Cave diving at Palinuro and in the Cilento

• Capo Palinuro has ~35 sea caves, all reached only by sea. You dive them by boat from Palinuro harbour with a local centre (Palinuro Sub is open April–November). In summer tour boats pass the caves about every half hour between 9:00 and 18:00: watch for boat traffic at the entrances. • Rules at Capo Palinuro: no marine protected area found; the cape lies in the Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni National Park. According to palinuro.it the Capitaneria di Porto has issued rules for the caves, but we could not find the text — ask your dive centre. In June 2017, after 15 deaths since 1984, the president of the Vallo della Lucania court called for a dive ban in the most dangerous caves, mandatory dive notification to the Capitaneria and closure of the passages with most deaths; whether this was implemented is not known. • Hazards: sulphur springs with hydrogen sulphide (H₂S), e.g. in the Grotta Azzurra, at Cala Fetente and in the Grotta del Sangue — never breathe air from air bells; fine silt that quickly takes away the visibility; maze passages and dead ends. Fatal accidents in 1984, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2012 and 2016. • AMP Costa degli Infreschi e della Masseta (Camerota and San Giovanni a Piro), managed by the Ente Parco: diving only at designated sites and with authorisation (Park form; PEC parco.cilentodianoealburni@pec.it; offices in Camerota and San Giovanni a Piro). 2025 fee for independent diving by non-residents: €10/day, €20/week, €40/month — the table lists them for zone C only, so as a visitor you dive the zone B caves in practice with an authorised centre. The Grotta del Cannone and the Grotta dell'Acqua Fredda are guided dives only. Max 3 authorised dives per day per underwater cave (4 at other sites). Mooring only on the numbered yellow buoys (max 2 h for independent dives), approach at max 3 knots; no diving in zone A. • Water: ~24 °C at depth in summer (2020 trip report, 5 mm suit); in the Grotta Azzurra seawater measured 17–17.6 °C and spring water up to <25 °C (1996). • Gas: no trimix or O₂ fill station found; Palinuro Sub fills and rents cylinders (gases not stated). Arrange O₂ and diluent for CCR in advance. No CCR or scooter rental found. • Emergency numbers: 112; coast guard 1530; DAN Europe +39 06 4211 5685. • Hyperbaric chambers (SIMSI list, March 2024): Salerno – AOU San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona, Largo Ippocrate 1, 84131 Salerno (+39 089 672756, +39 089 673387; 24 h emergency: yes), ~2 h drive (estimate). Naples – AORN Cardarelli, Via Cardarelli 9, 80131 Napoli (+39 081 747 4102, +39 081 747 4098; 24 h). Basilicata has no chamber on the list. A former chamber in Palinuro closed (2001 report). Call 112 and DAN first. • Rest day: boat trip along the Capo Palinuro caves, the Grotta delle Ossa below Castello di Molpa (prehistoric bones, by sea only) and the Infreschi bay.