Dive Sites
Velika Špilja
Velika špilija in Croatian simply means “great grotto”, which perfectly reflects the characteristics of this place.
This dive site is located on the southern side of the island, on one of the small coves halfway between the Stupišće and Gaće headlands.
The dive begins with a vertical wall descending to about 30 meters. After a few minutes of swimming at a depth of 20 meters, the divers will see a large rock rubble, behind which are the entrances to the grotto. The space inside the cavern is huge. The interior of the cave resembles a bell with a ceiling at 20-22 meters and a sandy floor at 30-33 meters. Directly from the entrance to the cave, the space is clearly narrowing, creating a 3-4 meters wide gap. A whole group can easily navigate there and explore the side branch of the cavern – a blind corridor shallowing up to 23-24 meters. Next, you have to return to the main chamber and exit through the same opening that served as the entrance.
During your stay in the cavern, it is worthwhile to circle at least twice, at different depths, through the full experience of sponges and corals growing on its walls. The cave is home to spiny lobsters, crayfish and red fork – big, shade-loving fish. The attractions of this dive site do not end there. On the way to the bay where the boat is waiting, divers will visit rock formations resembling short water slides in water parks. You have to swim through them one after one, only one diver can fit in the width. In shallow water, during a safety stop, you can circumnavigate the rock column rising above the water’s surface. In a small ravine between the shore and the column, we often see octopuses. Divers enter the boat from the water in a bay sheltered from wind and waves.
