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Inanna08

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So, you're wondering whether to haul your dive gear to Crete for diving while on a vacation? Let's start with expectation management. If you are going on a scuba holiday and you insist on the Mediterranean, you're better off in Gozo, the sister island of Malta. There are many small fish typical to the Mediterranean.

The Mediterranean around Crete has fish, but the volume is limited. You'll likely see eel, squirrelfish, triggerfish, ornate wrasse, sardines, and grouper. On Crete, the geography is beautiful with plenty of formations. A special treat on Crete is the Elephant Cave dive site where you can swim up to an underwater cave and view the stalactites. If you take a vacation in conjunction with diving, this is excellent. The next question is location. From my experience, the north side of the island is full of grocery stores, restaurants, nightlife, and dive shops. I would recommend you check out Omega divers if you are near Kalyves. They are an excellent dive shop with competent dive masters. On the south side of the island, the infrastructure is spread out considerably. You will need to know where the gas stations and grocery stores are, and you need to remember the pace is considerably slower in the south. You will not have as many restaurant options, but it is worth seeing the old hippie caves of Matala (the hippies are still there!). The diving is similar with an additional exception: there is a dive site called 'Freshwater Beach' where you can see the freshwater springs enter the sea. Check out NotosMare diving near Sfakion.

Overall, if you are combining a vacation with diving, Crete is beautiful, the people are friendly, and the above-ground sites are cool. (Did you notice I didn't mention the food? Nothing spectacular...) If you are going on a diving vacation with some R&R, you're better off on Gozo.

 
I just did a few shore dives with Manolis from Kissamos Diving Center. Did elephant cave and a few tunnels. Really, really happy with him as a guide and operator. Nothing but positive things to say... I highly recommend him to anyone staying in the area. He knows the best untouched spots in the area and is super easy going and kind.
 
So, you're wondering whether to haul your dive gear to Crete for diving while on a vacation? Let's start with expectation management. If you are going on a scuba holiday and you insist on the Mediterranean, you're better off in Gozo, the sister island of Malta. There are many small fish typical to the Mediterranean.

The Mediterranean around Crete has fish, but the volume is limited. You'll likely see eel, squirrelfish, triggerfish, ornate wrasse, sardines, and grouper. On Crete, the geography is beautiful with plenty of formations. A special treat on Crete is the Elephant Cave dive site where you can swim up to an underwater cave and view the stalactites. If you take a vacation in conjunction with diving, this is excellent. The next question is location. From my experience, the north side of the island is full of grocery stores, restaurants, nightlife, and dive shops. I would recommend you check out Omega divers if you are near Kalyves. They are an excellent dive shop with competent dive masters. On the south side of the island, the infrastructure is spread out considerably. You will need to know where the gas stations and grocery stores are, and you need to remember the pace is considerably slower in the south. You will not have as many restaurant options, but it is worth seeing the old hippie caves of Matala (the hippies are still there!). The diving is similar with an additional exception: there is a dive site called 'Freshwater Beach' where you can see the freshwater springs enter the sea. Check out NotosMare diving near Sfakion.

Overall, if you are combining a vacation with diving, Crete is beautiful, the people are friendly, and the above-ground sites are cool. (Did you notice I didn't mention the food? Nothing spectacular...) If you are going on a diving vacation with some R&R, you're better off on Gozo.

Great info and fun video. What camera did you use to capture that? Thanks for sharing!

I’m moving to Crete this month and excited to have such easy access to diving. From your experience, what is the best time of year to dive in Crete?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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