{
  "destination": "croatia",
  "name": "Croatia",
  "question": "Can you snorkel and dive from a charter boat in Croatia, and how warm is the sea?",
  "answer": "Yes: in Kornati National Park snorkelling needs no permit, but scuba diving there is only allowed in groups run by a dive centre under contract with the park, and every boat pays a park ticket (€50 a day for an 11–17.99 m boat from October to May and €95 from June to September, bought before entering). The sea averages 13.3 °C in February and 24.6 °C in August (NOAA, 1991–2020 mean at our reference point); by our rule of thumb July and August are the months at 24 °C or more, when a 3 mm shorty is enough, while February calls for a 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving.",
  "canonical_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/snorkel-dive/croatia/",
  "markdown_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/snorkel-dive/croatia.md",
  "destination_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/croatia/",
  "best_time_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/best-time/croatia/",
  "fishing_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/fishing/croatia/",
  "api_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/api/snorkel-dive/croatia.json",
  "book_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/go/samboat?dest=croatia&pos=api",
  "checked": "2026-10-28",
  "sea_temperature": {
    "unit": "celsius",
    "source": "NOAA OISST v2.1 long-term monthly mean",
    "period": "1991–2020",
    "reference_point": {
      "place": "Split Channel, between Brač and Šolta",
      "lat": 43.375,
      "lon": 16.375
    },
    "note": "NOAA OISST v2.1 long-term mean, 1991–2020, one 1/4° sea cell per destination. It is the sea surface; shallow bays can be warmer and water at depth cooler.",
    "warm_water_threshold_c": 24,
    "months": [
      {
        "month": 1,
        "name": "January",
        "sea_c": 14.1,
        "warm_water": false,
        "wetsuit_rule_of_thumb": "7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving"
      },
      {
        "month": 2,
        "name": "February",
        "sea_c": 13.3,
        "warm_water": false,
        "wetsuit_rule_of_thumb": "7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving"
      },
      {
        "month": 3,
        "name": "March",
        "sea_c": 13.5,
        "warm_water": false,
        "wetsuit_rule_of_thumb": "7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving"
      },
      {
        "month": 4,
        "name": "April",
        "sea_c": 14.8,
        "warm_water": false,
        "wetsuit_rule_of_thumb": "7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving"
      },
      {
        "month": 5,
        "name": "May",
        "sea_c": 17.9,
        "warm_water": false,
        "wetsuit_rule_of_thumb": "7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving"
      },
      {
        "month": 6,
        "name": "June",
        "sea_c": 21.8,
        "warm_water": false,
        "wetsuit_rule_of_thumb": "3 mm full wetsuit"
      },
      {
        "month": 7,
        "name": "July",
        "sea_c": 24,
        "warm_water": true,
        "wetsuit_rule_of_thumb": "3 mm shorty"
      },
      {
        "month": 8,
        "name": "August",
        "sea_c": 24.6,
        "warm_water": true,
        "wetsuit_rule_of_thumb": "3 mm shorty"
      },
      {
        "month": 9,
        "name": "September",
        "sea_c": 22.8,
        "warm_water": false,
        "wetsuit_rule_of_thumb": "3 mm full wetsuit"
      },
      {
        "month": 10,
        "name": "October",
        "sea_c": 20.8,
        "warm_water": false,
        "wetsuit_rule_of_thumb": "5 mm full wetsuit"
      },
      {
        "month": 11,
        "name": "November",
        "sea_c": 18.6,
        "warm_water": false,
        "wetsuit_rule_of_thumb": "5 mm full wetsuit"
      },
      {
        "month": 12,
        "name": "December",
        "sea_c": 16.1,
        "warm_water": false,
        "wetsuit_rule_of_thumb": "7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving"
      }
    ],
    "derived": "warm_water and wetsuit_rule_of_thumb are our rules applied to the NOAA mean; sea_c is NOAA's, rounded to 0.1."
