Crete · CRETE SCUBA DIVING
Warm water, walls and a couple of wrecks, and most centres will take a complete beginner out on the same morning. The 8 below differ on depth, whether you dive from a boat or a beach, and price.
At Mononaftis Beach near Agia Pelagia, Aquadive gives beginners a 30-minute theory lesson, full scuba gear, and a supervised 45-minute underwater session. Your instructor stays close as you learn basic signals and explore fish, sea urchins, and rock formations in clear, shallow water.
“Great introduction to scuba diving for beginners. Amazing location and well worth the money.”
Learn scuba basics with Petros and the CRETANDIVERS team, then take a supervised open-water session in Agia Pelagia Bay. You will practice slowly, use a full equipment set, and reach up to six meters with an instructor nearby. Small groups, several languages, and optional underwater footage make this a friendly first try.
“Can't recommend this enough. Petros and his team were super friendly, welcoming and very accommodating. The diving it's self was incredible and we felt safe and looked after at all times. I struggled with some of the basics at first but the team were brilliant at looking after me and helping me master the basics without me holding up the rest of the group. Scuba diving is an amazing experience and this beginners course with this team is the perfect way to get started or just get a taster. Thank you Petros & co for an incredible day.”
At Ligaria Bay, you get 45 minutes of instruction and about 45 minutes underwater with a licensed instructor. Learn breathing, hand signals, and equipment use, then look for fish at up to roughly 7 to 9 metres. Pickup is available from Heraklion and nearby resorts.
“The scuba instructor was so lovely! I was really nervous and he calmed me down and tried to help me. Afterwards we even tried snorkeling ❤️ beautiful place and people”
From Chania, ride to Almyrida for a gentle first scuba session. You’ll get a 25-minute lesson, close instructor support, full gear and insurance, then explore to 8 meters with a PADI team. Guides may include Lizzy, Freya, Marina, or David, and photos arrive free by email.
“The whole experience was amazing. The instructions where given in a super clear way. The instructions were super friendly and nice. I would definitely do it again!”
Spend three hours learning scuba basics near Almyrida, then explore up to 8 meters underwater with a PADI instructor. Small groups, a one-to-two instructor ratio, hotel transfers around Chania, full equipment, and free underwater photos make this a gentle first step.
“This was an excellent excursion! I've never been scuba diving before and the team went over everything I needed to know, answered all of my questions, and got me outfitted in all the gear and made sure it fit well. Once we went on the dive they were there every step of the way, assisting with the dive itself and showing us cool underwater life (we saw three lionfish and got to hold a sea urchin!). This was a fantastic way to experience scuba diving for the first time, and now I want to sign up for a real certification course!”
Start with hotel pickup and a clear safety lesson from Horizon Diving, then learn breathing and equalization in shallow water before heading farther out. Patient instructors such as Yiannis, Chris, and Sarah adjust the pace to your confidence. Expect fish, sea urchins, and possibly an octopus.
“We were so lucky to find this experience during our trip to Crete. We had the owner of the company as our guide and he and the whole experience were nothing short of INCREDIBLE! As we are not certified and it was our first time diving, he spent time making sure we understood all of the techniques, equipment, hand signals, etc. and helped us every step of the way making sure that we were ok and reminding us to practice the right breathing techniques so that we could have the best possible experience. We were able to see a lot of fish - even some barracudas! Overall we are so…”
From Chania, you’ll take a boat to the Blue Cave and a second open-water site. Certified guides such as Basil, Jared, Andreas, and Nikolas lead first-time scuba guests to 9 to 10 meters, while snorkelers enjoy the same trip. Equipment, insurance, snacks, and underwater photos are included.
“Dimitri and Kostas were excellent guides. They were really fun and made sure we were safe and had the right sized equipment for our snorkeling and scuba diving. The company communicated very well with us before on where to be picked up and dropped off at. We came in on a cruise ship and had no issues with finding them. We had a great time!”
Spend about five hours with Salty Descents near Chania, learning scuba basics, practicing skills, and completing two 45-minute shore sessions. Your package includes equipment, insurance, SSI digital materials, Basic Diver certification, snacks, and shared pickup from much of the Chania region.
“Was a great experience!! Great weather, nice spots and very good diving and snorkeling teachers! They are very motivated and they really like what they do. As well this school/company really takes their work and their responsibility very serious. So you can be sure that they teach you every important information. If you want to learn how to dive in Crete, Go there!!”
Pick a coast, a gorge or a kitchen.
