Beyond the Cretan sun-drenched beaches and ancient ruins realm the magnificent underwater world of the island. The island has a large number of breathtaking coral reefs, unknown underwater caves and ancient shipwrecks, creating a unique diving experience for both novice and seasoned divers. Through your visit to us, you will have the opportunity to further explore diving spots and marine life creating the best underwater adventure. Crete’s geographical location, in the Mediterranean Sea, provides warm waters ~20°C to 26°C from May to October and crystal-clear waters with visibility in depth ~30 meters, including a wealthy marine biodiversity around the island’s coastline which is over 1,000 kilometers, creating various levels of diving spots. From shallow waters to deep underwater caves and shipwrecks there is a diving spot for everyone. For the first time divers, you can visit the island’s diving centers in order to either participate in diving lessons, rent equipment or even divers to guide you through the waters.
The underwater world of Crete has a rich variety of marine life, where divers can encounter from small reel fish to larger pelagic species such as tuna. The Cretan Sea hosts also octopuses, cuttlefish and eels, hiding into rocks and coral formations. The marine life of the island includes also large marine species like the loggerhead turtles that can be frequently spotted there. Of course, like any other Greek island you can spot or even swim with, if you are lucky enough, between dolphins and in rare cases you could spot the elusive Mediterranean monk seal which is one of the endangered marine mammals of our planet. Every dive in the island’s water is a unique experience duo to the diverse underwater landscape. Let us give you some proposals regarding the top diving spots of the island you should explore.
– For the advanced divers, the Elephant Cave in Akrotiri Peninsula offers a cave system where fossilized remains of an extinct elephant were discovered. Inside the cave there is a plethora of stalactites and stalagmites.
– For the intermediate and advanced levels you should consider diving into and exploring the various shipwrecks in Chania that turned into artificial reefs and marine life has been developed on them, giving a glimpse to the maritime history of Chania. The most famous of them is Porto Amelio, located 20 meters depth into the sea, that accommodates barracudas, groupers and rays.
– For the beginner divers, the ruins of the sunken ancient city, Olus near Elounda is the perfect spot for explorations. The waters there are shallow, and the ruins are easily accessible. Of course, the ruins are home to marine life such as octopuses and starfishes.
-For all levels divers, Skinaria Beach and Dia Island are the top choices with crystal-clear waters and diverse marine life. In Skinaria Beach you can see colorful fishes and rich seabed, making an ideal spot for photographies. Dia Island is also a marine landscape that is also considered protected. Dia’s reserve hosts ancient anchors, caves and untouched reefs that the divers can explore. The marine life of the location includes dolphins, seals and turtles making all levels’ divers eager to explore the secrets of these locations.
The Cretan underwater world is a magnificent experience, blending adventure, explorations and natural beauty observance. Either a beginner of an expert, you can explore through scuba diving shipwrecks, caves and coral reefs, as the diverse marine life of the island has something to offer to everyone. Book your stay to one of our properties, pack your diving gear and get ready to explore the hidden gems of the Cretan seabed.
