Kos private scuba diving is a dive with an instructor for one diver or a small group, collected from the hotel and taken to a dive site on the island. Readers who are planning more days in Greece can find ideas on the tours in Greece page.
Below are the service and what it includes, the dive sites and the sea life, how the session runs, the divers it suits and the questions that come up.
What is Kos private scuba diving?
Kos private scuba diving is a dive with an instructor from a dive centre on the island. Operators list private and semi-private versions, and the product title adds a hotel pickup. Each operator words the details in its own way.
Scuba diving is a mode of diving where the diver carries all the breathing gas. No air line runs up to the surface. Wikipedia says scuba divers gain more freedom than surface-supplied divers. They also stay under the water longer than freedivers.
Recreational diving means diving for leisure and enjoyment. Kos private scuba diving falls into that group. The product title in this class reads “Kos: Private Scuba Diving with Hotel Pickup”. The title names a private dive and a hotel pickup, and nothing beyond that.
A private session means the instructor works with the party alone. A group dive puts strangers together. Kos private scuba diving differs from a group dive in that one way.
One dive centre lists a semi-private dive for a group of four divers with two instructors. A different dive centre describes a private PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience, and the instructor stays next to the diver.
Beginners and certified divers are treated differently. One dive centre says its private experience needs no licence and no experience, and it starts with a short training. Another dive centre says any certified diver can join a fun dive from the shore or by boat.
Open Water Diver is an entry-level certification for recreational scuba diving, and PADI uses that name. Wikipedia says entry level divers can have a depth limit of 18 or 20 metres.
Wikipedia puts the coastline of Kos at 112 kilometres. The island lies north of Nisyros and south of Kalymnos. Its main port and town is also called Kos. Kos private scuba diving takes place in the sea along that shore.
What does Kos private scuba diving include?
Kos private scuba diving pages list an instructor, equipment and a briefing, but the extras differ. One dive centre says all professional equipment is included in its private session. Each page has its own list.
One dive centre lists step-by-step training from certified PADI instructors and all professional equipment. It also lists DAN insurance on its page. A second dive centre lists an in-depth briefing with an instructor before the first dive.
Extras around Kos private scuba diving differ too. One dive centre lists a dive computer and a camera as equipment extras. A third dive centre lists snacks and drinks on the boat. One travel page lists wetsuits, masks, fins and tanks among the equipment that local professionals provide. It suggests bringing swimwear and a towel.
The hotel pickup is not the same everywhere. One course page says transfer is included for hotels around Kardamena. It adds that transfer for hotels further away can be arranged. A third dive centre says it does not offer transfer. So the pickup for Kos private scuba diving depends on the operator.
The gear has plain jobs. A scuba set is the breathing apparatus that the diver carries alone. A diving regulator controls the pressure of the breathing gas. A diving mask lets the diver see clearly underwater, because the eyes look through a pocket of air.
A wetsuit gives thermal protection and guards against abrasion and stings from marine animals. Fins on the feet move the diver through the water. Ballast weights overcome extra buoyancy.
Health and length differ by operator too. For Kos private scuba diving, one dive centre says a medical questionnaire is required for taking part. Another dive centre says its private experience takes approximately two hours in total. It lists the experience as suitable for couples, solo travellers and families.
Where does Kos private scuba diving take place?
Kos private scuba diving takes place in the Aegean Sea off the island, from the shore or from a boat. One operator lists both kinds of dive, and another page says boats reach the popular sites.
The Aegean is an elongated arm of the Mediterranean Sea. Wikipedia places Kos in the southeastern Aegean. Nisyros is its neighbour to the south, while Kalymnos and Pserimos lie near it to the north.
The coast has a length of 112 kilometres. Kos belongs to the Dodecanese, a chain that Wikipedia lists as fifteen main islands plus a long tail of islets.
Operators name different areas for Kos private scuba diving. One dive centre is based in Kefalos. It points divers to the Kastri islet, where a reef with rocky formations lies in front of its base.
Wikipedia describes Kefalos as the westernmost town of the island, 43 kilometres from Kos Town. Wikipedia puts the town of Kardamaina at the middle point of the south coast of Kos.
Operators set their own boat times for Kos private scuba diving. One lists local dives within 15 minutes by boat. It also lists a safari within 30 minutes by boat, to Strogili and Nisyros with two dives. Another operator sails to Pserimos from Kos harbour. One page lists a beginner dive from Mandraki in Nisyros.
