Formerly
little known parts of eastern Europe are becoming increasingly popular as
countries like Croatia and Montenegro open up to tourism. Budget flights and
low prices at the destination, with food, drink, and accommodation all easily
affordable, make these countries an economical option as well as something
that's still a little out of the ordinary. And where better to dive, than
somewhere that is still a relatively undiscovered?
Croatia
and Montenegro are becoming popular holiday options with divers too,
thanks to the warm climate, with lots of sunshine combined with miles and miles
of coastline. All inclusive dive holidays to Croatia or Montenegro let you
explore the underwater worlds without worrying about your budget.
Croatia
Bordering
the Adriatic, Croatia's Dalmatian coast, boasts rugged cliffs, sandy beaches,
historic towns, and dozens of islands, big and small. You can find dive centres
at many of the towns, from tiny fishing villages to sprawling cities. That
means you're sorted, whether you want to get away from it all in a remote,
sleepy hamlet, or go straight from the beach to the bar and party all night.
While the walled city of Dubrovnik features a cruise port and historic old
town, and Split, a bustling market, water sports, and Roman remains, both also
offer interesting diving opportunities.
The
chain of islands along the coast provides perfect conditions for diving. The
largest island, Brac, is especially popular with divers. The warm, clear waters
are home to a huge variety of fish and other aquatic life, and also offer
fantastic cave diving. The reefs provide cover for shellfish and octopus. Sea
fans and sea sponges add colour, while turtles, dolphins, moray eels and even
sharks can be spotted.
This
area is particularly good for wreck diving, with steam ships and passenger
liners waiting to be explored as well as vessels sunk in both world wars. Try
the wreck of the Baron Gautsch off Rovinj, which sank in 1914 and lies between
28 and 41 metres. The 1943 wreck of Taranto is near Dubrovnik. The upper deck
is at 28 metres and the whole wreck has been completely taken over by fish.
There are even Second World War German submarines to explore.
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| Montenegro |
Montenegro
The
small country of Montenegro, to the east of Croatia, is becoming better known
as a tourist destination, but still feels a little way off the beaten track.
Here
you will find dive centres, and a range of dives from the easy to the challenging,
all in warm, clear waters. This coastline has lots of caves, caverns and
tunnels to explore, with popular sites including the beautiful Blue Grotto and
Sale's Cave, which are both ideal for beginners.
Montenegro
also has a few wrecks such as the Oreste, an Italian cargo ship that sank in
1942 and lies around 32 metres, a slightly deeper wreck the SMS Kaiser Franz
Joseph I that sank in 1919 to around 45 metres, or the Hiszpanska Galera XVI,
which rests at around 32 metres depth.
Consider
Croatia and Montenegro for your all inclusive diving holiday, and you're sure
to take home the memory of new sights and experiences.
Photo credit: First Choice Holidays
This post was contributed by First Choice Holidays.
