There are many wonderful places to see in Croatia – not least of which those that are below the surface of the sea. There are a number of dive sites on and around the Croatian coastline and the Croatian Islands which offer a lot to divers both novice and experienced. Here are a few of the best.
Baron Gautsch Wreck (The Titanic of the Adriatic Sea)
This is one of the best known dive sites in Croatia – the wreck of a ship sunk tragically by human error just two years after the famous sinking of the Titanic. This site can be reached from Rovinj on the Istrian Peninsula, which is the nearest settlement, or from the large, historic port of Pula. The wreck site is found 12.5 nautical miles from Rovinj, at GPS co-ordinates GPS: N 44 56 25 | E 13 24 50. The dive takes you to a depth of around 40m, and some experience is required for this dive, though visibility is good and there are several interesting features to see.
Mali Cutin
Mali Ćutin is one of two small islands off the coast of the island of Cres. Both Mali Ćutin and the other island, Veli, are renowned for their beauty and the diversity of their flora and fauna, both above sea and below. The 47m deep dive here is only for experienced divers. There is a plateau at a depth of around 8m that ends in a sheer drop of 32m into a deep water canyon. It should be noted that there may be some strong currents at points. Gps co-ordinates are: GPS: N 44 43 24 | E 14 29 34. For those with plenty of diving experience this is a dramatic and colourful dive with plenty to see at all depths.
Katedrala
Katedrala is situated at N 44 18 50 | E 14 38 13, at Premuda, the most westerly of the Zadar Island Archipelago. Katedrala is a series of beautiful and dramatic under-sea caves. The site depth is around 30m and the dive would be suitable for divers with experience. There are currents at some depths that you should watch out for. Those two do this dive will be rewarded by the sight of light streaming through the porous, cathedral like roof and all the myriad fish and other brightly coloured sea life which are this grand church’s congregation. More adventurous and experienced divers could go down a further tunnel to an ultimate depth of 50 m.
Kampanel
This dive site at N 43 51 45 | E 15 11 10 is not easily accessible. It is only reachable by boat. The underwater bank here resembles a bell-tower and it is an exciting dive for experienced divers that will take you to an eventual depth of 56m, and allow them to see a wide variety of beautiful sub-marine flora and fauna along the way. The visibility is mostly good but watch out for strong currents, especially at the top of the bank. It should be stressed that this is not a dive for beginners as likely only well-versed divers will be able to find the site.
The best way to see all of the dive sites is to hire a luxury yacht charter Croatia. The yacht charter will give you the freedom of the Adriatic sea, both above it and, if you dive, also beneath it, to explore all the hidden gems Croatia has to offer.