Apokoronas, on the northwestern coast of Crete, is a beautiful region filled with charming villages, rich history, and stunning landscapes. After your dive, take a relaxing stroll around Almyrida — known for its cozy tavernas, cafes, and sandy beach.

A short drive takes you to Chania, one of Crete's most historically rich cities. The Venetian Harbor is a must-see, and you can visit the Archaeological Museum or explore the Ancient Aptera ruins.

Day Trip Ideas

For nature lovers, the Samaria Gorge (UNESCO World Heritage Site) offers a challenging but rewarding hike. Or simply enjoy the serenity of the surrounding olive groves — a signature of Cretan rural life.

Accessibility from Popular Locations

From Almyrida, the diving park is just a short drive away. Chania is only 20 km away, and from Heraklion it's approximately a 2-hour drive — easy for a day trip.

Local Dive Shops and Facilities

Kefi Divers is based minutes from the new diving park and our experienced instructors are ready to guide you through it once it officially opens.

We offer a range of diving courses from beginner to advanced, and can help you explore other nearby dive sites too.

Crete is one of the most popular places to dive in Greece. With warm, clear waters and a wide range of marine life, it's perfect for beginners and certified divers alike.

Scuba Diving in Chania

The region of Chania has quickly become a favourite among divers visiting Crete. From natural reefs to underwater caves and now the diving park, it offers plenty of variety.

Scuba Diving in Almyrida

Almyrida is an ideal base for diving, with calm waters and easy access to shore dives. As the home of our dive centre, we offer courses, guided dives on established sites, and insider knowledge of the local coastline.

The Ombros Gialos Diving Park is the culmination of an 11-year project that began in autumn 2014. The initiative required 58 ministerial signatures and as many additional approvals — a bureaucratic odyssey that finally produced Greece's first authorized diving park.

The development involved meticulous planning — addition and removal of seabed materials, installation of artificial reefs and sunken ships, directional signage, lighting, and mooring points.

The establishment of the diving park not only enhances the region's appeal to diving enthusiasts but also contributes to marine conservation by creating new habitats for marine life.

Before becoming an underwater attraction, the Tugboat Nestor served as a powerful vessel designed to maneuver larger ships. Tugboats are built to withstand tough conditions, making them ideal candidates for artificial reefs.

Now resting on the seafloor at Ombros Gialos near Almyrida, the Tugboat Nestor provides both a thriving habitat for marine life and an exciting wreck site for divers.

🛠️ A working life before retirement

The R/K Nestor was a steel-hulled harbour and coastal tugboat in service for decades before being decommissioned and donated to the Ombros Gialos Diving Park project. At roughly 23.5 m long and 6 m wide, with a reinforced hull built for towing duties in heavy seas, she was an ideal candidate for conversion into a permanent artificial reef. Before scuttling she was fully decontaminated — fuel, oils, batteries and any hazardous materials removed — under the supervision of Greek environmental authorities, then prepared with cut openings so divers can swim safely through key compartments.

📏 Depth profile and dive plan

The Tugboat Nestor sits upright on a sandy seabed at a maximum depth of about 15.5 m, with her upper structure and wheelhouse rising to around 9 m. That puts the entire wreck firmly inside PADI Open Water limits (18 m), so newly certified divers can comfortably explore the whole vessel on a single tank. The shallow profile also gives long no-decompression times — typically 40–50 minutes of bottom time on air — which makes the Nestor a popular site for the Advanced Open Water Wreck Adventure dive, Peak Performance Buoyancy practice, and underwater photography.

🐠 What divers see on the Nestor

Only a few years after scuttling, the Nestor is already alive. Schools of damselfish and bream hover above the deck, octopus tuck into the bollards and winch housings, scorpionfish camouflage on the railings, and curious moray eels watch from the bow openings. Look closer and you'll spot nudibranchs, blennies and the occasional flying gurnard cruising the sand around the hull. Late summer often brings barracuda and amberjack passing through, while in spring it isn't unusual to share the wreck with a sea turtle resting nearby.

🤿 Diving the Nestor with Kefi Divers

We reach the wreck by short boat ride from Almyrida — usually 10–15 minutes — and brief the dive on the way out. Visibility on the Nestor is typically 15–25 m in summer, currents are gentle, and the site works year-round. Bring a torch even on bright days: light beams through the wheelhouse windows make for spectacular interior shots. Pair it with a second dive at Ombros Gialos reef or the new HMS Folegandros for a full two-tank morning.

