Germany – Lake Constance & Bavarian Alpine Lakes

Southern Germany's lake diving centres on two very different waters. Lake Constance (Bodensee), especially the Überlinger See arm, drops along molasse walls to 80–100 m and stays at 4–6 °C below about 10 m, so most sites are serious cold-water dives with sunken boats, cars and pipelines rather than colourful life. In Upper Bavaria, the Walchensee at about 800 m altitude offers clear water, a deep wall at the Galerie and easy training bays, while the Starnberger See, Ammersee and the small Thumsee add a few more shore sites. Diving is strictly regulated: in Bavaria it is allowed only in lakes opened by the district authority, and on Lake Constance the shipping regulation bans diving near harbours and landing stages except at a few named places. Several famous spots – the Königssee, the Teufelstisch and the Blautopf – are closed to recreational divers and are covered here only in the facts. Night dives, seasonal spawning bans and bathing seasons further limit where and when you can dive.

Dive sites

• Ammersee – Herrsching
• Bodman – Alter Hafen
• Dingelsdorf – Klausenhorn
• Hagnau – Wasserwerk
• Konstanz – Hörnle
• Königssee (TILOS / no diving)
• Ludwigshafen – Lädine
• Marienschlucht
• Meersburg – Krebsgarten
• Meersburg – Wilder Mann
• Starnberger See – Allmannshausen
• Teufelstisch (Wallhausen) – exemption only
• Thumsee
• Walchensee – Galerie
• Walchensee – Hackl
• Walchensee – Pioniertafel
• Walchensee – Steinbruch
• Walchensee – Urfeld
• Wallhausen – Steilwand
• Wallhausen – Strandbad
• Überlingen – Liebesinsel
• Überlingen – Post
• Überlingen – Seezeichen 24
• Überlingen – Tennisplatz