Crete is the largest Greek island located in the Mediterranean Sea. It is also the southernmost large Greek island and bounds the Aegean archipelagos between mainland Greece and Turkey. Nice Mediterranean climate, with very warm sea. The water temperature at the sea surface is about 25-28 degrees in summer and about 12-15 degrees in winter.
The capital of Crete is Heraklion (more than two hundred thousand inhabitants), which can be called the oldest city in Europe because of the Knoss Palace lying next to it.
The first ancient culture developed on Crete so it is altogether an iconic place in the literal sense of the word.
Like many Mediterranean islands, Crete was conquered and ruled by the empires of the region. Crete was ruled successively by Rome, Byzantium, the Arab Empire, Byzantium again, Venice, the Ottoman Empire to finally fall to Greece after a period of uprisings and rule by European powers.
Crete is a diving destination but there is more to see.
You should definitely visit the beaches in the area of the city of Chania, especially since there are quite a few interesting dive sites in this area. White sand, turquoise water and the prospect of diving, can you want anything more.
Knossos Palace – lying a few kilometers outside Heraklion, the palace also known as the Palace of Minos was discovered and uncovered during excavations in the late 19th century. The palace dates back to 2000-1400 BC and was destroyed after the Achaean invasion in the 14th century BC.
Heraklion Archaeological Museum. A museum showing exhibits from excavations from the Neolithic period through the period of the Palace of Knossos to the period of several centuries B.C.E. i.e. the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Samaria Gorge – Samaria National Park – a gorge about 18 kilometers long. Amazing rock walls. Quite difficult hiking – the easier “top to bottom” option leads from the entrance to the gorge towards the sea.
Diktaean Cave, Psychro Cave is a Minoan period cave in the Lasitki district of the Lasithi plateau in eastern Crete. It is one of the mythical places where Zeus was born and raised in hiding from his father Kronos.
The cave is located near the town of Psychro at an altitude of one thousand meters above sea level. It was discovered in 1886. Surveys performed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries revealed bronze, terracotta, iron and bone objects, as well as countless conical ceramic vessels for food offerings. The amount of semi-precious stones donated was also quite unusual.
Remains of sacrificed bulls, goats, deer and wild boar were discovered in layers of ashes. Pottery dating back to the 9th century BC has been discovered in older settlements.
A great many votive items were discovered in a lake at the bottom of the cave.
Objects discovered in the cave can now be seen in the Heraklion Museum and in museums in Oxford, Louvre and the British Museum.
Diving in Crete
The diving season in Crete applies mainly to the summer months, but due to water temperatures that do not fall below 15 degrees, diving can be done all year round.
Diving Crete is first of all beautiful underwater formations, rocks, walls, caverns and caves. The general amazing rock formations visible on the surface have their continuation underwater. In and around these places, you can find octopus, scorpionfish, shrews and schools of fish using such places as hiding places. The lucky ones may run into local moray eels and crawfish. The rocks are overgrown with sponges and gorgonians.
There are dive sites both in the north and south of Crete but especially the southern coast consists of impressive rock formations. Many bays are available not only for scuba diving but also for snorkeling trips, that is, diving with a snorkel, mask and fins. Such trips are usually full-day boat trips with lunch in beautiful bays. The organizers provide the loan of masks, tubes and fins also everyone can admire the underwater life.
Diving Places in Crete
There are a lot of beautiful dive sites in Crete and we will describe a certain representation of them further on. However, two dive sites are sure to stand out not only from Crete but in general as top dive sites in the world. The two places alone worth visiting Crete for are the Elephant Cave and the World War II Messerschmitt wreck.
Elephant Cave
The cave in the Drapano promontory thirty kilometers from the town of Chani in Souda Bay is a beautiful place. It was only discovered in 1999.
The name comes from the remains of a species of elephants from fifty thousand years ago, and the flooded cave created a natural protection from devastation. In addition to elephant bones, bones of two species of deer have also been discovered there.
The cave is characterized by beautiful white and red stalagmites and stalactites visible both on the surface and underwater. After swimming through the cave’s approximately forty-meter tunnel, it is possible to exit to the inner shore.
The wreckage of a Messerschmitt 109 fighter jet
One of the most famous dive sites is the World War II German fighter ship Rak, which lies at a depth of 24 meters. The plane lies upside down but has beautifully preserved wings. You can also see parts of the plane’s fuselage and the preserved machine gun. A piece from the fuselage lies on the bottom of the propeller with engine components. The tail of the aircraft lies at a depth of 30 meters about eighty meters from the wings.
Dive sites in Crete
North coast near Bali
A small pub on the shore perfect for a break between dives. After the water an old anchor, remnants of amphorae and beautiful underwater life.
Depth to 20 meters, sheltered so good for beginners.
North coast of Panormo
Small caves with rich life with schools of fish all around.
A nearby amphora cemetery.
Seals Cave (Seals Cave)
A beautiful cave accessible only by boat. Entrance at 9 meters. The cave is 35 meters long with air spaces in which to emerge.
Southern coast of Sinari
Southern coast of Sinari
Beautiful bay with underwater canyons. A large amount of underwater life.
Spot Lights
Small and fairly easy caverns. Dive depth a little over ten meters.
The Dragon Nest
A beautiful place with large rocks and an underwater tunnel.
Agios Onoufrios Area
A powerful wall of highly developed underwater life descending to thirty meters. Sponges, soft corals, fish.
Bat Cave
The cavern ideal for quietly learning about diving in such conditions maximum depth of 7 meters.
Theater
A beautiful tunnel with smaller chambers surrounding it. Sponges and soft corals.
Minnewaska wreck
A wreck in the northern part of Crete on the eastern tip of Chania near the village of Marathi. A 183-meter passenger steamer sunk after stepping on a mine in 1916. The wreck or rather part of it lies 23 meters deep after attempts to extract it for scrap.
In the Chania area lies the wreckage of another plane at 40 meters – Deep Ship Wreck
Already requiring trimix mixes, diving to depths between 63 and 90 meters. 138-meter-long wreck.
Stavros
Calm and easy diving at the vertical wall available for novice divers.
Seitan Limenes Wall
An underwater wall on the eastern side of the Akrotiri promontory. A powerful shear on the surface przechdzu into an underwater shear. An impressive site.
Camarelo
A powerful arch in the northern part of the Akrotiri peninsula.
El Greco Cave
A beautiful grpta with stalagmites and stalactites. The halo phenomenon wedges due to incoming fresh water. Large entrance with a slow-draining bottom. The cave is 30 meters long and is a fairly easy dive. At the end of the cave is a chimney with fresh air. A rock-covered bottom reduces the risk of decreased visibility.
Diving can be combined with wall diving next to the cave.
Stavros Cape
Crystal water and free-fall along the anchor line up to 30 meters. The bottom quickly drops to considerable depths so reaching 40 meters is not a problem. With a calm sea, we manage to do a drift dive with the boat following a group of divers.
“Big Anchor” Diving to a huge three-meter anchor standing at 27 meters in beautiful water is a whole expedition. Giant shreds are common in the area. At 33 meters lie the remains of amphoras.
Cargo Shipwreck
The wreck lies in two parts between 22 and 37 meters.