Depth for Kos private scuba diving depends on the programme. The operator that sails to Pserimos lists 5 metres for the first dive. The second dive reaches 10 to 12 metres, at the end of a bay with rock formations. Another operator says the Open Water Diver certificate allows 18 metres, or 12 metres for junior divers.
PADI lists four dive sites around Kos: two reef dives, one cavern dive and one ocean dive. One page says trips to popular sites last between 2 and 4 hours, including preparation and transfers. The same page says diving depends on local weather and sea conditions. One operator adds that wind force and direction can cancel a dive.
What sea life do divers see around Kos?
Divers around Kos share the water with seagrass, fish and other animals that live in the Mediterranean. No page promises a sighting, so Kos private scuba diving can only point to what lives in these waters.
The seagrass Posidonia oceanica is native only to the Mediterranean and builds wide meadows on the seabed. Kos private scuba diving takes place in that sea. The damselfish, known as Chromis chromis, lives in rocky areas from 2 to 40 metres deep. Wikipedia says it gathers in small shoals above rocky reefs and sea-grass meadows.
Wrasses are small fish. Wikipedia says they are mainly under 20 centimetres long. They live close to the bottom on reefs and rocky shores. Sea bream belong to the family Sparidae, which lives in shallow and deep marine waters. Groupers have a stout body and a large mouth. They eat fish, octopuses and crustaceans.
The Mediterranean moray prefers rocky bottoms, the kind that operators of Kos private scuba diving name for their dives. It rests in cavities and clefts by day and is more active at night. Wikipedia adds that its bite can be dangerous to humans.
A barracuda species, Sphyraena sphyraena, is found in the Mediterranean Sea. The loggerhead sea turtle also lives there, and Mediterranean loggerheads are smaller on average. Sea urchins feed mainly on algae and also eat sponges. Sponges are filter feeders fixed to the seabed.
For Kos private scuba diving, operators name reefs and rock formations. PADI lists a cavern dive. Wikipedia defines it as a dive in the naturally lit part of a cave, where the exit can be seen.
Wikipedia says wrecks of ships can act as artificial reefs. No page names a wreck near Kos, so Kos private scuba diving points to reefs and rock formations instead. A sighting is never promised on a given day.
How does a day of Kos private scuba diving work?
Kos private scuba diving starts with a hotel pickup, as the product title says. One dive centre puts the total experience at about 2 hours, with a short training before the dive. Operators differ on length, depth and group size.
One dive centre says the instructor stays at the diver’s side for the whole dive. Another operator lists an in-depth briefing, then a first dive in a group of 4 divers with 2 instructors. Wikipedia describes a dive briefing as a meeting where the instructor explains the dive plan and the emergency plans.
Time in the water for Kos private scuba diving differs from one centre to the next. One dive centre says a dive lasts 30 to 60 minutes underwater, plus briefing and preparation time. Another operator lists a first dive of 20 to 25 minutes with a maximum depth of 5 metres.
The same operator lists a second, longer dive of 40 to 45 minutes. Its maximum depth is 10 to 12 metres. A third operator lists a Discover Scuba Diving special of 4 hours with 2 dives in the sea. The same operator puts its local dives no more than 15 minutes from the base by boat.
Wikipedia explains the ideas behind a dive plan in plain terms. A dive computer measures elapsed time and depth and shows an ascent profile. No-stop diving relies on limiting the ascent rate. Buddy diving puts divers in a group of two or sometimes three, who can help each other.
One travel site says the dive season on Kos runs from late spring to October. It adds that conditions on the day, both weather and sea, can lead to a rescheduled dive.
One operator lists a morning departure for Pserimos at half past eight, wind permitting. The operator lists the return to Kos for around two in the afternoon.
Wikipedia calls the meltemi a dry, powerful northerly of the Aegean Sea. It runs from the close of spring into the middle of September, and afternoons bring the peak.
One operator says wind force and direction can cancel the boat trip and the dives. The same operator asks guests to inform it at least 48 hours before joining its dive boat.
One operator lists a pre-flight time after Kos private scuba diving of 12 hours for one dive in a day. For multiple dives in a day it lists 18 hours and more. A guest with a flight home reads this line on the operator’s page.
Who is Kos private scuba diving for?
Kos private scuba diving suits first-timers and certified divers, as operators list it. One dive centre says its private introductory experience needs no licence or experience. Another operator lets certified divers join a fun dive that starts on the beach or on board a boat.
