In 2019, we had the incredible opportunity to showcase our signature Barehanded Octopus Snorkeling on the international stage. We were featured in a Chinese-Italian co-production for the travel series “Kiss Kiss”, which aired on major global platforms like Youku.com. The episode follows Molly, a Chinese traveler exploring the wonders of Italy. Her journey through Sicily was a mix of adrenaline-fueled adventures, local delicacies, and world-class wines.
The entire episode, filmed right here in Sicily, kicks off at Mount Etna with a guided trek across those iconic black sand trails, featuring some incredible drone shots and old footage of the massive 2001 eruption. Viewers are treated to stunning drone footage of black sand trails and archival clips of historic eruptions, including the famous 2001 event. But the real heart of the episode begins when Molly hits the coast to experience our specialty: guided octopus snorkeling. We took the “Kiss Kiss” team—which included Molly, a director, a camera crew, and support staff—out on a classic boat itinerary to find the masters of camouflage.
While Molly had some diving experience, this was her first time on a professional guided snorkel tour. After a quick briefing on gear and technique, Captain Andrea led her into the vibrant underwater world of Sicilian sea urchins and marine life.
The highlight came when Andrea showed Molly how to spot an octopus “home”. It wasn’t long before a beautiful specimen appeared, hiding expertly between the rocks and sand, keeping a watchful eye on its surroundings.
The octopus put on quite a show! It used every trick in the book—spraying ink to create a diversion and rapidly changing its color and shape to appear as large as possible. This classic defense mechanism caught Molly completely off guard.
In a moment of pure, unscripted TV gold, Molly was so startled by the octopus’s sudden transformation that she scrambled out of the water and back onto the boat! It took some encouragement from the director and Andrea to convince her that she was perfectly safe. Eventually, she grew brave enough to get close to the creature for some final shots before we released it back into the blue.
To wrap up an intense day of filming, Andrea took Molly to a dinner right on the water at a historic Tonnara (an ancient tuna fishery). Now a charming seaside village filled with boutiques and restaurants, it provided the perfect backdrop for the episode’s conclusion. Over a feast of Mediterranean seafood and a selection of local wines provided by Ethica Wines, they toasted to an unforgettable Sicilian adventure.
