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There are endless activities for yacht crew and guests to enjoy in the Med – a big one among them is to dive deep and explore the Mediterranean seas. Whether you’re new to diving or a seasoned professional, there’s a spot on the list for you. Discover 7 of the best places to dive in the med this charter season:
SARDINIA
Sardinia is a top Italian diving spot around the Archipelago of La Maddalena and the Marine Park of Lavezzi. Almost every imaginable form of marine life is present in the beauty spot. Divers can see groupers and barracuda, alongside aged octopus and moray eels living amongst fabulous rock formations and caves. Believe it or not, there are around 40 dive sites to explore, including Angelika, a Japanese cargo ship that sank in 1982! Plus, a cave dive at Paganetto Rock.
CORSICA
Corsica is part of the French Cetacean Sanctuary, where dolphins and whales can regularly be found. Trenches, pinnacles and seamounts, canyons, and rocky ridges, (all free from pollution in this protected sanctuary) are favourites of diving enthusiasts. Experts recommend exploring the 26-metre ‘Le Bombardier shipwreck, La Punta Muchilina at Cargese, ‘La Pecorella wreck at Porto Vecchio, and the ‘La Grande Vallee’ at Propriano.
FRANCE
On the French Riviera, between Hyères and St. Jean Cap Ferrat, at least 50 great diving spots leave enthusiasts spoilt for choice – there are 25 in the bay of Villefranche alone! At Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, we recommend checking out the wreck ‘Le Sheherazade’. And when in the Bay of Saint-Tropez, you’ll find the ‘Rubis’, an old submarine built in 1931. Sunk by the French Navy many years ago, The ‘Rubis’ is used for training purposes these days.
The diving off Les Iles de Lerins near Cannes also has some great spots including ‘La Balise de la Fourmigue’. Further up the coast, La Gabino off L’ile de Port-Cros is renowned for underwater cliffs, barracuda, and huge groupers. To round up the best places to dive in France, an interesting shallow dive is LST 282 – A tank landing craft wreck near St. Raphael, which was sunk by a German fighter plane in 1944.
CROATIA
Popular with avid divers, Croatia is one of the best places to dive in the Med. Premuda Island is 6 miles long and has two WWI and II wrecks. The vaulted ceilings of the Katedrala come alive, where a stained-glass window effect, produced by a system of connected underwater caves, illuminates the ceiling. Another selection of great spots to check out are the scorpions, damsels, wrasse, bream, gobies, sponges, corals, and a whole load of urchins.
Not too far from Dubrovnik, lies SS Taranto. It sank in 1943 after hitting a mine and now measures ten metres in the shallows, but drops to a depth of 52 metres.
Note – Dolphin lovers should go to Bol.
MONTENEGRO
For serious wreck-diving aficionados, there’s a whole host of wrecks located off the coastline of Montenegro. You’ll find Patrol Ship PBR 512 (sunk intentionally for rocket practice in 1983), WW1 Austro-Hungarian Destroyer Zenta, WW1 Bouclier Class French Destroyer, Dague, (she struck a mine in 1915), and a WW2 Airplane Wreck (a mystery aircraft discovered in 2008).
GREECE
Only five miles from Turkey, Chios Island in Greece has its answer to the Aussie ‘Great Wall’. When here, you’ll find walls of rock bursting with life and colour, as well as shipwrecks. Venturing to Marathonisi (affectionately called Turtle Island) is a must! Here you’ll see loggerhead turtles go to lay their eggs in the small islet of Laganas Bay.
MALTA
First-time divers and beginners looking for the best places to dive in the Med will love the Island of Gozo! Its crystal clear water and low risk of encountering dangerous fish varieties will squelch whatever nerves first-timers have about going under. Ideal for underwater photographers, visibility is excellent even around 30 meters down. For the more seasoned pros amongst you, black diamond dive sites here include the Blue Hole and Inland Sea, Reqqa Point, Cathedral Cave, and Billinghurst Cave. There are also three wreck dives, including MV Xlendi, which was purposely sunk to create an underwater attraction.
Why not venture to a Mediterranean beach club hot spot after you’ve finished your dive? Check out our top 6 beach clubs in the Mediterranean by clicking, here.
