The Best Diving and Snorkeling Destinations in Croatia
Yachts Croatia
Yachts Croatia is the only yachting & lifestyle magazine on the Adriatic.
The Croatian Undersea is A World Worth Discovering
The pleasures of the Adriatic by sailing along the coastline, hidden nooks, gastronomy, and history are overflowing sources of inspiration, but the most beautiful part of it, the one hiding under the surface still remains undiscovered.
We have selected the top 3 diving locations with tips for exploring the wonders of of the marine world.
ZADAR ARCHIPELAGO
The North Dalmatian island is part of the Zadar archipelago and home to the beautiful?Tela??ica Nature Park, and its bays, beaches, and, of course, Tela??ica as the largest and safest bay in the Adriatic, offer numerous snorkeling opportunities, from cliffs near the Veli Rat lighthouse, the wreck of Michele, Me?anj Island, to Brbi??ica cave on the west coast of the island. In Tela??ica Bay itself, there are 250 animal and 300 plant species, from jellyfish, starfish, crabs, and good dolphins who still like to come to this bay and delight swimmers and sailors.
In the north, in the bay of ?iroka on Premuda, there is one of the most famous locations, an underwater cavern called the Cathedral. However, for more in-depth exploration, it is necessary to dive with tanks and a guide. But south of Dugi Otok, the scattered?Kornati?islands will greet you with an abundance of underwater life, incomparable to any location on the Adriatic, due to the protection laws of national parks.
PAKLENI ISLANDS
Not far from Hvar, this small paradise of almost twenty?Pakleni Islands hides, with their beautiful morphology continuing directly into the crystal-clear underwater world. This world-famous archipelago has been rightfully declared a natural monument. No wonder that since prehistoric times, sailors have settled here, and the underwater world hides not only the ancient remains of ships but also infrastructure. Next to the most famous location, Kampanel Rock, which rises from 46 meters of depth to about ten meters below the surface near Veli Vodnjak, there is an interesting Sika made up of several vertical rocks rising from the seabed to the surface.
At the tip of?Hvar, known as Cape Pelegrin, or further south, there is Vela Gar?ka with an underwater cave 30 meters long and an entrance at a depth of only five meters. However, the most beautiful thing about these heavenly islands is that in almost every bay when you jump into the water from a boat, whether on Par?anj, Dobri Otok, Marinkovac, or the largest St. Clement, you will discover a limestone wealth in which numerous fish and crabs have found their habitat, from shellfish and octopuses to the queens of the underwater world, groupers.
领英推荐
VIS ISLAND
With its strategic position,?Vis has been a port of salvation for millennia as well as the cause of many conflicts, so it is not surprising that numerous sailors have found their final resting place in its underwater world. Therefore, whether it is snorkeling or scuba diving, natural beauty, or historical wrecks, Vis might be the best diving destination on the Adriatic.
Stiniva and Srebrna are undoubtedly the two most popular snorkeling locations, as they offer safe anchorages and are relatively shallow and interesting. On the southern part of the island, the coast continues vertically into the sea, reaching depths of over 100 meters, and such walls often teem with life.
But a real treat for underwater photographers is the Green Cave on Ravnik Island, as the?cave's vault with two entrances allows sunlight to create an almost surreal play of light, and only a fraction of what lies underwater is visible on the surface. On Bi?evo Island, the Blue Cave is more attractive, but at least in season, you won't swim there.
OTHER INCREDIBLE DIVING LOCATIONS
If you are interested in more, read our detailed guide here.