Known for its underwater caves and craggy outcroppings, Manolis Bay on the Akamas coastline is an inviting stop for snorkelling during a tour of the area. Hire a boat from our beachfront partner, Latchi Watersports, and they will provide you with masks, breathing tubes, and flippers. One of the chief attractions in Manolis Bay is a large family of trumpet fish. These fish are named for their shape—long and tubular—and are known to change colour in adaptation to their environment. Other species prevalent in these waters include the big-eyed squirrel fish, the zebra sea bream (notable for its colourful stripes), and striped blenny. The scorpion fish is spectacular, but don’t touch it—its spines can deliver a very painful poison. Moray eels are typically found near crevices. Watch the sea bottom for flounder—these fish are flat like a pancake and known to hide in the sand. You may see the small sea hare (an underwater slug) crawling on the seabed. Also look for the white-spotted octopus in shallow areas: if you surprise one, it may turn a brighter colour of red as a protective measure against predators. Over the last three years, snorkellers have been able to see lionfish and puffer fish in the area; they likely hitched a ride from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal in a ship’s ballast tank and settled in the warming waters of the Mediterranean. Perhaps they, too, are enjoying the dazzling range of marine life in Manolis Bay.
