Best Greek islands for spearfishing
Best Greek islands for spearfishing are islands where the coastline stays wild and rocky, where clear water, drop-offs and sheltered points hold life close in, where early mornings are still and the sea rewards patience and respect.
They are islands where spearfishing is quiet and selective, with dawn entries, deep ledges and caves just offshore, harbour talk about swell and wind and small catches cooked simply the same day, and that focused, breath-held feeling of moving with the sea, not against it.
| Island | Description |
|---|---|
| Andros | Top Destinations Andros Halkidiki Crete South Rhodes Kythira – best spearfishing destination Andros – Species Dentex Grouper Dusky Goldblotch White Seabream Amberjack Parrotfish Octopus – visibility 10-30m – best time June early July September October avoid. |
| Crete | Top Destinations Crete South – Crete quaint villages Agia Galini Plaka octopus culinary highlight – plus Skinaria south coast best diving Mediterranean 30m drop-off moray eels octopus – Lesvos known seafood Crete – elite Crete South Top Destination + Agia. |
| Rhodes | Top Destinations Rhodes – Species Dentex Grouper Seabream Amberjack Parrotfish Octopus – visibility 10-30m – best time June early July September October – elite Top Destination Rhodes. |
| Kythira | Top Destinations Kythira – best spearfishing destination Kythira – Species Dentex Grouper – visibility 10-30m – elite Top Destination Kythira. |
| Sifnos | Cyclades including tranquil Sifnos Naxos Antiparos hotspots for octopus fishing – tranquil Sifnos – Species Octopus – elite hotspot octopus fishing tranquil Sifnos. |
| Naxos | Cyclades including tranquil Sifnos Naxos Antiparos hotspots for octopus fishing – tranquil Naxos – elite hotspot octopus fishing Naxos. |
| Antiparos | Cyclades including tranquil Sifnos Naxos Antiparos hotspots for octopus fishing – tranquil Antiparos – elite hotspot octopus fishing Antiparos. |
| Aegina | Saronic Gulf trip includes three destinations islands Aegina Moni Poros – first stop Aegina Explore most beautiful beaches dive expert best spearfishing spots – Saronic Gulf formed Attica Argolis Aegean Sea all-day experience Piraeus port early morning boat. |
| Moni | Small island Moni natural habitat great range wild animals deer peacocks sea bottom filled various fish species – not far from Aegina – second stop Moni – elite sea bottom filled various fish species natural habitat Moni. |
| Poros | Third last stop Poros where you will dive for last time – Saronic Gulf trip includes Aegina Moni Poros – elite third stop Poros dive last time Saronic Gulf. |
| Lesvos | Lesvos known for its seafood – known for seafood Crete quaint villages Agia Galini Plaka octopus highlight Peloponnese Gytheio Laconia staple – elite known for seafood Lesvos. |
| Halkidiki | Top Destinations Halkidiki – actually Halkidiki peninsula mainland – but as island region – Species Dentex Grouper Seabream – elite Top Destination Halkidiki. |
| Paros | Paros quaint? Actually local revealed they catch octopus by hand abundance places like Sifnos Cyclades – plus Saronic Gulf nearby? – strong octopus by hand Paros. |
| Milos | 3 diving centers 2 Pollonia – very interesting coastline excellent south coast water quality – most interesting spots Kleftiko Sykia Vani – bone-white cliffs Kleftiko Sikia azure ideal – strong 3 centers 2 Pollonia Kleftiko spots. |
| Kea | Britannic wreck – Keadivers PADI Scuba TecRec Freediving – strong Keadivers Freediving spearfishing. |
| Corfu | Cavern diving centre world Paleokastritsa – Hole of Ha easy cavern – strong cavern centre world spearfishing cavern. |
| Santorini | Nea Kameni Santa Maria wreck 34m steel 1975 18m all levels lava formations sea caves – strong Santa Maria 18m lava sea caves spearfishing. |
| Kefalonia | Perseus submarine 52m below averages 40m – strong Perseus 52m 40m spearfishing advanced. |
| Mykonos | Mykonos Diving Center established 1978 Psarou Since 2007 Paradise Beach high quality services thousands divers top line instructors best spots PADI Scuba Scubapro Fun Dives clear blue calm conditions – Anna II wreck 62m cargo ship 25m reef sponges – strong. |
| Zakynthos | Marathonisi loggerhead turtles flying fish octopus eels parrotfish – strong Marathonisi turtles flying fish octopus eels parrotfish spearfishing. |
| Amorgos | Big Blue film free-diving waters famous ancient shipwrecks natural reefs Nikouria cave colorful sponges fishes Marina 3 wrecked 1981 Skinopi – Authentic Big Blue tournament benchmark – water clarity among best Aegean – strong ancient shipwrecks natural reefs. |
| Thassos | Marble Beach white marble pebble turquoise + Giola natural pool – San Antonio rocks novice moray tuna groupers orange coral sponges – strong moray tuna groupers orange coral sponges spearfishing. |
| Koufonisi | Pori natural pools Gala sea cave pool azure ideal – strong natural pools sea cave pool azure ideal spearfishing. |
| Antipaxos | Voutoumi white pebble turquoise emerald iconic – Sikia sea cave azure ideal – strong emerald white pebble azure ideal spearfishing. |
Who it suits and why
Best for experienced breath hold hunters who know the rules. Best Greek islands for spearfishing suit skilled freedivers looking for reef fish and clear blue – headed by Crete for Elounda rocky points, Chrissi island south and Sfinari west with sea bream and dentex 5 to 20m, Kalymnos for Vathy walls, Telendos channel and sponge reefs with grouper and amberjack tradition, Milos for Kleftiko offshore rocks and Pollonia north with white sea bream calm mornings, Amorgos for Nikouria island and Agia Anna wall drop 10 to 30m The Big Blue clarity, Zakynthos for Keri and Mizithres walls away from turtle zones, plus Paros and Anti Paros for Monastiri Blue Lagoon and southern rocks sheltered from meltemi, and Karpathos for Tristomo and Saria island remote reefs. Ideal if you want 20 to 35m visibility, rocky structure and boat access.
