The Edro III Shipwreck

Good to know

• Tourist attraction
• Opening hoursVaries by day
• Parking
• Good for kids
• 4.7 / 59,740 reviews
• Cyprus

The story behind the wreck

Edro III was an ageing cargo vessel, Albanian-owned and registered in Sierra Leone, built in Norway in the 1960s. On the evening of 7 December 2011 she left the port of Limassol bound for the Greek island of Rhodes, carrying a cargo of plasterboard and a crew of nine—seven Albanian and two Egyptian sailors. Shortly into the voyage the weather turned violently, and in heavy seas the ship struck a rock and was driven onto the sea cliffs of Pegeia the following morning.↗↗↗

Thankfully all nine crew were rescued and airlifted to safety by a British military helicopter. Salvage teams promptly pumped out the fuel and cleared the hydrocarbons on board to protect the coastline, work completed by October 2013. But towing the roughly 2,300–2,500-tonne hull off the rocks proved far harder than anyone expected: the local municipality carried out several studies and attempts, all abandoned because of the difficulty, and there are no current plans to remove her. So the Edro III stays where she ran aground, listing some 11–12 degrees against the stone, battered daily by the waves.↗↗

Why people come

The draw is the light and the incongruity of it. Because the shore faces west, sunsets here are spectacular, and as the afternoon fades the rust-orange of the hull catches a glow that contrasts vividly with the green-blue sea and pale cliffs. Photographers arrive early to stake out a vantage among the rocks—sometimes the popular foreground spots fill quickly—and visitors return again and again to watch the sky burn red behind the stranded ship.↗↗

There is also a strange poetry to it. As one photographer put it, you can be forgiven for mixed emotions standing here: an idyllic stretch of coast marked by a decaying vessel, yet one that has become part of the landscape and, improbably, one of the island's most beloved landmarks. The turquoise water crashing against the rocks around the nearby sea caves gives the scene its drama, and the wreck has become a favourite backdrop for engagement shoots and golden-hour portraits.↗

Where it sits and what's nearby

The Edro III rests on the rocks beside the Sea Caves on the Pegeia coastline, on the western edge of the Paphos area. It is easy to combine with the surrounding highlights: the swimmable limestone Sea Caves lie right next to the wreck, while the Tombs of the Kings archaeological site, the beaches of Coral Bay and the wild Akamas Peninsula are all within a short drive along this scenic stretch of coast.↗↗

You are not alone on this coast with a shipwreck either. Further along near the Paphos lighthouse at Chloraka lies the Demetrios II, another cargo vessel that ran aground back in 1998—so for maritime-accident fans, the Edro III is the centrepiece of a whole shoreline of abandoned ships.↗↗

Visiting the Edro III

As an outdoor sight on the public coastline, the wreck is essentially always there to see, though there is an on-site operation near the address on Glykou Nerou Street whose posted daytime hours (roughly late morning to late afternoon, with slightly shorter weekends) best match an organised visit. The real show—the sunset—happens outside those listed times, so plan around the light rather than the sign. Arrive before golden hour to claim a good spot among the rocks.↗

Getting a close view means walking down to the water and out over the rocks, so wear sturdy, grippy footwear and watch your step: the stone is uneven and can be slick with spray, and the sea around the wreck can surge without warning. Keep well back from the hull itself, which is rusting and unstable. The location is generally considered fine for children under supervision, and the site is rated a favourite by thousands of visitors for good reason. Parking is available on and near the street by the coast.↗

For an alternative angle, several visitors pair the sunset with a meal or a glass of wine at a seafront restaurant overlooking the bay nearby, letting you watch the wreck glow from a comfortable distance rather than from the rocks. Whether you come for the photography, the story or simply the best light on the Paphos coast, allow at least an hour to soak in the scene as the sun goes down.↗↗