Loutra

Loutra is a shore dive in a small bay on the Kassandra peninsula, Halkidiki, Greece. Depth runs from 2 m to 30 m, visibility is 12 to 20 m, and the site is suitable for divers of all levels.

The signature feature is the thermal vents. Hundreds of geysers of thermal water spring from almost the whole bottom of the bay, sending up streams of bubbles from the seabed to the surface. The salts that settle on the bottom form white, yellow and purple tones that look like snow, so the dive feels like moving over a ski slope. The sulfurous gas comes from geological activity linked to a prehistoric volcano that is now in decay.

Pinnacles rise on the site, and on a clear day they frame a view of Mount Olympus on the horizon. On the right side there are tunnels and caves with open tops that let natural light filter through. On the left side is a reef over a rocky seabed with plenty of vegetation.