  },
  "wetsuit_rule": "Our rule of thumb for snorkelling, applied to the monthly mean: 28 °C or more: swimsuit or rash vest; 26–28 °C: rash vest or 1–2 mm shorty; 24–26 °C: 3 mm shorty; 21–24 °C: 3 mm full wetsuit; 18–21 °C: 5 mm full wetsuit; below 18 °C: 7 mm wetsuit, or a drysuit for diving. Divers lose heat faster and meet cooler water at depth: go one band thicker. People feel cold differently; this is a guide, not a source's advice.",
  "sites": [
    {
      "name": "Kornati National Park",
      "kind": "national park",
      "where": "Kornati islands, between Zadar and Šibenik",
      "facts": [
        {
          "text": "Snorkelling needs no special permit. Scuba diving is allowed in nine zones: Kornat (Opat–Tanka Prisliga), Samograd, Oključ, Mala Panitula, Vela Panitula, Rašip, Kasela, Mana and Borovnik.",
          "status": "official",
          "sources": [
            {
              "id": "dive_hr_kornati_diving",
              "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
              "title": "Ronjenje i snorkeling (diving and snorkelling)",
              "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=83&Itemid=279&lang=hr",
              "checked": "2026-10-28",
              "note": "Official park page (Croatian; translations ours). Snorkelling needs no special permit; scuba only in organised, approved groups run by registered organisers under contract with the park; nine diving zones; no night diving 19:00–07:00; 40 m maximum depth.",
              "tier": "official"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "text": "Every vessel pays a park ticket by length and season; it costs more if bought inside the park (see the fees table).",
          "status": "official",
          "sources": [
            {
              "id": "dive_hr_kornati_prices",
              "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
              "title": "Cjenik naknada i usluga za 2026. godinu (2026 price list)",
              "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/images/uvodne/cjenik_2026hr-1.pdf",
              "checked": "2026-10-28",
              "note": "Official price list adopted by the park's governing board on 30 June 2026 (Croatian). Per-vessel tickets by length and season (I–V and X–XII vs VI–IX), bought outside or inside the park; joint Kornati + Telašćica 3-day tickets (mySea portal only); diving-visit fees charged to dive organisers.",
              "tier": "official"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Telašćica Nature Park",
      "kind": "nature park",
      "where": "Dugi Otok, north-west of Kornati",
      "facts": [
        {
          "text": "Kornati and Telašćica sell a joint 3-day ticket per vessel, only through the mySea portal.",
          "status": "official",
          "sources": [
            {
              "id": "dive_hr_kornati_prices",
              "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
              "title": "Cjenik naknada i usluga za 2026. godinu (2026 price list)",
              "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/images/uvodne/cjenik_2026hr-1.pdf",
              "checked": "2026-10-28",
              "note": "Official price list adopted by the park's governing board on 30 June 2026 (Croatian). Per-vessel tickets by length and season (I–V and X–XII vs VI–IX), bought outside or inside the park; joint Kornati + Telašćica 3-day tickets (mySea portal only); diving-visit fees charged to dive organisers.",
              "tier": "official"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "text": "Telašćica's own snorkelling and diving rules: not verified (we did not open the nature park's pages).",
          "status": "not_verified",
          "sources": []
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "fees": [
    {
      "item": "Kornati ticket, 1 day, boat 11–17.99 m, bought before entering",
      "amount": "€50 (Jan–May, Oct–Dec) · €95 (Jun–Sep)",
      "status": "official",
      "note": "Per vessel, not per person.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "id": "dive_hr_kornati_prices",
          "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
          "title": "Cjenik naknada i usluga za 2026. godinu (2026 price list)",
          "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/images/uvodne/cjenik_2026hr-1.pdf",
          "checked": "2026-10-28",
          "note": "Official price list adopted by the park's governing board on 30 June 2026 (Croatian). Per-vessel tickets by length and season (I–V and X–XII vs VI–IX), bought outside or inside the park; joint Kornati + Telašćica 3-day tickets (mySea portal only); diving-visit fees charged to dive organisers.",
