South Crete
Dive sites in Plakias
Three sites we know well enough to tune to the day, the wind and the diver. Honest descriptions, not a list of names.
Diving in Plakias is three sites on one stretch of south coast, not a catalogue of the island. The coast faces away from the weather that closes the north, which is why the water is usually clear. What follows is what each site is actually like, including who it does not suit.
Site one
Schinaria
Rugged rock formations, excellent visibility, and a large cave that gives the route a genuine sense of going somewhere. The terrain offers reefy sections, natural channels and deeper wall-style ground along the edges of the bay, so the same site can be a gentle first dive or a demanding one depending on where we take it.
You actually see fish working the rocks, and crevices where octopus and moray sit still enough to miss if you rush. The cave is the thing people remember: not a swim-through for its own sake, a route that feels like it is going somewhere. Entry is straightforward from shore. We choose the entry point and the line on the day. It does not suit someone who wants a single fixed profile printed in advance.
- Access
- From the shore
- Character
- Reef · Wall · Cave
Site two
The old harbour of Damnoni
The most versatile site we have. In the shallows the seabed slopes gently with no sudden drop-offs, which makes it comfortable for first dives and for training. Further out the ground falls away steeply, opening up reefs, small walls, caves and underwater gorges that change character as you move along the coast.
It suits a nervous beginner and an experienced diver on the same morning, which is rare. Past the training slope the gorges and small walls are the reason to come back. Depending on conditions and your level we reach it either from the shore or by boat. It is the wrong site if you only want one kind of dive.
- Access
- Shore or boat, depending on conditions
- Character
- Reef · Wall · Cave
Site three
Peristerovolakas
Near Souda Plakias: an extended reef in the shallows that slopes gently into deeper blue, in water that is usually very clear. The north winds push most of the local Mediterranean species into this area.
The most relaxed of the three. A slow cruise over reef rather than a dive with a plan. When the north wind is up, this is where the fish actually are. A good choice when someone in the group wants an easy day, and a poor one if you came for walls and caves.
- Access
- Shore or boat, depending on conditions
- Character
- Reef
Which site, on which day
That is decided by the wind, the swell and who is diving. Two of these sites can be reached from the shore, and on the right day that is the simplest way to dive them. The boat changes what is available rather than upgrading it: different entry points, ground that is a long swim from any beach, and the option to move if the first stop is not working. It takes six guests. The full day runs about eight hours with lunch aboard. Tell us your dates and your certification and we will tell you what is realistic.