Where is the best place in Croatia for snorkeling and diving? We are planning a sailing holiday there in August 2010 but have not yet finalized which islands. Are there any particularly good sites and is it worthwhile taking our own snorkeling gear?

I don’t have any specific recommendations regarding which island to choose. All the islands I visited (suggested by our hired skipper) are simply sensational, with crystal clear water. Most of the islands have rocky shorelines (sandy beaches are rare), so snorkeling is possible practically everywhere. The drawback is, don’t expect colorful tropical fish, the underworld there is different with lots of grey rocks and little brown fish but it’s still stunning.

I go to Croatia every summer for the past 4-5 years and I love it there. The best thing is that you can easily snorkel from any beach. I bring my own snorkel & mask. To save packing weight I don't bring swim fins, but they would certainly be an advantage.

I was a little disappointed when we went snorkeling: comparing to some other destinations -there was very little fish to see, and they were all alike, as _donaldh said: some rocks, silver and brown fish and that's it! Obliviously it's not a tropical destination with colorful and vivid underwater world!
 
Maybe we didn't know of the right locations, perhaps diving with -but next time we won't bother: there are enough attractions above the water to keep one busy!

We enjoyed snorkeling late last September - it was warm enough and very clear. We went near Makarska.

we've chartered a sailing boat for a week from split. do you have advices on where we can rent snorkeling gear in split to take with us for the week sail?

I just packed my snorkeling gear the last couple of trips. See if you have room for that. I just brought it with me whenever I went to the beach and snorkeled in all of the places I visited. That was good enough for me and I got to see fish and plant life below.

dianne-72, I think you should think about bringing your own snorkeling gear (as most tourists do). That way on the day of your charter check in you won't have to worry about renting the equipment and you can take it with you wherever you will be sailing. If you don't want to carry it with you, I suggest you to check with your charter agent if they can provide it (maybe even for free)... :-)

JamGroup,
Which islands should we go snorkeling (not diving)? Do you recommend us to rent the equipment or to bring it from home (UK)? Is there snorkeling at any beaches near the major cities, such as Split and Dubrovnik?

Hi Heather,
 
Thanks for joining our forum. Regarding the Split area, you can choose between Hvar, Brac or Vis. I would certainly go for the last one. There are snorkeling and diving centers both in Komiza and Vis while the island Bisevo with its Modra, Zelena and Medvjedja caves represent very attractive locations for snorkeling and diving passionates. Renting of the snorkeling equipment (mask and fins) costs around 5 EUR.
 
In Dubrovnik area I would suggest Mljet and Lastovo. Mljet is really something special with its wonderful stony corals. But keep in mind that they’re protected by the Ministry of Culture, so snorkeling and/or diving is possible only if organized by professional diving centers.
 
Have fun!

Thanks, JamGroup!
With the price of snorkel gear in the UK we will definitely be taking our own. But your advice about snorkeling in different locations is more than helpful!
Thanks!

Hi. Where is the best place to go snorkeling? I will be visiting Dubrovnik, Korcula and Mljet early next October. I know the water will probably be cold but want to snorkel. I’m not able to scuba.

All the listed places are great! Just walk a bit further away from the centers of the towns and go along the coast.
Dubrovnik may be a bit trickier but you will be able to find locations to snorkel there as well.
Early October the weather can still be nice and the water not too cold so I’m sure you will have a great time!

I'm planning a trip to Croatia for September 2010. Is the Adriatic warm and clear enough for snorkeling? Underwater life?

It's the clearest water I've ever seen and it’s like that along the entire coast. The water is very salty so keep that in mind if you dive – you’ll need more weights. If you are going in September and want to swim and snorkel, I'd go early or mid September at latest and stay south. With a bit of luck the water will still be warm enough.

Yes it is very clear water. I took my snorkeling gear the last couple of trips and just brought it to the beach with me. There wasn't a whole lot of fish to see, but some. In some places there were also lots of sea urchins to look at.

I'm going to tour the Croatian coast in August 2010 and would like to know where it’s best to snorkel since I don't scuba either, it's out of my budget. I'd like to know where to actually see some marine life and not just sand.
 
Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated!
 
Thanks

Croatian Adriatic coastline is perfect for diving and snorkeling vacations! You will be delighted with the calm Adriatic Sea and the color of the water which is stunning, almost tropical blue. If you wish to get to know the Croatian underwater world (and - as you pointed out - you don’t scuba) it’s certainly better to go snorkeling outside the larger cities and villages.
You actually won’t see too much of sand, because the Croatian coastline is pretty rocky, so any of the “wild” beaches outside the usual tourist resorts and large ports will offer a good insight of the Croatian marine life.