The Mysterious Underwater Cities

Even though the most famous underwater city of all, Atlantis, is probably a myth, there are a number of well-known submerged metropolises around the world. Some of these cities are well known to history, while others are mysterious and unexplained.

For most of human history, these communities were lost to view, but today diving equipment, robots, submarines, and underwater cameras bring them back to life. Today archeologists, tourists, historians, and others can visit and explore underwater cities much as they explore ruins or abandoned communities. Every day more and more underwater cities are giving up their treasures.

Here is a documentary named "Sunken Civilizations: Secrets of Lost Cities Underwater", from which you can visit some amazing underwater cities with the divers.

1 Pavlopetri, Greece

Nobody knows what the real name of this community is because it sank into the waters off the southern tip of Greece's Peloponnese peninsula 5,000 years ago. Pavlopetri, or Peter and Paul's stone, is the modern name for the inlet where the ruins are submerged. The ruins were discovered in 1967 and were found to contain an almost complete community, including streets and tombs. Nobody knows who built the town. It was originally assumed to be part of the Mycenaean civilization, but archeologists now believe it is older and possibly Minoan in origin. Historians think Pavlopetri might have been destroyed by an earthquake that destroyed the Minoan civilization on Crete around 1000 BCE.

2 Port Royal, Jamaica

The city at the mouth of Kingston Harbor was once a famous base for pirates and privateers. The pirates used Port Royal as a base to raid the treasure ships of the famed Spanish Main. At one time pirates from all over the world gathered in the city under the protection of the notorious British governor and pirate Sir Henry Morgan. At its height in the late 17th Century, Port Royal contained four forts and 2,000 buildings. Famous visitors included notorious pirates like Calico Jack, Charles Vane, and Blackbeard. Most of Port Royal sank beneath the Caribbean in an earthquake in 1692. The city sank because the silt it was built on gave way during the earthquake. Modern archeologists have discovered that much of the city, including pirates' taverns, docks, and ships are still preserved under Kingston Harbor.

3 Dwarka, India

This ancient city was considered a myth until divers discovered ruins off the coast of the Indian state of Gujarat in 2000. The Hindus believe that Dwarka was built by Lord Krishna and once contained 70,000 palaces. Researchers from India's National Institute of Ocean Technology found the ruins in the Gulf of Khamabhat. Nobody knows who built the cities submerged in the Arabian Sea. The ruins could be some of the oldest in the world: carbon dating has revealed that wood dredged from the site dates to around 7400 BCE, or around 9,000 years ago, predating any known civilization. It is not known how or why the city sank, but scientists believe the Arabian Sea was 100 meters lower than its current level as recently as 2,000 years ago.

4 The Pyramid of Yonaguni or Yonaguni Monument, Japan

Like Dwarka, the submerged pyramid off the Japanese island of Yonaguni has created controversy. Divers discovered the "pyramid" with staircase-like terraces in 1986. Since then some scientists have labeled it a rock formation, but Masaaki Kimura, a seismology professor, believes that it was built between 2,000 and 3,000 years ago. That means it predates any known Japanese civilization if it really is manmade. The design of the pyramid is similar to those found in Mexico and Central America. The pyramid is very mysterious because there are no other underwater structures in the area.

5 Lion City, China

Even though this city is over 1,400 years old, it has only been submerged for less than 60 years. Lion City was flooded in 1959 when the Chinese government built a hydroelectric dam on the Xin'an River and created Qiandao Lake. The city, also called Shi Cheng, dates to 621 AD. Lion City is now popular with divers because it has been shown to be largely intact. Shi Cheng is a fairly large city with over 265 arches and five towers on the walls around the city. Another submerged city under Qiandao Lake is believed to be even older: He Cheng might date back the Dong Han Dynasty, which ruled from 25 to 200 AD.

6 Heracleion or Thonis

This submerged city could be one of the world's oldest cities. It might date as far back as 1200 BC. At one point, Heracleion was Ancient Egypt's main port, while today it is submerged in the harbor of modern day Alexandria. The city features in many legends: Hercules was supposed to have visited the city and gave it its Greek name, and Helen of Troy may have also dropped in for a visit. Heracleion was built on islands in the Nile Delta. It probably sank in the third or fourth century BC because the river washed away the silt it was built upon. At one time scientists thought that Heracleion and Thonis were separate cities. Historians only realized they were the same place when divers located the city in 2000.

