Diving Croatia - Croatia Info
The Croatian sea is not only an attractive destination for sailing enthusiasts but also attracts many lovers of the underwater world.
Recreational diving in Croatia is regulated by the Ordinance on carrying out underwater activities issued by the Ministr
The diving card is valid for 365 days from the date of issue. It costs 100.00 HRK and is issued only to individuals with diving qualifications from a recreational diving school (diving association).
Every diver must have a diving card issued by the Croatian Diving Association which may be purchased through diving clubs and centres and through authorised tourist agencies along the entire Adriatic.
Diving may also be carried out in protected zones but only if accompanied by the diving centre which holds a concession from the Ministry of Culture or National park for the current year.
Diving may be organised in groups or individually.
- Organised diving is diving carried out exclusively in the accompaniment of a leader or diving instructor verified by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport of the Republic of Croatia and organised by a diving centre or diving club registered in the Republic of Croatia.
- Individual diving is carried out on the basis of Permission for individual diving. Permission is issued by port authorities. Permission is issued to the person holding a valid diving card of the Croatian Diving Association for the period of one year from the date of issue. Fees for issuing Permission amount to 2,400.00 HRK.
The Diving Tourism Group PRO DIVING CROATIA, an expert association of diving companies involved in providing diving tourism services, founded and operating at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, is active in organising the diving tourism market in Croatia. The association pools and coordinates the efforts of over 120 diving centres on the Adriatic seaboard and, in cooperation with the Croatian National Tourist Board, promotes diving in Croatia at international tourism fairs. Besides its promotional activities, PRO DIVING CROATIA is active in developing and upgrading the existing diving tourism offer (providing diving instructions, organising diving excursions and other tourism services). Additional information and a list of diving tourism centres in Croatia can be found at the Internet sites www.croatia.hr and www.prodiving.hr.
Changes to legislation related to providing services in tourism are expected in 2007, in particular related to "adventure" tourism services, which include recreational diving. The latest information on changes to legal regulations and other useful diving information can be found at the Croatian diving Internet portal www.croatia-diving.hr.
No diving zones
No diving zones include the National Parks Brijuni, Krka, Kornati and Mljet, sections of internal waterways which encompass ports, port entry areas, port anchorages, areas with dense traffic, special reserves and nature parks (Malostonski Bay, Lim channel, Nature Park Telašćica) and the sea in a circumference of 100 metres around anchored warships and guarded military facilities on the coast. Permission for the organisation of diving activities in these areas is issued by the competent state administrations (competent Ministry) to authorised diving centres which operate in the aforementioned areas.
All additional information can be obtained on the following numbers:
- Ministry of Culture, Department of Archaeology
Tel: 01 61 16 848, Fax 01 61 16 849.
- Conservation department Split, Porinova 2, Split
Tel: 021 305 430
- Conservation department Dubrovnik
Tel: 020 411 075
Controlled diving zones
Diving is permitted in the following areas upon prior consent of the Ministry of Culture and regional offices: islands of Vis, Biševo, Svetac, Brusnik, Sušac, Kopište, Lastovo, Donji Škoji, Vrhovnjaci, Palagruµa, sea belt 300 m around the island of Mljeta and island Jabuka, region in the circumference of 300 m around sunken ships Szent Istvan, Premuda, Coriolanus Novigrad, Baron Gautsch, St. Ivan at sea, S-57 on Pelješac, and sites near ®irje and Cavtat.
Underwater filming, photographing and research of archaeological localities may only be carried out with special consent of the Ministry of Culture.
In the event of a diving accident contact the following:
National centre for search and rescue at sea
Tel: 9155, 112
VHF channels 16, 10, 7
DAY of the International foundation for improvement of diving conditions.
It is a diving safety network which gives useful advice in the event of accidents, need of medical assistance, insurance…They organise courses and seminars as well as help in the field.
More on the web site: www.daneurope.org
Email: danhr@zg.hinet.hr
RECOMMENDATIONS
To give you an overview of the richness of the Adriatic underwater world we have listed some attractive diving locations below. More locations in individual regions and details about underwater wrecks can be found on the pages of the CTB (www.croatia.hr) in the brochure DIVING which has been presented in a number of world languages. In every region diving centres have detailed information about the most attractive locations in their regions.
Attractive diving destination in the Adriatic
Location 1: Istra, Baron Gautsch
Depth: 28-42 metres
Experience necessary: advanced divers
Attractions: a wreck of a passenger ferry
Description: The Baron Gautsch sunk in 1914 after sailing across an underwater mine. It was ferrying passenger on the route Kotor-Trieste. The upper deck is located at 28 m, while the lower deck is at 36 metres. The bottom is at 42 metres. The wreck is very well preserved.
