FAQs · Destination Guide
Limestone caverns, volcanic walls, and Lampione sharks at Europe's southern edge
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers sourced from research and local operating patterns.
June through October gives the best balance of warm water, active dive schedules, and workable crossings to Linosa or Lampione. July through September is the key period for a shark-focused Lampione request, with operators commonly describing the strongest window from about mid-July to late September. September is especially attractive because the sea remains warm after the August peak. May can deliver good local diving with fewer crowds, while November through April requires flexibility, warmer exposure protection, and acceptance that wind, rough water, or reduced schedules may keep the program around sheltered Lampedusa sites.
Local and specialist operators repeatedly identify July through September as Lampione's gray shark season, with some narrowing it to roughly mid-July through late September. These are wild animals, so no date, site, or operator can guarantee a sighting. Lampione is also an exposed offshore rock about 16 km from Lampedusa, and the boat may be canceled for wind, swell, current, or poor surface safety. Book several dive days, request Lampione early in the schedule, and judge the trip by the wall, pelagic fish, and protected setting rather than sharks alone.
Nonresident scuba and apnea divers in Zones B and C must conduct the activity through a dive center authorized by the marine protected area. Recreational diving and apnea are prohibited in Zone A. The official 2026 documents list annual authorization fees for operators, but the reviewed material did not identify a separate personal visitor dive tag. In practice, book an authorized center and confirm that the quoted price includes all protected-area and boat requirements. Private recreational vessels have a separate size-based authorization and fee schedule. Rules are issued annually, so recheck the current discipline before arrival.
Yes, provided beginners use an authorized center and accept site selection based on weather and skill. Lampedusa has training programs and more protected local profiles than exposed Lampione or the steepest Linosa walls. An Open Water diver should ask for calm entries, modest depth, strong guide supervision, and a clear lost-buddy and surface procedure. Punta Cappellone, current-prone walls, deep drop-offs, and blue-water shark dives may require Advanced Open Water experience or stronger recency. A checkout dive near Lampedusa is sensible before requesting a remote full-day route.
Fly to Lampedusa Airport (LMP), usually through Palermo or Catania, or take scheduled sea service from Porto Empedocle in Sicily. Liberty Lines publishes fast-craft options, while Caronte and Tourist operates conventional ferries; the latter describes roughly 6 to 7 hours to Linosa and 9 to 10 hours to Lampedusa. Lampedusa and Linosa also have inter-island service, but dates and crossings remain weather dependent. Lampione has no airport, ferry stop, lodging, or public visitor service. It is reached only by an authorized excursion or dive boat when the skipper accepts conditions.
Through June 7, 2026, Rabbit Beach is not quota-controlled but may be entered only from 08:30 to 19:30. From June 8 through October 18, the reserve uses two daily access shifts and requires a free booking through the official portal. Arrive before the slot cut-off and expect an exposed, uneven walk of roughly 800 m. Bring water, shade, and minimal permitted equipment because there are no dependable food, toilet, medical, or rescue services on the beach. Drones, smoking, pets other than guide dogs, fishing gear, and several bulky beach items are prohibited.
Lampedusa is excellent for clear-water snorkeling in a sheltered cove or on a supervised coastal boat stop, especially from June through September. Cala Croce and calm south-coast water are easier choices than exposed headlands. Freediving has strong visual potential around limestone walls and Linosa, but it requires more planning: the protected-area authorization framework covers guided apnea, and nonresidents should use an authorized provider with a qualified safety diver, line, float, oxygen, and boat support. Never train alone, and do not treat Lampione's open water as a casual breath-hold site.
Yes, but availability is seasonal. ASP Palermo states that the hyperbaric chamber at the Lampedusa Poliambulatorio normally operates each year from May 1 through September 15. Divers should still ask the operator to confirm current staffing and readiness because chamber presence does not guarantee immediate treatment for every case. Outside that window, or for complex illness and trauma, evacuation to Sicily may be necessary. Carry dive-specific insurance that covers hyperbaric care and transport, save 112, 1530, and the DAN Europe hotline, and use oxygen immediately for a suspected decompression illness while activating professional help.
Allow at least four nights for a Lampedusa-only introduction and six to eight nights when Lampione, Linosa, and topside reserve time are priorities. A useful dive plan includes one local checkout day, two flexible local or remote dive days, one weather buffer, and a final non-diving day before flying. Add one or two nights on Linosa if volcanic diving or slow island life matters more than checking it off on a rushed day trip. Travelers visiting in winter or on separate ferry and flight tickets should add more margin because sea-state delays can disrupt connections.
Zone A is closed to recreational navigation, swimming, scuba, apnea, and fishing. In Zones B and C, use authorized services where required, obey speed and mooring rules, and anchor only where permitted. Underwater, do not touch, feed, collect, move, or damage animals, plants, geology, artifacts, lines, or authority equipment. Keep fins and gauges off Posidonia and coralligenous growth, photograph archaeological material in place, and never enter a submerged cave casually. At Rabbit Beach, remain inside approved areas, avoid nests, leave drones and prohibited equipment behind, and follow ranger instructions even when wildlife is not visible.
A 3mm full suit suits many divers in peak summer, while a 5mm suit and optional hood are more comfortable in May, October, and winter. Personal tolerance, repetitive diving, wind, and long boat transits matter as much as sea-surface temperature. Bring a delayed surface marker buoy, spool, audible signal, computer, compass, and secure clips. A torch is useful for ledges and permitted cavern observation, not as permission to enter overhead water. Pack a prescription mask, charger, mouthpiece, fin strap, and exposure pieces because island replacement stock is limited. Carry batteries in cabin baggage under airline rules.
Yes. A strong non-diver plan includes a reserved Rabbit Beach session, a Lampedusa coastal boat circuit, Tabaccara viewpoints, reserve walks, Porto Vecchio, the archaeological museum, seafood evenings, and a full day or overnight on Linosa. Spring and autumn favor hiking and bird migration; July and August favor beaches but require early starts, shade, and advance booking. Turtle activity is protected rather than staged, so follow reserve closures and never seek nests at night. The turtle organization may offer reservation-based educational visits, but full rehabilitation moved to Sicily in 2023 and live animals are not guaranteed.