Where to Go Scuba Diving in Crete & Why You Should Do It!

Generic Information about Scuba Diving in Crete

Crete has plenty of great diving centers, so no matter where you’re staying on the island, you’ll find one that suits your plans and your budget.

Keep in mind, scuba diving isn’t like hopping on a paddleboard—it does take a bit of training and certification first. But don’t worry, the local dive centers have you covered.

Safety is a big deal here, and while diving is an amazing experience, it’s important to go with a certified instructor who knows the waters well. Book through a trusted center, and you’ll be in good hands while exploring the island’s underwater magic.

Besides, diving centers often collaborate with multilingual instructors, so you will be paired with an instructor who understands you and you can understand them as well!

Scuba Diving Sites around Crete

The majority of the diving sites are located in the north of Crete, with some magnificent ones also located to the South. 

Chania is considered by most to be the spot to visit for diving. With stone arches, fantastic volcanic rocky reefs, and an abundance of marine life in the water surrounding Chania town, it’s a hard spot to pass up for diving. 

See unique black corals and marine life that cannot be found anywhere else. However, there is no shortage of diving sites around. 

Whether you wish to explore underwater caves, shipwrecks, or beautiful reefs, there are dives suitable for all abilities. These are some of the ones you can check on the island.

El Greco Cave

This is an amazing 30 m long underwater cave with astonishing stalagmites, stalactites, and plenty of light.

The depth ranges from 20 m to 40 m. The cave and area around it have become a host to lobsters, morays, groupers, and tuna fish.

You can go on a guided dive with the Diver’s Club Crete in Agia Pelagia, however, take note that this is a more advanced level dive, due to the depth. 

The certification requirements for this dive are either a BSAC Sports Diver or a PADI Advanced Open Water. 

Blue Cave 

Another underwater cave, located in Agia Pelagia, Blue Cave is one of Crete’s most interesting cave dives. This is a 20 m wide and 60 m long cave.

Unlike, the El Greco cave, this cave dive can be beginner-friendly as well as fun for the more advanced divers, depending on how deep you go. The maximum depth here ranges from 22 to 30 m.

Divers will see a huge rocky wall and a variety of fish and corals, including white bream. The cave wall has holes, and when you shine torchlight into them, they reveal shrimps and other marine life.

From April through June, this area becomes a home of sorts to many lobsters. For this dive, you will need either a BSAC Ocean Diver or PADI Open Water certification.

Big Anchor 

This site is located near Agia Pelagia and it’s a beautiful reef. Divers will see a huge ancient anchor growing out of the seabed at a depth of 27 m. It’s dated at over 400 years old, and with a span of 3 meters high and 2 meters wide, it’s impressive to look at.

The reef is home to large groupers, huge sponges, and other marine life. This dive requires the following certification: either a BSAC Ocean Diver or PADI Open Water.

Dia Island

The waters surrounding the islet of Dia contain plenty of sights to behold. The water is crystal clear, offering great visibility.

One of the sites to explore is a wreck of a 20 m long boat that lies at a maximum depth of 18 m.

Kalypso Walls

This shore dive is located in Kalypso Bay, Rethymon. It is great for beginners as well as for more experienced divers who can descend to a depth of 40 m.

Amazing rock formations, walls, and caverns can be seen and explored. Colorful sea life such as sponges, groupers, morays, octopus, and starfish can be observed here.

Kalypso Dive Centre is probably your best bet for certification and diving experiences for this diving site. You will need a certification, either a BSAC Ocean Diver or a PADI Open Water.

Messerschmitt Me-109

The wreck of German aircraft of WW2 lies upside down, 800 meters from shore at a depth of 24 m, broken into several parts. This dive site is one of the most famous diving sites in Crete. 

Sometimes, when the sea is calm, the visibility is good enough that the wreck can be seen from the surface.

Over the years, marine plant life has started to cover the wrecked plane, making it a good host for groupers and moray eels.

Mononaftis Beach

This is a great diving spot where divers will see up close the abundant marine life.

Groupers, octopuses, morays, scorpionfish, and breams can be observed in the waters at this location. Sometimes barracudas, dolphins, and stingrays appear as well.

Besides colorful marine life, other attractions here include reefs and rock formations. The maximum depth is 35 m but even inexperienced can enjoy diving in this beautiful area.

Shrimps Cave

This cave dive is an excellent dive spot for experienced divers only. Located close to Hersonissos, it plunges to depths of 40 meters.

Thousands of shrimps reside in this beautiful cave, hence the name. With luck, sometimes you can even spot large tuna.

Certification requirements for this dive are either a BSAC Sports Diver or PADI Advanced Open Water.

Skinaria Bay

This dive site is home to excellent rock formations, including several walls, tunnels, and a cave.

The depth of Skinaria Cave ranges from 10 to 22 m, so beginner divers are welcome to join in the fun as well as experienced divers.

The cave hosts groupers, morays, starfish, shrimps, and many colorful sponges. Advanced divers can also enjoy a large reef where they can see bigger fish.

You will need either a BSAC Ocean Diver or PADI Open Water certification to participate in this dive.

St. George Caves

The wall of St. George creates two underwater caves located at shallow depths (8–13 m). Both caves host an abundance of marine fauna and flora, such as octopus and large sea anemones.

This dive site is suitable even for not very experienced divers. A BSAC Ocean Diver or a PADI Open Water certification is required to dive at this site.

Elephant Cave

This partially filled underwater cave lies in the Drapano area in Akrotiri. The cave boasts an impressive series of red and white stalagmites and stalactites.

This dive is for the more experienced diver. The cave, shaped throughout several millennia, is also home to a fascinating and unique treasure: the fossilized remains of an extinct elephant along with other remains. 

If you are not one for sitting and relaxing, learning and experiencing scuba diving is a fun holiday experience, and Crete offers a plethora of interesting underwater sites to discover and explore that the whole family can enjoy.

Other Scuba Diving Experiences

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