Diving in Crete

Best Time to Dive in Crete

The warmest water temperatures in Crete occur in August, averaging 25.1°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 16.4°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

• January: 17.3°C
• February: 16.4°C
• March: 16.4°C
• April: 17.0°C
• May: 19.2°C
• June: 22.3°C
• July: 24.1°C
• August: 25.1°C
• September: 24.6°C
• October: 22.9°C
• November: 20.9°C
• December: 18.9°C

Marine Life in Crete

Home to 11 recorded species including 5 reef fish, 1 other, 1 sea urchins, 1 worms, 1 seagrass & algae, 1 clams & mussels.

Recommended Packing List for Crete

Based on average water temperature of 20.4°C, currents 5 cm/s.

• Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 20°C water
• Mask - essential for every dive
• Fins
• BCD - buoyancy compensator
• Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
• Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
• Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
• Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
• Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories

Marine Protected Areas in Crete

• Agioi Pantes Lasithiou - Game breeding station (IUCN Category Not Assigned)
• Thodorou Chanion - Game breeding station (IUCN Category Not Assigned)
• ANTIKYTHIRA - PRASONISI KAI LAGOUVARDOS - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• NISIDES KYTHIRON: PRASONISI, DRAGONERA, ANTIDRAGONERA - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• KASOS KAI KASONISIA – EVRYTERI THALASSIA PERIOCHI - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• ASTYPALAIA: ANATOLIKO TMIMA, GYRO NISIDES KAI OFIDOUSSA KAI THALASSIA ZONI (AKR. LANTRA - AKR. VRYSI) - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• VRACHONISIA NOTIOU AIGAIOU: VELOPOULA, FALKONERA, ANANES, CHRISTIANA, PACHEIA, FTENO, MAKRA, ASTAKIDONISIA, SYRNA - GYRO NISIA KAI THALASSIA ZONI - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• ANAFI: CHERSONISOS KALAMOS - ROUKOUNAS - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• SANTORINI: NEA KAI PALIA KAMENI - PROFITIS ILIAS - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• PARAKTIA ZONI DYTIKIS MILOY - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• NISOS POLYAIGOS - KIMOLOS - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• NISOS ANTIMILOS - THALASSIA PARAKTIA ZONI - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• NOTIA SERIFOS - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• VOREIODYTIKI KYTHNOS: OROS ATHERAS - AKROTIRIO KEFALOS KAI PARAKTIA ZONI - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• VOREIA AMORGOS KAI KINAROS, LEVITHA, MAVRA, GLAROS KAI THALASSIA ZONI - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• MIKRES KYKLADES: IRAKLEIA, SCHOINOUSSA, KOUFONISIA, KEROS, ANTIKERIA KAI THALASSIA ZONI - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• KENTRIKI KAI NOTIA NAXOS: ZAS KAI VIGLA EOS MAVROVOUNI KAI THALASSIA ZONI (ORMOS KARADES - ORMOS MOUTSOUNAS) - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• NISOI DESPOTIKO KAI STRONGYLO KAI THALASSIA ZONI - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• VOREIOANATOLIKO AKRO KRITIS: DIONYSADES, ELASA KAI CHERSONISOS SIDERO (AKRA MAVRO MOURI – VAI – AKRA PLAKAS) KAI THALASSIA ZONI - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• NISOS KOUFONISI KAI PARAKTIA THALASSIA ZONI - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• PRASSANO FARANGI - PATSOS - SFAKORYAKO REMA - PARALIA RETHYMNOU KAI EKVOLI GEROPOTAMOU, AKR. LIANOS KAVOS - PERIVOLIA - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• IMERI KAI AGRIA GRAMVOUSSA - TIGANI KAI FALASARNA - PONTIKONISI, ORMOS LIVADI - VIGLIA - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• NISOS ELAFONISOS KAI PARAKTIA THALASSIA ZONI - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• CHERSONISOS RODOPOU – PARALIA MALEME -KOLPOS CHANION - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• ASFENDOU - KALLIKRATIS KAI PARAKTIA ZONI - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• NISOI GAVDOS KAI GAVDOPOULA - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• PARALIA APO CHRYSOSKALITISSA MECHRI AKROTIRIO KRIOS - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• NISIDES MYRTOOU PELAGOUS: FALKONERA,VELOPOULA, ANANES KAI THALASSIA ZONI - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• NISOI KINAROS KAI LEVITHA KAI NISIDES LIADIA, PLAKA, GLAROS, MAVRA KAI THALASSIA PERIOCHI - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• ANATOLIKO TMIMA ASTYPALEAS KAI NISIDES KOUNOUPI, FTENO, CHONDROPOULO, KOYTSOMYTIS, MONI, AGIA KYRIAKI, TIGANI, CHONDRI, LIGNO, FOKIONISIA, KATSAGRELI, PONTIKOYSSA, FIDOYSSA, KTENIA KAI THALASSIA PERIO - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• NISOS KASOS KAI SYMPLEGMA KASONISION KAI THALASSIA PERIOCHI - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• MIKRES KYKLADES, VOREIOANATOLIKI AMORGOS, ANATOLIKES AKTES DONOUSAS, GYRO NISIDES KAI THALASSIA PERIOCHI - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• ANAFI, ANATOLIKO KAI VOREIO TMIMA KAI GYRO NISIDES KAI THALASSIA PERIOCHI - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• NISIDES PAROU KAI NOTIA ANTIPAROS KAI THALASSIA PERIOCHI - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• NISIDES MYKONOU: RINEIA, CHTAPODIA, KAI TRAGONISI KAI THALASSIA PERIOCHI - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• SERIFOS: PARAKTIA ZONI KAI NISIDES SERIFOPOULA, PIPERI KAI VOUS - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• EKVOLI GEROPOTAMOU MESARAS - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• DIONYSADES NISOI KAI THALASSIA ZONI - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• CHERSONISOS GRAMVOUSAS KAI NISIDES IMERI KAI AGRIA GRAMVOUSA, PONTIKONISI KAI THALASSIA ZONI - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• NOTIODYTIKI GAVDOS KAI GAVDOPOULA KAI THALASSIA PERIOCHI - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• FOLEGANDROS ANATOLIKI MECHRI DYTIKI SIKINO KAI THALASSIA ZONI - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• THALASSIA PERIOCHI KYTHIRON - Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• PARAKTIA KAI THALASSIA ZONI VOREIAS ANAFIS - Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• THALASSIA PERIOCHI KOLOUMVO - Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• THALASSIA PERIOCHI DYTIKIS KAI NOTIODYTIKIS KRITIS - Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)
• FOLEGANDROS ANATOLIKI MECHRI DYTIKI SIKINO KAI THALASSIA ZONI - Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) (IUCN Category Not Reported)

Getting to Crete - Nearest Airports

• Heraklion International Nikos Kazantzakis Airport (HER), Heraklion - 56 km away, approx 76 min travel time
• Chania International Airport (CHQ), Souda - 66 km away, approx 87 min travel time
• Santorini International Airport (JTR), Santorini Island - 93 km away, approx 116 min travel time