Scuba diving for guests staying in Spili

Spili is where you stay when you want Crete without the beach crowds: a mountain village on the main road between Rethymno and the south coast, with plane trees, running water and the Venetian fountain where spring water pours from a row of carved lion heads. The air is cooler, the evenings are quiet, and there is no sea. That last part is why people staying in Spili end up talking to us. This page explains how diving from Spili works, what the drive to Plakias involves, and what suits guests who come down from the mountains for a day in the water.

Who stays in Spili

Spili attracts people who have chosen the island over the resort. Walkers and cyclists who want the mountains on their doorstep. Couples in village guesthouses and rural stays in the hills around. Families who prefer a cooler base in July and August. Travellers who are moving across Crete and stop for a few nights halfway between the north and south coasts.

What they have in common is that the sea is a trip, not a view from the balcony. That changes how you plan a dive day, and it is worth thinking about before you book.

From Spili to our centre in Plakias

Our centre is in Plakias, in Agios Vasileios on the south coast. From Spili, the drive to Plakias follows the main road north for a short way, then turns off towards the coast through the Kourtaliotiko Gorge, where the road runs between high rock walls before dropping down to the sea. If you have already driven the gorge on the way to Spili, you know the road. If not, check the route on a map before you set off; it is a mountain drive with bends, but a straightforward one.

We do not quote drive times, because they depend on the day. What we do is set the meeting time around you. Send us your dates and where you are staying on WhatsApp, and we will tell you when to be at the centre.

What works best from Spili

Because you are coming from inland, the best trips are the ones that make a clear plan for the day.

A first dive

Most people staying in Spili who get in touch have never dived. Our try scuba diving session is built for exactly that: about four hours including the theory, starting in shallow water with the instructor beside you, then a real dive once you are comfortable. You drive down in the morning, dive, and are back in the mountains for the evening.

A course, spread over your stay

The SSI Open Water Diver course runs over three to four days. For a guest in Spili, the SSI digital learning makes a real difference: the theory is done on your phone in the evenings before you arrive, or in the guesthouse after a day's walk, so the time you spend driving down is time spent in the water rather than in a classroom. If you want to try before committing, a try dive counts towards the Open Water certification if you carry on.

A day on the boat for the whole group

If you are only coming down to the coast once or twice, our full-day boat trip makes the most of it. Around eight hours along the south coast, up to six guests, lunch on board and all equipment included. Divers, first-timers and snorkellers can share the same boat, so the whole group gets a day at sea.

Back in the water after a break

Certified divers staying in Spili often have not dived for a year or two. A guided refresher in shallow water is the easy way back before a boat or shore dive.

Which of our sites suit Spili guests

We dive three sites around Plakias, and all of them start from the coast below the gorge road.

• The old harbour of Damnoni. A gentle, shallow slope with no sudden drop-offs, which is why it is our training site. A good first dive for a guest who has come down from the mountains for a half-day.
• Schinaria. Excellent visibility, rugged rock formations, a large cave and deeper wall sections. It can be dived gently or with more ambition, depending on your experience.
• Peristerovolakas. A reef near Souda, west of Plakias, with a long shallow section that slopes into deeper blue.

The choice on the day depends on the wind and on who is diving. The south coast faces away from the prevailing wind that hits the north of the island, so the sea here is usually calm, and a visit from Spili is rarely wasted.

Why guests in Spili choose us

• Small groups. At most six guests on the boat. The day can be adjusted to the people on it.
• An instructor who explains things. Giannis has over ten years of diving experience and teaches in Greek, English and German. Guests describe him as patient, especially with nervous first-timers.
• SSI, with PADI welcome. We are the only SSI centre in Plakias. PADI divers carry on with us without repeating anything.
• Honest advice. If the conditions are wrong for what you want, we will tell you, even if that means fewer bookings.

Making a day of it

A dive day from Spili fits naturally with the places on the way. Our travel guide has pages on the Kourtaliotiko Gorge and on Spili itself, which you might share with anyone in your group who is not diving. A simple plan:

1. Leave after breakfast. Allow time for the drive to Plakias and meet at the centre at the time we agreed.
2. Dive in the morning. The sea is usually calmest early.
3. Lunch by the sea, then home. Stop at the gorge on the way back up, and be in Spili for the cooler evening.

For the other places our guests stay, see areas we serve.