10 Breathtaking Underwater Cities to Explore
By Scuba Diver Life
There’s something about the eerie mysteries of sunken cities that makes them so captivating. As divers, we have the opportunity to witness these scenes first-hand. Here are 10 to explore!
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Pavlopetri, Greece
By Scuba Diver Life
Pavlopetri is the oldest known submerged site in the world, dating back to around 1,000 BCE. It’s also unlike most sites in that it is mostly intact, rather than partially or completely ruined.
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Port Royal, Jamaica
By Scuba Diver Life
The Pirates of the Carribean depiction of Port Royal is fairly accurate. In it’s heyday, Port Royal was a hotspot for pirates and was famous for booze, prostitutes and all-night partying.
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Lost Villages of Ontario, Canada
By Scuba Diver Life
The Lost Villages are composed of 10 former communities of Ontario prior to 1958, when the villages were submerged to create the St. Lawrence Seaway. The river remains a popular scuba diving site.
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Dwarka, Gulf of Cambay, India
By Scuba Diver Life
The ruins in the Gulf of Cambay are believed to be Lord Krishna’s fabled city of Dwarka. Located just off the coast of modern-day Dwarka, it’s said to have been moved after the sinking of the city.
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Lion City, China
By Scuba Diver Life
Lion City is one of the most spectacular underwater ruins in the world. Located about 100 ft under the surface of Qiandao Lake, it is one of the best-preserved & popular underwater sites.
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The Submerged Temples of Mahabalipuram, India
By Scuba Diver Life
The story behind the temple at Mahabalipuram was that there were 7 temples, 6 of which were sunken. The first major discovery of ruins in 2002 revealed the remains of walls, stone masonry & more.
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Yonaguni-Jima, Japan
By Scuba Diver Life
Yonaguni is home to what looks like several man-made structures, though the origins are unconfirmed. There’s also a large population of hammerhead sharks in the area, making it a popular diving spot.
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Ruins off Havana, Cuba
By Scuba Diver Life
Sonar images have found structures off the coast of Cuba. However, the ruins are deeper than most sunken cities, making evidence (& photos) tough to collect.
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Cleopatra’s Alexandria, Egypt
By Scuba Diver Life
Possibly the world’s most famous submerged city, Cleopatra’s Alexandria is submerged right under the present-day city of the same name. It’s considered one of the world’s richest archaeological sites.
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Baiae, Pozzuoli Bay, Italy
By Scuba Diver Life
Once a great city frequented by the likes of Julias Caesar & Nero, Baiae was sunk by volcanic activity that caused the ground to shift up & down. You can still see the extravagant structures today.
