The impressive rock formations that western Crete is famous for, such as the Samaria Gorge, continue underwater, especially along the dramatic south coast. Here divers can find many good caverns, gaps and reefs offering shelter to octopus, moray eel, grouper and a wide variety of other marine life. There are also depth walls with good drop off points along the south coast especially around the Plakias area. Besides the many sponges, spiny lobsters, crayfish and cuttlefish, you can also see barracuda, perch and much more.

Popular dive sites on the south coast at Skinaria which has several underwater canyons overgrown with colorful flora. The north coast diving slope at Panormo reaches a depth of 115 feet with small overgrown caves full of shoals of fish and a Venetian anchor `cemetery`. The Damnoni three-part cave is linked by narrow tunnels full of marine life.

Atlantis Rethymnon Crete
The Atlantis Diving Center began in 1993 at the Rithymna Beach Hotel near Rethymnon. Since 2002 there has been a branch at the Grecotel Club Marine Palace in Panormo. Diving to PADI standards from beginners to advanced.

Blue Adventures Chania Crete
Based in the old harbor at Chania, the center offers dives for everyone from beginners to certified divers including wall diving, deep diving, cave diving and night diving. Specialty cave dives west of Chania.

Dive Together Plakias Crete
PADI dive resort offers scuba diving courses on all levels of training from April to November. For everyone, from those with no previous experience in diving to those seeking a PADI diver license to become a certified diver.

Omega Divers Almyrida Crete
Based at Almyrida, near Chania, Omega Divers is a new PADI Center established in 2011 offering recreational diving for visitors as well as a wide range of courses for both novice and experienced divers.

Paradise Diving Center Rethymnon Crete
PADI center offers daily dives to caves and wrecks, from beginners to experienced divers. There are also PADI courses to Divemaster standard as well as specialty courses such as night diving and search and recovery.