A tugboat is a small but extremely powerful vessel built to push, pull, and manoeuvre much larger ships — cargo freighters, tankers, cruise liners and warships — into and out of harbours, narrow channels and open sea. Despite their compact size, modern tugs produce some of the highest power-to-length ratios of any boat afloat.

Their reinforced steel hulls, deep keels and heavy-duty engines are designed to take a beating: towing in rough seas, assisting disabled vessels, and even fighting fires at sea. That same rugged construction is exactly what makes a retired tugboat such an excellent candidate for an artificial reef — the hull resists corrosion for decades and provides a stable, complex structure for marine life to colonise.

Once cleaned of fuel, oils and any hazardous materials, a tugboat can be safely scuttled to become a permanent underwater habitat — and a captivating playground for scuba divers. The Tugboat Nestor is a textbook example: a working vessel given a second life as the centrepiece wreck of the Apokoronas Diving Park.

🌊 Artificial Reefs

37 reef structures have been placed across 7 habitat types, with 4 navigational beacons, encouraging marine-life growth across the 60-hectare zone — a vibrant ecosystem for photographers, marine-life lovers and conservationists.

⚓ Shipwrecks to Explore

Two decommissioned Greek navy vessels are being transformed into artificial wrecks, creating unique opportunities for safe and exciting wreck dives.

The second vessel — the decommissioned Hellenic Navy landing craft HMS Folegandros (40 m × 8.8 m, acquired from the USA in 1974) — was scuttled at Ombros Gialos on Wednesday 10 June 2026, joining the R/K Nestor tugboat as the park's second wreck. Read the full Folegandros story →

🤿 Dive Routes for All Experience Levels

With depths ranging from 8.5m to 25m, the park is suitable for everyone — from beginners to seasoned divers. Three distinct dive routes will each offer unique underwater experiences.

Scuttling a ship — intentionally sinking it in a controlled, environmentally responsible way — is widely used to create artificial reefs. The Tugboat Nestor adds a captivating wreck for divers while providing a secure habitat for marine life.

Accessible to All

The Tugboat Nestor lies at the perfect depth for Open Water Divers, making it accessible to beginners while still being exciting for experienced divers. It's a win-win for the environment and for wreck diving enthusiasts.

📣 Update — June 2026

The Hellenic Navy landing craft HMS Folegandros was scuttled at the Ombros Gialos Diving Park on Wednesday 10 June 2026 — the park's second wreck is now in place, with the park expected to open to divers around October–November 2026 and operate year-round. Read the full Folegandros story →

At the heart of the project are artificial reef structures designed in collaboration with the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research. They provide essential shelter and feeding grounds for marine life.

The park promotes eco diving in Crete, helping reduce the strain on over-exploited natural dive sites and ensuring these important ecosystems remain healthy.

The Apokoronas Diving Park brings benefits far beyond the bubbles:

🌿 Marine Biodiversity:

Sunken ships and reef structures provide shelter and breeding grounds, helping restore underwater ecosystems.

🌍 Tourism & Local Economy:

Expected to attract divers worldwide, boosting local businesses from dive centres to restaurants.

📚 Education & Conservation:

A living classroom offering hands-on learning about Mediterranean marine environments.

🌊 Eco-Friendly Activities:

Snorkeling, marine photography, and citizen science dives centred around responsible exploration.

What truly sets this site apart is the feeling you get underwater — a sense of something new, something growing. Not just coral and fish, but an entire underwater community in the making.

This isn't just another dive site — it's a place that shows what happens when environmental care, community effort, and diving passion come together.

We are excited to follow the park's progress and look forward to being among the first dive centres to take our divers there once it officially opens.

Based in the heart of Almyrida, Kefi Divers is your local gateway to the incredible new Apokoronas Diving Park. We're crafting unforgettable dive experiences — guided tours, custom packages, and relaxed day trips — to launch once the park officially opens.

👉 Want to be one of the first to explore the new park?

and we'll contact you as soon as it officially opens!

Discover Scuba Diving

Certified Diver (Fun Dives)

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Planning your diving adventure at the Apokoronas Diving Park? Here are essential tips:

Best Time to Dive

Visit between May and October for the warmest weather and calmest seas. Water temperatures range from 22°C to 28°C with visibility often reaching 20–30 metres.