7 The Temple Under Lake Titicaca, Peru

The world's highest submerged city might lay beneath the waters of Lake Titicaca on the Peruvian-Bolivian border, the world's highest lake in elevation. Lake Titicaca is 12,507 feet in elevation, and it is the largest lake in South America. Archeologists located the temple in 2000 after following a submerged road. The 200-meter-tall temple is thought to be 1,000 to 1,500 years old. It probably predates the Inca Civilization and may have been built by a people called the Tiahuanaco people. Its discovery seems to confirm Inca legends that their civilization began on the lake. It is not known why the temple sank or if there are more submerged buildings in the area.

8 Villa Epecuen, Argentina

This Argentine town might be the world's newest submerged city. During the 1970s it was a thriving community with 5,000 residents and 300 businesses. It sank beneath the bodies of a lake called Lago Epecuen in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Recently the waters have receded, revealing a ghostly landscape that includes playgrounds, trees, utility poles, and dozens of houses. Today there's only one resident named Pablo Novak, a former resident who moved back after the water started to recede in 2009.

9 Ontario's Lost Villages

You don't have to travel far to find submerged communities—simply go to Ontario near the New York border. Ten small Canadian villages disappeared beneath the water when the Saint Lawrence Seaway was built in the late 1950s. Some structures from the towns were moved to Ault Park and an Upper Canada Village to serve as monuments when the area was flooded. The flooded region in the townships of Cornwall and Osnabruck include a portion of the Cornwall Canal. Sidewalks and building foundations can be seen from the shore. The flooded area also includes Crysler's Farm, where a major battle between American and British-Canadian forces was fought during the War of 1812.

Underwater Museums

There are underwater museums all over the world, some of which were built intentionally, while others were landmarks that sunk and have been turned into attractions.

 

Underwater sculptures in Molinere Bay

The Grenada Underwater Sculpture Park in Molinere Bay, Grenada, and the Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), located off the coast of Isla Mujeres in Mexico's Riviera Maya, were created by artists to promote the continued growth of coral and underwater life by using marine-grade cement. MUSA is home to as many as 500 submerged whimsical sculptures.

Herod’s Harbor underwater museum 

Herod’s Harbor underwater museum is an 18,580-square-foot archaeological park located in Caesarea, Israel, that dates back to 10 BC and includes historical remnants from the Roman Empire like sunken ships, anchors, harbor foundations, and columns. Today, the park has trails marked by underwater sign-posts and water-proof maps to allow you to explore the sunken sites.

View of Baiheliang Underwater Museum building

The Underwater view at the museum 

The Baiheliang Underwater Museum in Chongqing, China, houses the Baiheliang stone tablet, an ancient water calculation structure that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tablet was submerged during the Three Gorges Dam Project but you can walk along closed corridors of the museum and view its inscriptions through portholes 122 feet below the Yangtze River.  

Underwater Entertainment

Subsix Niyama Resort Maldives 

Subsix, located in the Niyama resort in Dhaalu Atoll in the Maldives, is the world's first underwater nightclub. You can get views of the sea life in the Indian Ocean while partying.

The structure was constructed on land before being submerged and includes a coral regeneration program where broken bits of live coral are attached to the frames and lowered underwater to grow.

The spa in Huvagen Fushi Resort 

While hotels once used to offer seaside massages, the Huvagen Fushi resort in Kaagu Atoll, Maldives, takes its spa treatments directly underwater with its Lime Spa, the world's first oceanic massage center.

Vanuatu's Underwater Post Office

Vanuatu's Underwater Post Office, situated within the Hideaway Island marine sanctuary near Port Vila, has a Post Office that sits 9 feet underwater. Snorkelers and divers can send waterproof postcards both locally and internationally at a starting rate of $3. Opening hours for the Post Office are posted on the beach at Hideaway Island, with a flag raised on a float above the site to indicate when there are postal workers in the water.

  Clear Lounge Mexico

There is also the Clear Lounge,Cozumel , Mexico, which offers a half-hour experience where guests can enter a 13,000 gallon underwater lounge with oxygen helmets and play Jenga, have photos taken in the photo booth, and shoot bubble guns. You have to be over the age of eight to enter, and tickets cost $38 per person. 