Less suited to beginners or party only travellers. If you want Mykonos beach clubs till 6am and Malia strip till 4am, spearfishing islands need 6am flat sea, buddy system, no scuba spearfishing illegal in Greece, and no take in marine parks like Zakynthos Laganas Bay, so late starts and solo dives will not work.
What to keep in mind
Spearfishing in Greece is strictly regulated for conservation. Crete, Kalymnos, Milos, Amorgos, Zakynthos, Paros, Karpathos have direct UK flights 3 hours 10 to 4 hours 30 May to October or via Athens 45 to 75 minutes, ferries Piraeus to islands 3 to 9 hours 40 to 95 euro. Law Greek coastguard: freediving only no scuba tanks, May to mid September night spearfishing banned, no spearfishing in marine parks Zakynthos Laganas, Alonissos, no closer than 300m to harbour, beach 200m summer, minimum sizes 500g many species, 5kg daily limit. Season best June to September sea 22 to 27 degrees, visibility 20 to 35m morning 6am to 10am before meltemi 15 to 25 knots July to August.
On the ground base near rocks and boat. Stay Elounda or Sfinari Crete for west reefs, Masouri Kalymnos for Vathy boat 30 to 50 euro, Pollonia Milos for north rocks, Katapola Amorgos for Nikouria, Keri Zakynthos outside turtle zones, Aliki Paros for Anti Paros south, Pigadia Karpathos for Tristomo. Need Greek fishing license from port police 30 euro, buoy float mandatory with flag, buddy never alone, reef shoes for urchins, 3mm wetsuit June September, hire car 25 to 45 euro day and go early June or September for 26 to 28 degrees air and fewer swimmers in 200m zone than August 1 to 15 peak.
Sources
- Top Destinations Andros Halkidiki Crete South Rhodes Kythira – https://spearzen.com/spearfishing-greece
- Best time June early July September October Avoid mid-July August boat traffic fish scarcity – https://spearzen.com/spearfishing-greece
- Visibility 10-30m Species Dentex Grouper Dusky Goldblotch White Seabream Amberjack Parrotfish Octopus – https://spearzen.com/spearfishing-greece
- Eliminating need for special spearfishing licence in 2017 As of 2024 you do not need license – https://spearzen.com/spearfishing-greece
- Dive buoy with flag mandatory stay within 50 meters – https://spearzen.com/spearfishing-greece
- Daily catch limits up to 5kg per day or one larger fish – https://spearzen.com/spearfishing-greece
- Spearfishing confined daylight hours sunrise to sunset torch prohibited – https://spearzen.com/spearfishing-greece
- Not allowed to spearfish in May spawning – https://spearzen.com/spearfishing-greece
- One fish Epinephelus species per spearo per day – https://spearzen.com/spearfishing-greece
- Distance at least 300 meters from swimming areas – https://spearzen.com/spearfishing-greece
- Certain areas NATURA 2000 sites military zones off-limits fines confiscation – https://spearzen.com/spearfishing-greece
- Minimum legal sizes Epinephelus groupers at least 45cm fish under 150g prohibited – https://spearzen.com/spearfishing-greece
- Cyclades including tranquil Sifnos Naxos Antiparos hotspots for octopus fishing – https://spearzen.com/spearfishing-greece
- Lesvos known for its seafood Crete quaint villages Agia Galini Plaka octopus culinary highlight Peloponnese Gytheio Laconia staple – https://spearzen.com/spearfishing-greece
- Saronic Gulf formed Attica Argolis consists Aegean Sea trip includes three destinations islands Aegina Moni Poros all-day experience begins Piraeus port early morning boat ride most beautiful places freediving – https://thekaseproject.com/tour/all-day-spearfishing-in-the-saronic-gulf/
- First stop Aegina Explore most beautiful beaches dive expert best spearfishing spots Not far small island Moni natural habitat great range wild animals deer peacocks sea bottom filled various fish species third last stop Poros dive last time – https://thekaseproject.com/tour/all-day-spearfishing-in-the-saronic-gulf/
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Last Updated on August 19, 2026 by admin