The Elephant Cave

The Elephant Cave (Submarine Cave of Elephants) is a submerged cavern located in the Drepano area of Akrotiri, in the Chania prefecture of Crete, just out of Souda Bay. The cave was once a dry inland refuge for a group of small elephants that lived in the Vamos region tens of thousands of years ago; as sea levels rose, the entrance was sealed by water, preserving the site largely undisturbed. It was discovered accidentally in 2000 by a local fisherman during underwater fishing. Fossil bones recovered from the cave floor were studied by the University of Athens and confirmed to belong to elephants and deer, with the Cretan elephant dating to between 50,000 and 60,000 years ago and classified as a previously unknown species, Elephas chaniensis.

The cave interior is decorated with striking combinations of white and red stalagmites and stalactites formed when the chamber was above sea level. Maximum depth reaches 9.9 metres, making it accessible to beginners, and there is no current inside the cave.

Visibility is great, and water temperature ranges from 19°C in spring to 27°C at the height of summer, with the site diveable from spring through autumn. Common octopus, rainbow wrasse, and sea urchins are present, and monk seals have also been recorded at this site.