Underwater tennis court

Finally, in Dubai, Polish architect, Krzysztof Kotala has completed the initial designs for the world’s first underwater tennis complex , which would have seven arenas built with clear roof structures where visitors could view marine creatures surrounding them. The designer revealed that the project could take around five years to complete, and he is still waiting on investors to pick up the project. 

Underwater Restaurants

The exclusive underwater dining experience is another area that's growing in popularity. In these restaurants, the food is prepared on an upper-level kitchen located above water, before being brought down by the staff for your meal.

The first to open was Ithaa, located in the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island in the Maldives. The restaurant opened its doors in 2005, allowing guests to have their meals in a clear acrylic tube 5 meters (16 ft.) under the Indian Ocean. The restaurant is surrounded with 180-degree views of fish, sharks, and coral reefs.

Cargo Hold Restaurant 

Then comes the Cargo Hold Restaurant

Housed within the stern of the Phantom Ship, a tribute to Durban’s coastal ghost lore, Cargo Hold Restaurant incorporates the region’s culture and history into its ambiance. Menu items include freshly shucked oysters, mussels, and honey ginger panko prawns that can be enjoyed while dining in this faux sunken ship surrounded by sharks.

 

 

Subsix restaurants 

Subsix, the restaurant  Located nearly 20 feet below the Indian Ocean, Subsix earns bragging rights as the world’s first underwater club. International DJs spin as patrons dance beneath the waves. The floor-to-ceiling windows lining the walls of the bar provide spectacular night views of the illuminated ocean floor. More than 545 yards from the coast, Subsix is only accessible by boat from the Niyama Resort.

Aquarium restaurant This “underwater dining adventure” is right in the heart of Nashville. Located within the Opry Mills Mall, the Aquarium Restaurant offers expansive underwater views of its 200,000-gallon aquarium. The menu includes mahi mahi, shrimp, and macadamia–crusted tilapia, paired with views of an aquarium that houses more than 100 species of fish from around the world.

The Aquarium has additional restaurant locations in Denver, Colorado and Houston and Kemah, Texas.

Restaurant of anantra Kihavah villas

Others include SEA, in the Anantara Kihavah Villas at Kihavah Huravalhi Island, Maldives, where the mirrored designs reflect the surrounding ocean for stunning views, and the Cargo Hold Restaurant, housed within the stern of the Phantom Ship in Durban, South Africa, where diners get views of surrounding sharks.

Underwater resorts

There are a variety of underwater accommodations that are already out there for travelers. Most of the accommodations are set only partially underwater, allowing them to continue to use normal electricity and plumbing, and maintain a normalized pressure so guests aren't uncomfortable when adjusting to changes in water pressure. However, they offer guests the unique opportunity to sleep under the sea.

The Underwater Room in Manta Resort 

The Underwater Room in the Manta Resort in Pemba Island, Zanzibar, is only accessible by boarding a wooden boat that takes you to the hotel floating in the sea. The deck is located above water, but your bedroom is sunken to give you views of the schools of fish. If you're feeling hungry, you can request catered meals from the hotel's main location on the island to be delivered to you by boat. Rates start at $1,500 per night. 

Underwater suits in Atlantis Palm Dubai

The Underwater Suites at Atlantis,Palm in Dubai offers luxurious underwater accommodations with large windows that feature up-close views of marine life. To access the underwater suites, guests enter the ground floor, located above water and descend three floors. The rooms come with one aquarium wall for viewing. Rooms start at around $5,000 per night.

There's also the Utter Inn in Västerås, Sweden, where guests reach their room by boat and climb down a ladder to a small but cozy underwater room, and Jules' Undersea Lodge in Florida's Key Largo, where guest scuba dive 19 meters (62 feet) down to their rooms.

Jules'Underwater Lodge

The oldest underwater accommodation is Jules’ Undersea Lodge, in Key Largo, Florida, which sits 21 feet underwater and is accessible by scuba diving to an opening on the bottom. This is why the hotel requires that you be certified in scuba diving to stay here. If you’re not, they offer a program on the premises for training. Rates start at $800 per night for a double room, which includes a scuba diving pizza delivery dinner, secured in a water-tight briefcase that's brought to you by a hotel diver.

In addition, there are several hotels set to open in the future.

