Alonissos – National Marine Park | A Protected Sea

Site Overview

The Alonissos National Marine Park is the crown of the Sporades and one of the most important marine protected areas in the Mediterranean, established above all to safeguard the endangered Mediterranean monk seal. Diving here is strictly guided and limited to designated zones, but within them the water is pristine and the life abundant: steep walls clad in gorgonians, groupers patrolling the ledges, and a healthy fish community that thrives because the area is protected. The lucky few may even glimpse a monk seal, the park’s shy flagship. It is a versatile site — confident Open Water divers enjoy the bright top, while advanced divers drop down the wall for the deeper gorgonian gardens. Diving here is as much an act of conservation as recreation, and the sense of a truly wild, healthy sea is unforgettable. Alonissos – National Marine Park sits within Aegean – Sporades & North-East Aegean and is best described as a wall and reef dive. The water here is typically clear, and the profile — from around 6 m down to 35 m — gives intermediate divers a rewarding range of routes. Among the life you can expect are Mediterranean Monk Seal, Red Gorgonian, Dusky Grouper, Anthias, Bogue. The site rewards a slow, observant approach, and good buoyancy keeps both diver and reef safe. With sensible planning around weather and boats, it ranks among the more memorable stops on a Greek diving trip.