Marathonisi (Turtle Island) | Zakynthos’ Turtle Refuge

Site Overview

Marathonisi, affectionately known as Turtle Island, is the green jewel of Laganas Bay and the heart of Zakynthos’ loggerhead turtle refuge. The tiny island is fringed by seagrass meadows and shallow reefs where Caretta caretta nest on the sand and forage in the clear water, making it one of the most reliable places in Greece to dive or snorkel alongside these gentle giants. Below the surface the meadows shelter morays, stingrays and pipefish, and the shallows are bright with wrasse and juvenile fish. Because the area is strictly protected, all diving is guided and conducted with a strict no-touch, no-chase ethic that keeps the turtles calm and the habitat intact. Warm, shallow and full of life, Marathonisi is a bucket-list encounter for anyone who has dreamed of sharing the water with a sea turtle, and a perfect, gentle introduction to the Ionian for new divers. Marathonisi (Turtle Island) sits within Ionian Islands – Zakynthos (Zante) and is best described as a reef and snorkel dive. The water here is typically clear, and the profile — from around 2 m down to 18 m — gives beginner divers a rewarding range of routes. Among the life you can expect are Loggerhead Turtle, Mediterranean Moray, Common Stingray, Wrasse, Seagrass Pipefish. 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.