Croatia Top Ten Scuba Diving Locations!

What you should know before you visit any of these scuba diving locations!

If you need more info about scuba diving locations!

We have chosen Ten top Scuba Diving destinations in Croatia starting from Istria to Dubrovnik. You will also find all necessary information on where to buy or rent scuba equipment, best diving zones, forbidden diving zones, obtaining diving licenses, taking courses, exploring underwater caves and ship wrecks. If you decide to visit one or any of 10 top scuba diving locations we suggest you to rent or charter one of our sail boats.

Please keep in mind that your visit to any of scuba diving locations must be organized by authorized diving club or diving center. You will find some of my preferred diving clubs HERE.

To gain an insight into the wealth of the Croatia Adriatic sea, we suggest these top ten locations:

Scuba Diving Location 1: Istria, Baron Gautsch

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Depth: 28-42 metres Experience required: advanced level.One of the most visited scuba diving destinations. Attraction: wreck of a passenger ferry Description: The Baron Gautsch sank in 1914 when it struck an underwater mine. It served as a passenger ship on the route from Kotor to Trieste. The upper deck is to be found at 28, and the lower at 36 metres. The bottom is at 42 metres. The wreck is well preserved. Entrance into the ship is possible.

Scuba Diving Location 2: Cres, Lina

Depth: 22-55 metres Experience required: advanced level.It's one of the most difficult scuba diving destinations. Attraction: wreck of a trade ship Description: The Lina was used for transporting wood from Rijeka to Sicily, but due to thick fog, she struck an underwater reef and sank. The wreck is well preserved. It lies on a sediment bottom. The top of the bow is at 22 metres and the stern is at 55 metres. Entrance inside the ship is possible.

Scuba Diving Location 3: Susak, reef Margarina

Depth: 5 – 40 metres Experience required: beginner to advanced level Attraction: the remainders of the ship-wreckage, “tequilas”, fragments of amphorae Description: the underwater canyon begins a few meters to the left of the centre of the reef, which descends from 5 to 17 metres and in the incision is the wreck of a ship, which was used to transport construction materials.

From this point on, the terrain continues to descend further. Approximately a hundred meters away at a depth of 20 metres are the remainders of the “tequilas”, pillars used in construction. Numerous schools of fish swim above the reef top and fragments of amphorae can be found in many of the reef recesses.

Scuba Diving Location 4: Kornati, Rašip

Depth: 3-65 metres.Experience required: beginner to advanced level. One of the most beautiful scuba diving destinations. Attraction: colourful and diverse sea life. Description: on the outer side of the island is a cliff, which descends from a depth of 3 to 65 metres. The sea is crystal clear, often with a visibility of over 40 metres. The wall is overgrown with corals, sponges, mosses and many schools of various species of fish swimming about.

Scuba Diving Location 5: Pakleni islands, Stambedar

Depth: 5 – 45 metres Experience required: beginner to advanced level. Attractions: beautiful gorgonians, rich sea world. Description: Stambedar is a small island belonging to the group of islands called the Pakleni islands. It is interesting to divers because of the beautiful underwater wall, which extends from 5 to 45 metres in depth. Numerous red and lilac gorgonians can be found in the depths of the Pakleni islands. The site is crowded with fishes, algae, snails, sea urchins and other sea creatures.

Scuba Diving Location 6: Sušac, Te Vega

Depth: 5 – 35 metres Experience required: beginner to advanced level. Attractions: sea pond. Description: a pond is located near the cape at Na Žene. Access is possible only through an underwater tunnel, found at a depth of 5 metres and is approximately 2 metres in length. Steep cliffs surround the pond, which are 5 to 3 metres deep. When entering the open water it is possible to head either to the left or right towards the underwater wall, which is overgrown with sea organisms.

Scuba Diving Location 7: Biševo, Modra Spilja (Blue Cave)

Depth: 3 – 40 metres Experience required: beginner to advanced level. Attraction: underwater cave, wall, wealth of fish species. Description: Modra Spilja is well known for its shimmering blue waters within. It is possible to enter underwater or by boat through the narrow corridor, which broadens into large area which is partly sunk, found partly below and partly above the surface of the sea. It is best to visit the cave in the summer months, in the afternoon, when the light breaks and creates the miraculous blue effect within the cave. Apart from the cave, diving towards the next cove is beautiful.

Scuba Diving Location 8: Pelješac, S 57

Depth: 25-39 metres Required experience: advanced level. Attraction: a well-preserved wreck of a German torpedo ship. Description: The S 57 was a German torpedo ship, which sank on 19 October 1944 following an attack by three British destroyers. The wreck is extremely well preserved, the front antiaircraft armament can be seen and can still be moved and there are still torpedoes in the torpedo tubes. The ship lies on the sediment bottom. Entry is not accessible.

Scuba Diving Location 9: Dubrovnik, the Taranto wreck

Depth: 23-55 metres Required experience: advanced level Attraction: a well-preserved wreck of a trade ship. Description: This ship sank in 1943 after it struck an allied mine. Fragments of the ship cargo, motor and tractors can be seen scattered around the wreck. The wreck broke into two halves, the stern sank into the sand, while the bow is raised at an angle of 45 degrees and leans against the underwater cliff.Schools of fish and two great groupers dwell in the wreck.

Scuba Diving Location 10: Elaphite Islands, St. Andrija

Depth: 3 – 78 metres Experience required: beginner to advanced level. Attraction: a beautiful underwater wall. Description: the most beautiful site for diving is the outer wall of the island. There the cliff descends almost vertically from 3 to 78 metres. An underwater cave is located at a 26 metre depth. The wall is crowded with different species of fish, corals, algae and the red coral(Corallium rubrum) dwells in the depths of St. Andrija.