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SCUBA DIVING IN CROATIA
With more than 5800 km coastline and about 1180 islands, Croatian coast is among
the most beautiful in the world and provide idyllic settings for scuba diving.
Croatian islands have been proclaimed as the most beautiful islands in the world.
Croatian coast of the Adriatic sea lies on karst and is full of underwater caves,
archaeological sites and wrecks ranging from Roman galleys to an Austro-Hungarian
liner and second world war shipping.
Biggest treasure for attracting all kinds of divers is rich flora and fauna.
Croatian waters are rumored to be among the clearest in the world.
They offer scuba divers a wide range of excellent diving opportunities.
On the best days, you might have about 25 meters of visibility under water, which is an exceptional distance.
The oldest localities containing the remains of sunken ships date from the
times of Antiquity, and are to be found on the ancient trading routes leading from
Greece towards northern Italy, and all the colonies founded along that route on the
shores of the Adriatic: Cavtat (Epidaurus), Mljet (Meleda), Korcula ( Korkira), Hvar
( Pharos), Vis (Issa), Split (Asphalatos / Spalatum), Solin (Salona), Trogir (Tragurium),
Rogoznica (Heracleia), anchorage sites in the Kornati archipelago (Žirje, Lavsa, Murter),
the wider area of Šibenik and Zadar (Liburnia / Jadera), Pula (Pola), Roman villas on
the Brijuni islands, and many other micro-locations once used by ancient mariners as refuges and anchorages.
The best diving opportunities are mostly found along the southern parts of the
coast, and on the many Croatian islands' sea-facing sides.
These areas are also the parts that offer the most diverse diving opportunities,
because the southern part of the coast are closer to deeper waters, which makes
fish types more varied and plentiful.
Split is the main centre for flight and ferry connections.
Nearest dive location is Bol on the island of Brac.
The more remote island of Vis is another good introduction to Croatian diving.
The town of Komiza on the western tip has a good selection of wrecks ranging from Roman
galleys to an Austro-Hungarian liner and second world war shipping.
Another versatile location is Vela Luka on the Island of Korcula.
Underwater world of Vela Luka is the most complex and the most interesting in the Mediterranean.
In the central part of croatian Adriatic Sea, about 15 Nm to the west from Sibenik town,
7 Nm to the southwest from Murter, or 15 Nm to the south from Zadar town,
there is amazing group of islands named Kornati archipelago.
The Kornati area is virtually inexhaustible in its variety of
locations offering quite specific types of underwater relief: steep
walls teeming with life, underwater caves, crevices and passages covering a large area of northern Dalmatia.
Shallows Tenki, in last few years, became one of the most favored diving spots on northern side of
island Krk, and just because it offers varieties of flora and fauna from its top to its deepest
point of about 40 meters.
Northern Adriatic is more attended by scuba divers because
of its shallow waters and rich sea vegetation, and especially because along
Istrian coast there are few old wrecks.
But in the northern Adriatic sea is more blur than in other parts of Adriatic,
so there you can expect little bit lower diving visibility.
There are numerous diving centers and clubs along the coast of Croatia.
They organize diving courses for both, the beginners and experienced divers
and snorkeling courses for children. All courses are very affordable and highly professional.
They also hire equipment and offer excursions in the most beautiful locations.
Here you can find some offer for scuba diving and scuba diving equipment.
BEST LOCATIONS FOR DIVING
ISTRA
West coast of Istria is generally low. In the north, the depth is around 20m, and in the south around the Pula, about 40m.
The northern part is more mudy and bleary.
The east coast is reversed, depths around Uc(ka are reaching below 50m, a mostly rocky bottom, a habitat rich with
shrimp.
For diving muddy bottoms are not interesting. For diving, the most interesting part is the rocky bottom to 30m of depth.
Northern Adriatic Sea has a large number of submerged karst phenomena, especially caves and passages - on
Banjole island near Rovinj and Frašker and Fraškeric' near Pula.
Special story in the biological sense are the many shipwrecks in particular along the western coast of Istria around which a wealth of
fish and lobster gather.!
