In the water
Diving and snorkelling in Crete.
- Snorkel
- No certificate
- First dive
- Instructor in the water with you
- When
- Morning, May to October
- Coast
- South and east when the north wind is up
Photo: Nadiia Astakhova / Pexels
Diving and snorkelling in Crete
3 ways to do this. Prices and reviews stay on GetYourGuide.
On this page
- Snorkel
A snorkel stop on a calm morning
Lasithi3–4 hours
A calm morning swim. Not a dive course.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide - Dive
A first dive, with a guide in the water
Heraklion4–5 hours
An instructor stays in the water with you.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide 
KayakKayak the south coast near Preveli
Rethymno3–4 hours
The south stays calmer when the north wind is up.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide
More experiences
17 more ways to do this. Descriptions are ours. Prices stay on GetYourGuide.
- Diving and snorkel
Shore dive for certified divers near Chania
Chania4–5 hours
A certified dive near Chania is a boat or a shore entry with a guide, for people who already hold a card. The sites are rock, seagrass and the ordinary life of a Cretan seabed. You should not expect a famous wreck just because the listing is in English. The morning is the calm slot. A north wind moves the plan or cancels it. The usual length is 4–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits certified divers. If you have never used a tank, book the introductory dive instead. Arriving with a cold or blocked ears is a reason for the centre to refuse you. Dive centres collect from Chania or meet at a nearby harbour. Bring your certification card and say how many dives you have actually done.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide 
Diving and snorkelSnorkel morning near Chania
Chania3–4 hours
A snorkel morning near Chania is a short boat to a cove and a mask, not a course. The north coast is the first place the summer wind arrives, so the early boat is the one that still has flat water. You will see rock, seagrass and small fish. You will not see a reef wall. Non-swimmers should say so before they are handed a mask. The usual length is 3–4 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits confident swimmers and older children who already put their face in the water. Skip it for toddlers, and skip the afternoon slot when the bay has a chop. Boats leave beaches and small harbours within a short drive of Chania. Book the morning. A cancelled trip for wind is a good call.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide- Diving and snorkel
Diving and snorkel from Plakias
Plakias3–5 hours
Plakias looks south, so a snorkel or a dive here is often the plan when the north coast is blown out. A snorkel stop is a mask and a cove. A dive for certified divers is a separate booking with a guide and a card check. Introductory dives exist and should be named as such. Do not assume a famous wall. The seabed is rock and seagrass. The usual length is 3–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. Snorkelling suits confident swimmers. A first dive suits healthy adults who can follow a briefing. Skip both if you are congested. Ears do not negotiate. Centres and boats work from Plakias in season. Book the morning. Tell them if anyone is uncertified so you are not put on the wrong boat.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide 
Diving and snorkelSnorkel stop on the Heraklion coast
Heraklion3–4 hours
A snorkel outing from Heraklion is a short boat or a guided entry from a calm beach, with a mask and a briefing. Morning is when the water is still flat. You will see rock and small fish. You will not see a coral garden. The coast east of the city, toward Amoudara and the coves before Hersonissos, is the usual water. A north wind moves the plan. The usual length is 3–4 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits swimmers. It is not a dive course. Non-swimmers and toddlers need a beach, not a mask. Say so before you book. Boats and guides meet at harbours and beaches east or west of the city centre. Book the first departure. Afternoon slots meet the wind.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide- Diving and snorkel
Discover scuba from Heraklion
Heraklion4–5 hours
An introductory dive from Heraklion is for people who are not certified. The first hour is paperwork and a shallow-water briefing. The dive itself is short, on a sandy or rocky patch, with an instructor beside you. It does not qualify you to dive the next day. If you already have a card, book a guided dive for certified divers instead of using a beginner slot. The usual length is 4–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits healthy adults and older teenagers who can follow instructions. The centre can refuse you for a cold, for pregnancy, or for ears that will not clear. That refusal is the safe result. Centres are in and east of Heraklion. Eat a light breakfast. Leave the afternoon empty. A first regulator is tiring in a way a swim is not.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide - Diving and snorkel
Snorkel trip in the Gulf of Mirabello
Agios Nikolaos3–4 hours
A snorkel outing in the Gulf of Mirabello is a short boat to a calm cove and time in the water with a mask. The bottom is rock, seagrass and small fish. It is not a coral wall and it is not a diving course. Morning departures meet flatter water. By afternoon the meltemi can turn a pleasant cove into a choppy one, and the boat should cancel rather than push it. The usual length is 3–4 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits confident swimmers, including beginners with a mask. Skip it if anyone cannot swim. Say so before you are on the boat. A lifejacket is not a snorkelling plan. Boats leave Agios Nikolaos or a nearby gulf quay. The operator moves the cove if the planned one is rough. Go with that choice.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide 