The private experience of one dive centre suits couples, solo travellers and families, according to its page. Another operator designs a semi-private programme for families.
Age limits differ. One dive centre says children can join certain activities from the age of 8. Another operator lists Bubblemaker for ages 8 to 9 in a swimming pool. It lists Junior Open Water Diver for ages 10 to 14.
One travel site says activities need guests of at least 10 or 12 years. Each activity sets its own limit, which matters for Kos private scuba diving with children.
Certified divers have their own options in Kos private scuba diving. One operator lists a Scuba Review of 4 hours for one certified diver, run individually. It also lists a private check dive of 3 hours for one diver on request.
Operators ask about health before Kos private scuba diving. One operator requires a medical questionnaire. Another requires a medical statement. If a listed condition applies, a physician must sign a form dated within the last 12 months.
One operator says guests must know how to swim. They must also be able to step on and off the boat and climb a ladder. Wikipedia adds that course providers set a baseline for health and fitness.
For Kos private scuba diving, one dive centre says to bring a swimsuit and towel, with gear and instruction provided. It says masks with prescription lenses are not available, but soft contact lenses can be worn.
Another operator suggests a bathing suit under comfortable clothing, plus a towel, hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. It adds a light jacket for late spring and October. One operator lists towels and reef-safe sun cream.
Wikipedia links certain sunscreens to allergic reactions and to damage to sea life. One dive centre says underwater photos are available.
Guests who prefer to stay on the surface can look at snorkelling. Wikipedia presents it as a way to watch marine life without the training and complex gear of scuba diving. A glass bottom boat cruise is another way to see the sea next to Kos private scuba diving.
What else do visitors ask about Kos private scuba diving?
Is Kos private scuba diving the same as snorkelling?
No, the two activities differ. A snorkeller, Wikipedia says, floats face-down on the surface and gets air from a bent tube. A mask or goggles and a pair of fins go with the tube. Kos private scuba diving works another way, because the diver carries a breathing gas supply below the surface.
Wikipedia adds that snorkels serve scuba divers as well while they float at the surface. It calls snorkelling a popular leisure activity at tropical resorts that appeals to all ages. One dive centre lists private snorkelling boat trips of two and a half, three and four hours.
Can a camera come along on Kos private scuba diving?
Wikipedia says a camera made for dry use can work underwater inside an add-on housing. Wikipedia names action cameras as a choice for divers who only want to record the dive. It also notes that film and regular lenses cannot be changed during a dive.
Wide-angle and macro lenses let the photographer sit close to the subject, which cuts the loss of clarity. One dive centre lists a one-day digital underwater photographer course. Whether a camera joins Kos private scuba diving depends on what each operator offers.
Which towns on Kos hold hotels and resorts?
Wikipedia describes Kos Town as the main harbour, the population centre and a tourist and cultural hub. Its whitewashed buildings include hotels, restaurants and nightclubs. Kardamena sits on the south coast and was once a small fishing village. Wikipedia says its population triples between June and September.
Three resorts share the Bay of Kamari in the west: Onia, Kampos and Kamari, along about 2 kilometres. Operators set their own pickup areas for Kos private scuba diving, and the lists differ.
How does a guest reach the hotel for Kos private scuba diving?
The island airport carries the name Ippokratis, after Hippocrates, and stands close to Antimachia. Wikipedia says the road from Kos to Kefalos serves it, and Kos Town lies 24 kilometres away. Charter flights for holidaymakers make up the main traffic, and summer is the peak, Wikipedia says.
Wikipedia lists a transit bus from the airport to Mastichari, Kardamena, Kefalos and the town of Kos. Taxis with meters wait outside the terminal around the clock, Wikipedia says. The title of the Kos private scuba diving product names a hotel pickup, not an airport transfer.
Which seas matter for Kos private scuba diving?
Wikipedia says the rocks that form the Aegean floor are mainly limestone, changed in places by volcanic activity. Among the name theories Wikipedia lists is a Greek phrase for land that is always in sight. Wikipedia counts the Aegean among the fifteen marginal seas of the Mediterranean.
The name Mediterranean comes from a Latin term that Wikipedia translates as in the middle of land. The word Dodecanese means twelve islands in Greek, and Wikipedia says 26 islands of the group are inhabited. Wikipedia puts Kos on a list of beach resorts that also names Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos and Skiathos.