As the largest of Greece’s Islands, Crete’s coastline covers a lot of ground. What lies under that ground- a paradise for divers. From fantastic water quality to interesting formations and wrecks, the diving in Crete is some of the best around Greece. Interested in taking a diving centered vacation to Crete? Here is what you need to know.
As diving around Crete has been a past time for many years, there are plenty of interesting, underwater sites already uncovered. The coast from Kalyves to Georgioupolis as well as Souda Bay are popular with divers as they feature caves and rocky tunnels. The most well known of these is Elephant Cave which still holds the petrified remains of elephant bones at its bottom. The Peninsula Gramvousa, Cape Spatha and Skinaria Beach are some of the other most popular sites for divers exploring the waters of Crete. Skinaria Beach is known for its sea life and fantastic visibility while the coast between Geropotamos and Skaleta are renowned for its caves and prospects of exploration. Others are drawn to the underwater settlements of Elounda, Itanos and Koufonisi that can be seen by both snorkeling and diving excursions. Diving around Panormo offers a cemetery of Venetian anchors and the area of Damnoni has a three-part cave system that is filled with sea life and connected by tunnels.
The colourful coral and staggering formations are not the only sights that divers will get to experience. The sea life is quite lively around Crete’s coast as well. Expect to see octopi, groupers, moray eels, lobsters, crayfish, barracuda and sponges. Aside from the animals, divers will get an up close look at wreck sites such as Messerschmitt, a World War II fighter plane and various sunken ships around the island.
In order to have the best diving experience possible, it is vital to find a quality dive instructor to teach you the ropes, provide the right gear and take you to the most ideal spots. The Atlantis Dive Center in Rethymnon, Blue Adventures in Chania, Omega Divers in Almyrida and Dive Together in Plakias are great places to start.
On the surface, Crete is a beautiful island with plenty to see but don’t make the mistake of ignoring the incredible landscape that lays just beneath the coast.
About Rental Center Crete:
Traveling can be very frustrating when people have to rely on public transportation services. Rental Center Crete has many places where cars can be rented. Check out http://www.rental-center-crete.com for more information on rental cars.