Diving and snorkelDiscover scuba in the Gulf of Mirabello
Agios Nikolaos4–5 hours
An introductory dive from Agios Nikolaos is a first tank with an instructor in shallow gulf water, after a briefing on land. You do not leave certified. The site is sand, rock and seagrass, chosen because it is calm, not because it is famous. A cold, blocked ears or a panic in the pool session are reasons for the instructor to stop. The afternoon wind can move the boat site or cancel the water time. The usual length is 4–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits healthy adults who can swim and want to try a tank once. Skip it if you needed a certification card this week. That is a different, longer course. Centres meet in Agios Nikolaos or Elounda and transfer to the boat. Fill in the medical form honestly. The gulf crossing is part of the hours.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide- Diving and snorkel
Boat and snorkel along the Mirabello rocks
Agios Nikolaos4–5 hours
This is the longer cousin of a quick mask stop: a boat from Agios Nikolaos, two or three rock coves, and enough time at each to actually look down. You stay near the surface. Certified diving is a different product. Coves on the Elounda side of the gulf are the usual target because they sit out of the worst fetch. If the wind is already up at breakfast, expect a shorter route or a refund conversation, not a heroic crossing. The usual length is 4–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to September. It suits swimmers who are happy to be in and out of the water all morning. It is a poor fit for anyone who wants to stay dry and see Spinalonga’s streets. Departure is Agios Nikolaos harbour. Bring a towel and reef-safe habits. The boat may not have a long freshwater rinse.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide - Diving and snorkel
Snorkel at Kolokytha and the gulf
Elounda3–4 hours
Snorkelling from Elounda is a short boat or a calm shore entry around Kolokytha when the gulf is flat. You see rock, seagrass and small fish. You do not see a reef in the tropical sense. The channel near Spinalonga can be a current rather than a swimming pool. Morning is the slot. If the wind is already whitecapping the bay, the honest plan is to move the cove or to cancel. The usual length is 3–4 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits swimmers. Skip it for non-swimmers and for anyone who wanted the fortress walk. A mask does not replace the island ticket. Boats leave Elounda harbour, or a guide meets you at a shore entry they pick that morning. Follow the move.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide - Diving and snorkel
Scuba diving from Elounda
Elounda4–5 hours
Diving from Elounda is either a first tank with an instructor or a guided dive for people who already hold a card. The gulf sites are rock and seagrass, chosen for the day’s sea, not for a famous wreck. Say which of the two you are booking. They are different mornings. A north wind moves the boat or keeps it in port. Certification cards get checked. Ears and a cold are reasons to be refused, and that refusal is correct. The usual length is 4–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits healthy swimmers who match the course they booked. Skip a discover dive if you expected a specialty wreck, and skip a certified dive if your last tank was a decade ago without saying so. Centres are in Elounda and Agios Nikolaos. The boat is part of the time.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide - Diving and snorkel
Snorkel on the eastern beaches
Sitia3–4 hours
Snorkelling in the far east is a shore entry or a short boat on a calm morning, usually toward the Palekastro bays rather than Vai’s surf. Visibility is good when the wind is down and pointless when it is not. The bottom is rock and seagrass. There is no reason to expect a wall of coral. If the north wind is already on Kouremenos, choose another hour or another day. The usual length is 3–4 hours, and the months that usually work are May to September. It suits swimmers who can judge a shore break. Skip it for non-swimmers and for anyone set on a specific cove in a rising wind. Guides meet in Sitia or at Palekastro. Independent swimmers should enter only where the beach is staffed or obviously calm. Morning is the slot.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide 
Diving and snorkelSnorkel on the Ierapetra shore
Ierapetra2–4 hours
Snorkelling from Ierapetra is a calm-morning shore entry or a short boat along the south coast. The Libyan Sea is clear when it is calm and unusable when the south wind stacks up a shore break. You will see rock, sand and small fish. Chrissi’s beaches are a swim from the sand once you are there, which is a different booking. Do not plan a mask session in the afternoon if the morning was already choppy. The usual length is 2–4 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits swimmers on a flat day. Skip it in a south wind. The town beach will not improve because you bought a mask. Guides meet in Ierapetra or at a beach they name that morning. Independent swimmers should stay inside their depth and out of any shore break.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide- Diving and snorkel
