The 9 best diving and snorkeling spots in Crete

Why not couple your discovery of this beautiful Greek island with an underwater adventure? Discover our selection of the best diving spots in Crete!

Sise in length south of the Greece , the island of Crete is surely one of the most beautiful in the Mediterranean. An incredible destination for its landscapes and heritage, the island has some beautiful beaches and bays. With its pleasant climate a good part of the year, it is also a great place to dive or snorkeling. The temperature of its waters ranges from 19 C° in May to 22 C° in October, with a peak at 25 C° in August.

Beginner or diver aguerri, you will have plenty to do on this beautiful island of the eastern Mediterranean. So to help you in your adventures, we have selected some of the best diving spots in Crete and snorkeling.

The best spots for diving

1. Grotte El Greco

Access only to the confirmed divers, this dive spot in Crete is certainly one of the most impressive. Here you will discover a superb underwater cave of about thirty meters long. You will then admire amazing stalagmites and stalactites, as well as beautiful filtering lights through the rock. As for the depth of the cave, it oscillates between 20 and 40 meters. A flourishing underwater fauna has chosen a home. You will be able to observe lobsters, merouss, tunas or murenes.

2. Mononaftis

This incredible bay is a great diving spot in Crete. Accessible to beginners, you can admire a very rich marine fauna. This spot also houses some charming reefs, canyons and beautiful underwater caves. There are so many for all tastes and levels. Rides and dolphins sometimes cross the waters of Mononaftis! With luck, you can observe it. As for its depth, the spot is up to 35 metres.

3. Shrimp cave

This Crete diving spot is only accessible to experienced divers. Located near the coast of Hersonissos, this cave extends to a depth of 40 metres. As its name suggests, you can observe hundreds of shrimp, if not thousands. Sometimes other marine species also come around. You can admire a few large tunas overlooking the cave. If you have the level, you must not miss this dive in Crete!

4. wreck of Messerschmitt Me-109

The wreck of the Messerschmitt is surely one of the most famous and popular Crete diving spots. This German hunting plane dates from the Second World War. It crashed at 800 metres off the coast of the island.

The wreckage of the German aircraft is at a depth of between 23 and 29 metres. The cockpit is almost completely intact. Several fragments of the aircraft are around, including tail, propeller and one of the wheels. Burned during the crash, these fragments rest right next to the wreck. Local fauna and flora have also taken refuge over the decades in the aircraft.

5. Blue Cave

The Blue Cave is another dive spot in exceptional Crete. Depending on the depth, it can accommodate and delight beginner divers as experienced. The cave itself is 20 meters wide for 60 meters long. Its maximum depth is 22 to 30 meters.

The divers will admire here a variety of fish and corals. In the holes of the cave wall, you can even observe shrimps and other underwater species. Think about a flashlight!

The best spots to make snorkeling

In addition to diving in Crete, you can also make snorkeling! This island of the eastern Mediterranean is home to beautiful beaches and small rocky coves to explore with palms, mask and tuba. Here are some of the best snorkeling spots in Crete.

6. Matala Beach

Located south of the island, Matala Beach is a superb snorkeling spot in Crete. This sandy and pebble beach is 300 meters long. However, one side of the beach is occupied by a huge rock. You can see a rich underwater fauna and flora. You can even cross the path of a few turtles. Isolated, but tourist, this part of the island is also very pleasant to stay in all seasons.

7. Elafonisi Beach

Located west of the island, Elafonisi Beach is one of the best snorkeling spots in Crete. It extends on the beach and on the nearby island of the same name. This beach is so beautiful that it attracts more than two thousand visitors a day to the high season! During the summer, therefore, expect some affluence.

Fortunately, you can avoid this crowd during your snorkeling session by moving away a little. You will soon discover why this spot is one of the best in the island: exceptional visibility, up to 30 meters of depths, soft currents, wide varieties of fish of all sizes, volcanic cracks and interesting rock formations. Nature Reserve Natura 2000, rare turtles sometimes use the island of Elafonisi to lay their eggs. With luck, you can even see one!

8. Kedrodasos Beach

Located a few blocks from Elafonisi Beach, the Kedrodasos Beach is much quieter and quieter than its neighbour. This large stretch of fine sand is lined with rocks and small cliffs. These places are perfect for snorkeling in Crete.

Protected from the wind, the beach also has calm waters. Underwater rock formations thus house large fish banks. You can observe various species, including scorpion fish to avoid by their painful spices. With a little luck, you can also cross some hippocampes.

9. Koutalas Beach

Situated below the charming little village of Kokkino Chorio, this unknown beach is a superb snorkeling spot in Crete. This narrow bay is surrounded by small rocky cliffs. Uncommon, you will have plenty of space to discover the seabeds, and the fauna and flora they shelter. For this, go to the farthest in the bay. The crystal clear waters usually offer good visibility up to 20 metres. You can then observe sea stars, anemones, rainbow fish or even seahorses!