The Poseidon Undersea Resorts
, set to open in Fiji, will feature 25 suites, an underwater restaurant and bar, a library, conference, room, wedding chapel, and a spa. Guests will be transported to their underwater accommodations by an elevator located at the end of the pier.

They also plan to have a three-passenger submersible submarine which guests can use to explore the ocean. 

The Water Discus hotel in Dubai, designed by Deep Ocean Technology, has a design plan which will include 21 luxury suites located in two main discs, with one being above water where guests will enter, and the other below. 

Here are the most fascinating innovations in underwater travel

Two-thirds of our world is made up of water, which is why travel operators are starting to integrate underwater attractions into travel. It's the next frontier in the travel industry, as the area underneath our oceans has largely yet to be explored.

There is already an array of underwater restaurants, resorts, tours, and transportation available around the world today— and that's bound to grow even more in the future.

Here are some of the most fascinating innovations in underwater travel.

The "lover deep" submarine 

● Underwater transportation

One of the biggest underwater tour operators is Atlantis Adventures,which hosts Submarine Cruises where tourists can explore the waters of destinations like Hawaii, Barbados, Aruba, and Catalina Island through recreational submarines that dive through sea life. 

But besides submarine tours, there's a new market for privatized submarine experiences. British travel company Oliver's Travels created a specially adapted submarine in St. Lucia known as Lovers Deep, an underwater vessel where couples can spend the night in a private accommodation. The submarine, which is already available for use, is staffed by a crew of three, a captain, chef, and butler, and can be taken to locations chosen by the customer.

It's not cheap, at £175,000 per night ($274,694), but each interior of the private submarine room is set to be designed and manufactured to your specifications and includes a two-person bathroom and double bedroom with ocean views. Speedboat transfers come with the package, but you can also request helicopter transfer with a beach landing through the company's Concierge Service. 

Scientists are also working on creating a high-speed supersonic submarine as a means of passenger transport. A group of Chinese scientists have been developing a technology to create a submarine that can travel from Shanghai to San Francisco in less than two hours, according to the South China Morning Post. However, before the technology can be completed an underwater rocket engine will need to be created to allow for the long range needed for the vessel, according to the International Business Times. 

● Here are few of the most fascinating underwater transportation that you might have never heard of

1. Underwater seaplane

One of the most extraordinary features of the catamaran is the Necker Nymph, the latest marine exploration toy, designed especially for Virgin Limited Edition. It is an electrical submersible ship, in which two passengers seated next to an experienced pilot can dive to depths of 90 feet for up to two hours with a speed of 6 knots to explore the radiant underwater beauty of the British Virgin Islands. 

A friendly and expert crew of six will ensure that your vacation aboard the Necker Belle is a unique opportunity for fun and pleasure with luxury in an idyllic corner of the Caribbean. But if you want to rent it you must hurry, because recently Sir Richard Branson has put the ship up for sale. The price? Around 11.6 million.

2.Scubster Pedal Sub

Scubster, the Schwinn of the deep, is a man-powered submarine that can get up to 6 mph under the sea, which is just fast enough to not feel completely stupid, and still work up a sweat.

3.Spymaster One-Man Mini Sub

Spymaster, describing itself as "London's leading spy shop," does not advertise the price of any of their items, but outside sources confirm this diminutive aqua scooter costs a little under $20k. If the prospect of an underwater Vespa appeals to your sensibilities—and you don't mind being alone—this may be the sub of choice for you.

4.DeepFlight Dragon

Though the combination of the phrases "all-electric" and "underwater" may cause some worry, the hover-capable DeepFlight Dragon is one of the premier mini-subs on the market, and can go for six hours on one lithium battery charge.

5.Subversive Mini Cruises

This mini jet ski is the latest and greatest aquatic accessory. The Seabob Cayago F7 is not what you would imagine a jet ski to be; instead of being a giant, heavy vehicle, you must hook it onto the back of your truck.

When the warm weather hits, you will want to hit the beach to catch some rays. You can use this Seabob to travel up to 9 miles an hour, both on top of the water and underneath it. Of course, since it can move speedily as you are submersed, it limits your depth—don’t try and go explore the depths of the ocean.

For your safety, all underwater models from Seabob are set to a maximum depth of 2.5 meters for the average user. However, scuba divers can set it to a depth of 40 meters.