Location 2: Cres, Lina
Depth: 22-55 metres
Experience necessary: advanced category
Attractions: a wreck of a merchant ship
Description: The Lina was transporting wood from Rijeka to Sicily but due to thick fog ran into an underwater shoal and sunk. The wreck is very well preserved. It lies on the sedimentary base. The top of the bow is at 22 m, while the stern is located at 55 metres.
Location 3: Susak, shoal Margarina
Depth: 5 – 40 metres
Experience necessary: beginners to advanced divers
Attractions: remnants of a shipwreck, tiles and amphorae
Description: somewhat left of the middle of the shoal, the underwater canyon which falls from 5 to 17 metres begins. It its ravine is located the wreck of a ship which was transporting building material. Further on, the terrain falls to even greater depths. A hundred metres on at about 20 metre depth are remnants of “tegule” (tiles), columns used for construction. On the tip of the shoal various schools of fish swim and in some recesses you can find fragments of amphorae.
Location 4: Kornati, Rašip
Depth: 3-65 metres
Experience necessary: beginners to advanced divers
Attractions: diverse and colourful marine world
Description: on the exterior part of the island there is a ridge which falls from 3 m to a depth of 65 metres. The sea is crystal clear, visibility is over 40 metres. A wall located here is covered with coral, sponges, sea moss, while numerous schools of fish varieties swim all around.
Location 5: Pakleni islands, Stambedar
Depth: 5 – 45 metres
Experience necessary: beginners to advanced divers
Attractions: beautiful gorgonians, rich marine world
Description: Stambedar is a small island in the group of Pakleni islands. It is interesting to divers because of its underwater wall which extends from 5 to 45 metres in depth. At a deeper section there is a forest of red and purple gorgonians. Everything is overflowing with fish, algae, snails, sea-urchins and various other sea organisms.
Location 6: Sušac, Te Vega
Depth: 5 – 35 metres
Experience necessary: beginners to advanced divers
Attractions: marine lake
Description: Jezerce is located near the Cape Na ®ene. You can only enter through an underwater tunnel which is at a depth of 5 metres and it is about 2 metres in length. Jezerce is surrounded by vertical cliffs and its depth is 5 to 3 metres. When exiting into the open water you can turn left or right towards an underwater wall which is overgrown with marine organisms.
Location 7: Biševo, Modra cave
Depth: 3 – 40 metres
Experience necessary: beginners to advanced divers
Attractions: underwater cavern, wall, diversity of fish species
Description: The Modra cave is renowned for its shimmering blue interior. It can be entered by diving or with a boat through a narrow passage which widens into a large area which is partially underwater and partially above sea level. It is best to visit the cave in summer and especially at noon when the light enters it, thus creating a marvellous blue effect inside the cave. Other than the cave itself it is very nice to dive to the next cove.
Location 8: Pelješac, S 57
Depth: 25-39 metres
Experience necessary: advanced category
Attractions: a very well preserved wreck of a German torpedo boat
Description: S 57 is a sunken German torpedo boat which sunk on the 19 August 1944. It was attacked and sunk by three British destroyers. The wreck is well preserved. The forward anti-aircraft cannons are visible and are still mobile and there are still torpedoes in the torpedo barrels. The ship is lying on the sediment of the bottom. Entering is not recommended.
Location 9: Dubrovnik, Taranto wreck
Depth: 23-55 metres
Experience necessary: advanced category
Attractions: a well preserved wreck of a trade ship
Description: The ship was sunken in 1943 after it passed over a mine of the Allies. Parts of the ship’s cargo, motor and tractors can be seen strewn all around the wreck. The wreck has snapped in two, the stern part has sunken into the sand while the bow is raised at a 45 degree angle and lies resting on an underwater cliff. A school of fish and two large groupers reside in the wreck.
Location 10: Elafiti islands, St. Andrija (Andrew)
Depth: 3 – 78 metres
Experience necessary: beginners to advanced divers
Attractions: beautiful underwater wall
Description: the most beautiful place for diving is the outer wall of the island. A cliff plunges to a depth of 3 to 78 metres, nearly vertically. At about 26 metres there is an underwater cave. The wall is full of a variety of fish, corals, algae, while at greater depths red coral (Corallium rubrum) can be found.
List of diving centre in Croatia:
TOURIST DIVING ASSOCIATION – Pro Diving Croatia
HGK SPLIT, Trumbićeva obala 4, 21000 SPLIT
Tel. +385-21-321-168
Internet site:
Email: info@prodiving.hr