Diving on the south coast
Ierapetra4–5 hours
Diving from the Ierapetra coast is a boat or shore dive for certified divers, or a first tank if a centre is running a discover session that week. The sites are south-coast rock and sand. There is no famous wreck you should expect because a listing used the word dive. The south wind cancels boats. Say whether you are certified. The two products are different, and the sea is the same constraint for both. The usual length is 4–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits healthy swimmers who match the booking. Skip it on a southerly forecast, and skip a first dive if you wanted a scenic cruise. Centres collect from Ierapetra. Bring a certification card if you have one. The harbour meeting is in the morning for a reason.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide - Diving and snorkel
Diving and snorkel from Kissamos
Kissamos3–5 hours
The sea west of Kissamos can be clear and it can be rough on the same week. A snorkel or a guided dive here uses a calm morning and a site the boat can actually reach, which may not be the lagoon you see in photographs. Balos is a poor snorkel plan on a windy day because the cape is exposed. Say whether you are certified. A first tank and a fun dive are different bookings, and the wind cancels both. The usual length is 3–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits swimmers on a checked forecast. Skip it as a way to see the lagoon. Take the boat or the road for that, on a day the sea allows. Centres and boats meet in Kissamos harbour. Morning is the slot.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide - Diving and snorkel
Snorkel and dive from Bali
Bali3–5 hours
The coves at Bali give snorkellers a shore entry and give dive boats a short run to rock and seagrass. Clarity depends on the north wind. A discover session and a certified dive are different products. Neither of them is a cave. Say which you are booking, and expect the afternoon slot to be the one that gets moved. The steep paths down to the water are part of a shore entry. The usual length is 3–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits swimmers who can manage the steps. Skip a shore snorkel for anyone unsteady on a wet stair. Meet at the cove the centre names. Driving the main road and hoping is how people miss the briefing.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide - Diving and snorkel
Discover scuba from Hersonissos
Hersonissos4–5 hours
An introductory dive from Hersonissos is a first tank with an instructor, usually by boat, on a site chosen because the north coast is calm that morning. You do not leave with a certification card. The bottom is rock and seagrass. A windy afternoon is a moved or cancelled boat. The medical form is part of the booking. Blocked ears and a casual attitude to the briefing are how the morning ends early. The usual length is 4–5 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits healthy adults who can swim. Skip it if you needed a certified course this week. That takes longer than a resort morning. Centres collect from Hersonissos hotels or meet at the harbour. The transfer is inside the hours. Fill in the form before you arrive rushed.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide - Diving and snorkel
Shore snorkel east of Heraklion
Heraklion2–4 hours
Between Heraklion and the resort coast there are ordinary shore entries for a mask on a calm morning. This is not a boat and not a course. Visibility is average, the bottom is sand and rock, and the north wind writes the plan. Amoudara is the easy version from the city. Further east the entries depend on the day’s chop. Go with a buddy. A shore break is a reason to get out, not a reason to swim harder. The usual length is 2–4 hours, and the months that usually work are May to October. It suits confident swimmers who can judge flat water. Skip it for non-swimmers and for anyone who wanted a guided cove. Book the boat snorkel for that. Amoudara is a short ride from Heraklion. Enter from a beach with an easy exit. Morning, before the meltemi.
See prices on GetYourGuide
View detailsBook now on GetYourGuide
What to know before you book
What to book
A snorkel boat is a swim with a mask at one or two stops. A discover dive is a first descent with an instructor, for people who are not certified. Certified diving is a third product. Read which one the button opens.
Where the water is useful
The south coast and the east stay calmer when the north wind blows. West-coast swim stops are excellent on still days and miserable on windy ones. The operator’s cancellation rule matters more than the photo.
Best season
Late May to October. June and September are the overlap of warm water and fewer boats. August is busy and the afternoons are often blown out, which is why morning slots are the ones to take.
How to choose
Snorkel if you want a swim. Book the discover dive only if you want to go under and you are comfortable in the sea. If you have not snorkelled before, do that first.
FAQ
Questions.
- For snorkelling, you should be comfortable in water out of your depth with a mask. For a first dive, say if you are not. Instructors expect beginners; they do not expect panic.
- Often, away from stirred-up harbours, and better in the morning before the wind. No boat can promise visibility on a rough day.
- Older children often can snorkel. Age rules for diving are on the operator’s page. A family beach day is the better booking for small children.