Croatia
1 region · 15 sites · down to 287 m
Croatia has two faces. The Dinaric karst inland holds some of Europe's deepest springs, such as Vrelo Une, Izvor Cetine and Crveno jezero, but you dive them only as an expedition with permission. On the coast and the islands (Biševo, Brač, Premuda, Dugi otok) you dive easily accessible sea caves with a dive centre, and in between lie the vrulje: submarine freshwater springs.
Map
Not to be missed
- Medvidina špilja (Biševo) →
A sea cave on Biševo to 30 m, easy to combine with a base in Komiža on Vis.
- Katedrala (Premuda) →
A sea cave to 30 m at Premuda, reached from Mali Lošinj or Zadar.
- Špilja Lučice (Brač) →
A sea cave to 35 m on Brač, with sea water of 17–27 °C; easy to do from Split.
- Nikolajova jeskyně (Sveta Marina) →
A cavern to 35 m: a good choice for cavern divers who want more than an open sea cave.
- Izvor Cetine (Glavaš) →
The protected source of the Cetina, ~8 °C and to 115 m: only for experienced full cave teams, as an expedition and with permission in advance.
Regions
Good to know
- At sea you dive through a registered dive centre or club. Independent diving is only possible with a one-year permit from a harbour master's office (lučka kapetanija); check the current fee. Mark your dive with a buoy or dive flag.
- The deep springs are protected and often drinking-water sources. No operator offers recreational spring dives, and unauthorised diving has been fined. Get permission first from the municipality, Hrvatske vode, the nature-protection body or the national park.
- In Kornati NP independent diving is banned: only with one of the contracted centres, in fixed zones, to -40 m and not at night.
- The springs are 5–11 °C all year. In the vrulje cold fresh water (~9.5 °C) meets warm seawater (~21 °C), with a halocline, clay and 2–8 m visibility.
Tips for safe and enjoyable diving
- There is no fill station around Knin and Vrlika: bring your gas from the coast. Trimix and oxygen are available on Rab, Dugi otok, Vis (Komiža) and in Biograd, among others.
- Choose your base by type of dive: Knin or Vrlika for the springs, an island for the sea caves (Komiža for Biševo, Split for Brač, Mali Lošinj or Zadar for Premuda and Dugi otok). Allow for ferry times.
- Bring a drysuit and good thermal protection for the springs; 5–8 °C is normal.
- In an accident call 112. The mountain rescue service HGSS has its own cave-diving rescue team. There are chambers in Rijeka, Pula, Split, Dubrovnik and Zagreb. DAN Europe: +39 06 4211 5685.
Certification requirements, configurations and trimix depths are estimates for planning. Always check them locally and dive within your training.
News
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