Adriatic – Dalmatia

Central Dalmatia stretches from Zadar and Dugi Otok through the Kornati and Šibenik archipelagos to Split and the outer islands of Brač, Hvar and Vis. The karst coast drops into steep walls, sea caves and current-swept pinnacles covered with red and yellow gorgonians, while the sea around Vis holds one of the densest concentrations of diveable wrecks in the Adriatic, from Roman amphorae to WWII bombers. Large parts are protected – Kornati National Park, Telašćica Nature Park and many cultural-heritage wrecks can only be dived with authorised centres. Korčula, Lastovo and Pelješac are covered by the southern Adriatic module.

Facts

Best season: Dive centres mostly operate from April to October/November; outer islands (Vis, Biševo, Jabuka) need calm summer weather
Water temperature: Roughly 14–16 °C in spring and about 23–26 °C at the surface in late summer; much colder below the summer thermocline
Visibility: Typically 10–30 m, often more around the outer islands; plankton blooms and freshwater springs (vrulje) can reduce it locally
Getting there: Fly to Split (SPU) or Zadar (ZAD). Ferries/catamarans from Split to Šolta, Brač, Hvar and Vis (Vis town, ~1.5–2.5 h); Zadar–Dugi Otok ferry about an hour; Murter is linked to the mainland by bridge at Tisno. Check current timetables
Diving permit: Diving with a registered Croatian dive centre needs no personal permit. Independent diving requires an individual authorisation from a Harbourmaster's Office (gov.hr lists EUR 318.53, valid one year) plus a surface buoy or diver-down flag – check current rules
Protected wrecks: Wrecks and sites registered as cultural goods (e.g. Teti, the Vis aircraft wrecks, Francesca da Rimini, Szent István) may only be dived with centres holding a Ministry of Culture permit (2024–2029 underwater activities programme, min-kulture.gov.hr). Dive centres in Komiža also require a permit for the deep Re d'Italia. Vis was a closed military zone until the 1990s – check current rules
Kornati National Park: Scuba only in nine designated zones, only in organised groups of an authorised centre, max. 40 m, no night dives (19:00–07:00). Diver fee EUR 15 per diver per day (2026 price list) on top of the boat ticket – check current rules
Telašćica Nature Park: Organised diving only at a few localities (Garmenjak Mali and Veli, Korotan, Mala Sestrica, part of the Dugi Otok shore), within 50 m of the coast, through the park's licensed organiser; per-dive fee EUR 10 (Oct–May) / 15 (Jun–Sep) in the 2026 concession terms – check current rules
Biševo Blue Cave: No diving, freediving or swimming inside; entry only on official boats from Biševo (Mežuporat), visits of about 15 minutes. Divers dive the nearby Biševo walls instead – check current rules
Wind & currents: Bora (north-east) and jugo (south-east) can close exposed sites for days; outer capes and pinnacles (Vis, Rogoznica, Pakleni) often have current – carry a surface marker buoy
Recompression: Hyperbaric chambers in Split and Komiža (Vis) according to DAN; confirm availability with your dive centre

Season

Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Acceptable: May, Oct
Poor: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr
Water temperature: 13–26 °C

Main season is May to October, with the warmest and clearest water in late summer and September (visibility 15–30 m). Winter and early spring water is about 12–14 C and bora/jugo winds spoil conditions; sources differ slightly on exact months.

Dive sites (50)

Vis & Biševo

Anica – 85–90 m, advanced
B-17 Flying Fortress – 65–72 m, advanced
B-24 Liberator Tulsamerican – 38–53 m, advanced
B-24H Liberator Lady Luck – 85–90 m, advanced
Brioni Wreck – 40–63 m, advanced
Fortunal Wreck – 35–51 m, advanced
Gnjilina Bay – 5–66 m, intermediate
Green Cave (Zelena špilja) – 3–40 m, beginner
Kamik – 6–40 m, intermediate
Kobila (Biševo) – 10–60 m, advanced
Lovac – 75–80 m, advanced
Medvidina špilja (Monk Seal Cave) – 5–30 m, intermediate
Michael N. Maris – 58–82 m, advanced
Palestro – 100–123 m, advanced
Re d'Italia – 102–120 m, advanced
Seget Reef – 12–100 m, advanced
Sika 3 – 3–50 m, beginner
Sika 6 – 6–60 m, intermediate
Stupišće – 5–35 m, intermediate
Tank Carrier (Vis) – 90–112 m, advanced
Teti Wreck – 8–33 m, beginner
Ursus Wreck – 45–66 m, advanced
Vassilios T – 20–55 m, advanced

Hvar & Pakleni Islands

B-24 Liberator (Sućuraj) – advanced
Baba Reef – 5–40 m, intermediate
Kabal – 5–55 m, intermediate
Paulina Wreck – 30 m, intermediate
Smočiguzica – 10–55 m, intermediate
Stambedar – 5–50 m, intermediate
Steamship Dubrovnik – 55–60 m, advanced
Vela Garška – 5–30 m, beginner
Vodnjak (Kampanel) – 10–40 m, intermediate

Brač

Babića stine – 5–22 m, beginner
Lučice Cave – 4–40 m, advanced
Mrduja wrecks – 20–45 m, advanced

Kornati & Murter

Babuljaši – 5–43 m, intermediate
Kasela – 5–40 m, intermediate
Mana – 5–40 m, intermediate
Samograd – 5–40 m, intermediate
Veli Rašip – 5–40 m, intermediate

Zadar & Dugi Otok

Brbišćica Cave – 10–30 m, beginner
Garmenjak Veli – 5–85 m, advanced
SMS Szent István – 65–68 m, advanced

Šibenik & Rogoznica

Francesca da Rimini – 40–54 m, advanced
Ju 87 Stuka (Žirje) – 26–28 m, intermediate
Mulo Lighthouse – 5–50 m, advanced
Planka – 5–80 m, advanced

Split, Šolta & Trogir

Jorja Wall – 20–42 m, intermediate
Livka Gallery Wall – 5–45 m, advanced
Ribolovac Wreck – 12–22 m, beginner

Operators (11)

Issa Diving Center – dive centre, Komiža, Vis
B-24 Diving Center – dive centre, Komiža, Vis
Diving Center Manta – dive centre, Komiža, Vis
Nautica Vis Diving Center – dive centre, Vis town
Big Blue Diving – dive centre, Bol, Brač
Aqualis Dive Center – dive centre, Hvar town (Hotel Sirena)
Diving Center Viking – dive centre, Podstine, Hvar town
Leomar Diving Center – dive centre, Stomorska, Šolta
Trogir Diving Center – dive centre, Okrug Gornji, Čiovo
Kornati Diving Center – dive centre, Zaglav, Dugi Otok
Bodul Cruising (liveaboard) – liveaboard, Trogir

Routes (10)

Site positions are approximate unless marked otherwise and are for orientation only — never for navigation. Permits, park fees and access rules change; confirm them with your dive centre. Many deep wrecks here are technical dives.