Croatia. What is good? And what do I avoid?

[Dingleberryfist]

Hi.

I'm planning a diving holiday with my girlfriend, and I think croatia is the right country for us. I, however. Am not sure when it comes to picking hotel and diving centre.

I don't really care where in Croatia it is, as long as it is.. well.. on the coast.

The reason I am asking is because we will need guided tours, and with good guides, since we are relatively inexperienced.

So. Do you have any places that I must aviod at all costs? And do you have any really good places that you can recommend? (Diving centres, or hotel with diving included)

P.s gear rental is also a must at the place. Might buy my own regulator, because my instructors tell me that is one of the important things that resorts and centres might slack a lot on.

Kind regards.

 

[altaskier]

Two of my good friends live in Zagreb, and they took me once to Krk on the coast. I had a great time diving! I brought my own gear (I always do when I travel) so I can't tell you about the equipment, but the boat owner's shop (Diver Krk) seemed pretty well equipped and he was a very experienced diver.

 

[flyboy08]

I love Croatia, but the water there is too cold for this guy....not sure where your going, but you can expect great food at reasonable pricing..my wife is from The island of Rab so we frequent the country often...she dives right in! Me, it takes about 1/2 hour to get wet....lol!

We’ve never dove there so I can’t tell you what to expect, but the country on a whole is beautiful with friendly peeps...I’ve also motorcycles through most of Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and loved every minute of it!

Post up once your there and after!

 

[Paleo]

A few years ago I worked in Croatia, out of Zagreb, over a year of two weeka out andtwo weeks back. Despite the unremitting jet lag I enjoyed it tremendously.

August in Croatia and most everybody is on vacation and it seems like half of Italy comes over to enloy the coast. I've snorkeled from several islands and, except for finding sea urchins to eat there was no highly diverse areas. [Hint, you can tell the female sea urchins, the ones with Uni, because they decorate themselves with seaweed.] But, it was fun snorkeling into sea caves, some requiring an underwater swim to enter. I decided to sea kayak instead which also included swim/snorkeling breaks. One great trip was based out of Lopud on the Dalmation Coast with ferry access from Dubrovnik. We kayaked around the island, to other islands, and to the mainland to visit Venitian-age gardens (think Game of Thrones). That group had people from Norway, Ireland and New Zealand besides me and another Yank. You will have to do a search for current companies.

Spending a day or two in Dubrovnik is well worth it and you can find accommodations inside the walled city. However, cruise ship visits have gotten to be a problem to the point where there is discussion about limiting them. A good place to reset your internal "clock" before heading to the islands and coast is Zagreb. I'd recommend the Hotel Dubrovnik, there. Zagreb is small enough to be walkable and large enough to be interesting. In the summer there are various concerts at Saint Catherines church courtyard in the upper town (near the museum of broken relationships).

While not a Scuba destination in my mind, Hvartska is a great place for an interesting vacation! Like Europe was decades ago. A highly educated population where many know English (though at a pension in Lopud I needed to communicate with the owner in German . . . and then when he'd see me would invite me for a little home made liquor).

OK . . . so the takeway is that if you like the water, I would highly recommend a sea kayak trip rather than diving. Now to dream of a motorcycle trip from Ljubljana along the Croatian coast to Dubrovnik and back.

 

[flyboy08]

OK . . . so the takeway is that if you like the water, I would highly recommend a sea kayak trip rather than diving. Now to dream of a motorcycle trip from Ljubljana along the Croatian coast to Dubrovnik and back.

I rent a BMW GS from a friend in ljubiana. He has over 100 rental bikes now...when I first met him, he had three..?lol! Do it, you won’t regret it!

 

[Paleo]

I rent a BMW GS from a friend in ljubiana. He has over 100 rental bikes now...when I first met him, he had three..?lol! Do it, you won’t regret it!

I hear you.

My past big trip last year was 4,200 miles, mainly on the twistiest roads I could find in Colorado riding my Kawasaki Concourse. If I rent for touring a 800 GS looks like a nice compromise between weight and performance.

 

[admikar]

Hi.

I'm planning a diving holiday with my girlfriend, and I think croatia is the right country for us. I, however. Am not sure when it comes to picking hotel and diving centre.

I don't really care where in Croatia it is, as long as it is.. well.. on the coast.

The reason I am asking is because we will need guided tours, and with good guides, since we are relatively inexperienced.

So. Do you have any places that I must aviod at all costs? And do you have any really good places that you can recommend? (Diving centres, or hotel with diving included)

P.s gear rental is also a must at the place. Might buy my own regulator, because my instructors tell me that is one of the important things that resorts and centres might slack a lot on.

Kind regards.

Hi. If you tell us what are your preferences (marine life, wrecks), deep or shallow, and your experience, I might provide you some info.

 

[W W Meixner]

Hi.

I'm planning a diving holiday with my girlfriend, and I think croatia is the right country for us. I, however. Am not sure when it comes to picking hotel and diving centre.

I don't really care where in Croatia it is, as long as it is.. well.. on the coast.

The reason I am asking is because we will need guided tours, and with good guides, since we are relatively inexperienced.

So. Do you have any places that I must aviod at all costs? And do you have any really good places that you can recommend? (Diving centres, or hotel with diving included)

P.s gear rental is also a must at the place. Might buy my own regulator, because my instructors tell me that is one of the important things that resorts and centres might slack a lot on.

Kind regards.

DBF...

Dove the Adriatic off Dubrovnik...wonderful...the visibility goes on forever...lots ancient pottery fragments...and a fabulous pinnacle...we were down the slope of the pinnacle 150'...

Stayed at the Albatross in Cavtat...

Dive operator was in Cavtat...

We were there in October...shop was closed for the season...''Dani'' the shop operator re-opened the shop and arranged for a boat for me and three divers vacationing from Macedonia...

I strongly recommend taking all your own gear...and renting only tanks and ballast...

Enjoy Croatia...

Warren