KVARNER
Carved into the land, Istria is the nearest destination for diving in the western and eastern parts of Europe.
There are numerous national and international diving centers.
Seabed is rich in natural beauty. Diving along the walls the diver encounters life which is breathtaking.
The vast walls, caves, reefs, holes in which a diver can find octopus, lobsters, groupers, conger eel.
Diving in shallow water, also available for beginner divers, offers plenty of diversity of life.
It is particularly challenging diving around sunken ships such as the 'Szent Istvan' at the island Premuda.
Bura wind which is common in the Kvarner region gives a better transparency of the sea and together with the virginal untouched seabed riches, give
the possibility of enjoying the beauties of the underwater world.!
North Dalmatia
Zadar archipelago has islands and islets like no part of the Adriatic. Configuration of the underwater corresponds
the configuration of the mainland. This part of the Adriatic Sea is characterized by a large number of shallow and deep diving locations.
Arrangement of the islands makes anchoring and diving possible in almost any wind.
In this part of the Adriatic there are not many wrecks to dive, but a diver may find many underwater walls,
and canyons. The underwater world has a lot of caves, most known is the
Cathedral on the island Premuda. Aqutorium is rich in fish and suitable for fotosafari.
Out the back of Kornati has sharp vertical cliffs and difficult to mistake this site for diving.
For diving inside the nature park Telaščica and in some parts of the Kornati you should seek special permission to dive.
Islet Mežanj with Long Island is a very attractive location for diving. Near the northern tip of Long Island there is an
attractive location for diving with beautiful walls. Rt Bonaster on Molat and islet Golac make the passage in which is the canyon
which starts at 5 and ends at 50m depth. Diving beginners have to be careful because this
end has strong currents. Especially between Rivnj and Sestrunj and Rivnj and Ugljan.
It is recommended diving in the bay Soline Iz, and in the bay of St. Ante on Silba.
Long Island is one of the best locations for diving in the Adriatic.
Central Dalmatia
Since the central Dalmatian islands led waterways since ancient times, there are a lot of underwater archaeological
sites suitable for diving. Cradle of diving in the Adriatic, the area of the southern part of the Kornati archipelago,
where sponge-men from Krapanj, at the beginning of the last century, drew sponges and corals.
Around Primosten are interesting diving locations such as the islets of Small and Large Smokvica.
Outer side of Solta is attractive for diving with a steep and wild coast of the island with numerous caves in the sea.
Around the island of Brač and Hvar are also suitable diving sites, as well as caves in the bay Lučice, the passage to the tip of Kabal in Hvar,
then near the town of Hvar locations Vodnjak, Stambedar, Vela Garška, Cape Pelegrin.
Vis Island is a rich area for interesting diving. Around the entrance to the redundant port are the remains from Greek and Roman times.
Atrativne wrecks around the island of Vis, which attract many divers are allowed to visit only with the authorized company of divers from
diving centers. .Green Ravnik cave on the island, Blue Grotto and Medvjeda on Biševo are also interesting for diving.!
South Dalmatia
Coasts of Lastovo, Sušac and Mljet are a paradise for scuba diving because in one dive you can find quite different
forms of rocks, crevices and small caves. Some caves are a unique phenomenon, like the cave Rikavica on Mljet.
Traces of ancient history can be found while diving in the north coast of Mljet. East of Lastovo there are cliffs of the archipelago
Vrhovnjaci and Lukovnjaci. On the north side of Lastovo is a must location for scuba diving, island Bijelac.
Well-known diving locations around the island of Korcula are Cape Ključ and Bay Zaklopatica. On the western side of Korcula, from town
Korcula to Prigradica, traces of archaeological sites can be found.
Coast of Peljesac to Mljet is uninhabited, but along the coast mostly wrecks from World War II can be found.
Elafiti, Jakljan, Sipan, Koločep had once been a rich area of coral.
Well-preserved and trademark locations with antique ships, around Cavtat attract many divers. Active diving centers
each year find some archeological site.
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