Dive with a Certified Instructor

Once the park opens, it's always a good idea to dive with a certified instructor, especially if you're unfamiliar with the site. Kefi Divers offers experienced professionals who'll guide you through safely.

Bring or Rent the Right Gear

Whether it's your first time or you're a seasoned pro, ensure you have the right equipment. Our dive centre provides high-quality rental gear suited to the conditions.

Choose Your Dive Site

Once the park opens, beginners should start with the shallow waters around the Tugboat Nestor wreck. More advanced divers can explore deeper spots with greater variety of marine life and structures.

Book in Advance

Once the park officially opens, it is likely to be increasingly popular, especially during peak season. Register your interest early to secure a spot as soon as bookings become available.

Respect the Environment

Follow environmentally responsible diving practices — don't touch marine life or wrecks, and avoid damaging reef structures. These artificial reefs were created to protect marine life.

2025 is the perfect time to visit Crete.

The diving park in Apokoronas brings world-class underwater experiences right to our doorstep in Almyrida. Whether you're a beginner or experienced diver, we can't wait to show you the magic beneath the surface.

Dive Experiences

Book boat dives, shore dives & more

Explore all our dive locations

Marine Life

Discover what lives beneath the waves

Crete is one of the most popular places to dive in Greece. With warm, clear waters and a wide range of marine life, it's perfect for beginners and certified divers alike. Read more...

The region of Chania has quickly become a favourite among divers visiting Crete. From natural reefs to underwater caves and now the diving park, it offers plenty of variety. Read more...

👉 Want to be one of the first to explore the new park? Register your interest here and we'll contact you as soon as it officially opens!

Frequently Asked Questions

Have more questions about the diving park?

Visit our dedicated Chania Diving Park FAQ for detailed answers about the wrecks, certification levels, opening timeline, and how to book your dive.

Read the Diving Park FAQ

Where is the Apokoronas Diving Park?

The park is located at Ombros Gialos, on the Apokoronas coast east of Chania, Crete. It sits in a protected bay just a few minutes by boat from Almyrida and Kalyves.

How deep is the Tugboat Nestor wreck?

The Tugboat Nestor sits between roughly 9 and 15.5 metres, making it accessible to PADI Open Water divers and ideal for Advanced training, photography and repeated visits.

Do I need to be certified to dive the park?

Certified divers from Open Water level upwards can dive the wreck and reef field. Non-certified visitors can join a Discover Scuba Diving experience or take a PADI Open Water course with Kefi Divers and dive the shallower sections.

Can I dive the park as a shore dive?

The Tugboat Nestor and most reef structures will be reached by boat from Almyrida or Kalyves once the park opens. Some shallower reef areas may be accessible from shore with a guide, but the boat dive will be the recommended way to see the full park.

When is the best time of year to dive Apokoronas?

Diving runs from April to November. May–June and September–October offer the calmest seas, the warmest water without summer crowds, and the best visibility — typically 20–30 metres.

What marine life will I see at the park?

Expect Mediterranean reef species: damselfish, bream, octopus, moray eels, scorpionfish and nudibranchs, with growing colonisation of the wreck and artificial reefs by sponges, algae and small invertebrates.

How much does it cost to dive the Apokoronas Diving Park?

Guided boat dives at the park are expected to start from around €70 for certified divers, including tanks, weights and a PADI divemaster. Discover Scuba Diving experiences and equipment rental are priced separately — see our Experiences page for current 2026 rates.

How do I book a dive at the park with Kefi Divers?

Send us a message via the contact form or WhatsApp to register your interest. We'll get in touch as soon as the park officially opens and confirm tides, suggested times and pickup options for Almyrida, Kalyves and the wider Apokoronas area.

Is the Apokoronas Diving Park family-friendly?

Yes. Children aged 10+ can try Discover Scuba Diving on the shallow reef sections, and snorkellers can join the boat to enjoy the bay from the surface while divers explore the wreck and reef field below.

How long is a typical dive trip at the park?

Plan for around 2.5 to 3 hours door-to-door: short transfer to the boat, briefing, two dives with a surface interval, and the ride back. Most divers complete one wreck dive on the Tugboat Nestor and one reef dive in the same trip.