          "tier": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "item": "Kornati ticket, 1 day, boat 11–17.99 m, bought inside the park",
      "amount": "€95 (Jan–May, Oct–Dec) · €190 (Jun–Sep)",
      "status": "official",
      "sources": [
        {
          "id": "dive_hr_kornati_prices",
          "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
          "title": "Cjenik naknada i usluga za 2026. godinu (2026 price list)",
          "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/images/uvodne/cjenik_2026hr-1.pdf",
          "checked": "2026-10-28",
          "note": "Official price list adopted by the park's governing board on 30 June 2026 (Croatian). Per-vessel tickets by length and season (I–V and X–XII vs VI–IX), bought outside or inside the park; joint Kornati + Telašćica 3-day tickets (mySea portal only); diving-visit fees charged to dive organisers.",
          "tier": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "item": "Kornati ticket, 1 day, boat 7–10.99 m, bought before entering",
      "amount": "€30 (Jan–May, Oct–Dec) · €65 (Jun–Sep)",
      "status": "official",
      "sources": [
        {
          "id": "dive_hr_kornati_prices",
          "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
          "title": "Cjenik naknada i usluga za 2026. godinu (2026 price list)",
          "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/images/uvodne/cjenik_2026hr-1.pdf",
          "checked": "2026-10-28",
          "note": "Official price list adopted by the park's governing board on 30 June 2026 (Croatian). Per-vessel tickets by length and season (I–V and X–XII vs VI–IX), bought outside or inside the park; joint Kornati + Telašćica 3-day tickets (mySea portal only); diving-visit fees charged to dive organisers.",
          "tier": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "item": "Kornati ticket, 3 days, boat 11–17.99 m, bought before entering",
      "amount": "€95 (Jan–May, Oct–Dec) · €190 (Jun–Sep)",
      "status": "official",
      "sources": [
        {
          "id": "dive_hr_kornati_prices",
          "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
          "title": "Cjenik naknada i usluga za 2026. godinu (2026 price list)",
          "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/images/uvodne/cjenik_2026hr-1.pdf",
          "checked": "2026-10-28",
          "note": "Official price list adopted by the park's governing board on 30 June 2026 (Croatian). Per-vessel tickets by length and season (I–V and X–XII vs VI–IX), bought outside or inside the park; joint Kornati + Telašćica 3-day tickets (mySea portal only); diving-visit fees charged to dive organisers.",
          "tier": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "item": "Joint Kornati + Telašćica ticket, 3 days, boat 11–17.99 m (mySea portal only)",
      "amount": "€150 (Jan–May, Oct–Dec) · €300 (Jun–Sep)",
      "status": "official",
      "sources": [
        {
          "id": "dive_hr_kornati_prices",
          "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
          "title": "Cjenik naknada i usluga za 2026. godinu (2026 price list)",
          "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/images/uvodne/cjenik_2026hr-1.pdf",
          "checked": "2026-10-28",
          "note": "Official price list adopted by the park's governing board on 30 June 2026 (Croatian). Per-vessel tickets by length and season (I–V and X–XII vs VI–IX), bought outside or inside the park; joint Kornati + Telašćica 3-day tickets (mySea portal only); diving-visit fees charged to dive organisers.",
          "tier": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "item": "Kornati diving visit, charged to the dive organiser",
      "amount": "€15 per diver per day, plus €7 per visitor on a diving visit",
      "status": "official",
      "sources": [
        {
          "id": "dive_hr_kornati_prices",
          "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
          "title": "Cjenik naknada i usluga za 2026. godinu (2026 price list)",
          "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/images/uvodne/cjenik_2026hr-1.pdf",
          "checked": "2026-10-28",
          "note": "Official price list adopted by the park's governing board on 30 June 2026 (Croatian). Per-vessel tickets by length and season (I–V and X–XII vs VI–IX), bought outside or inside the park; joint Kornati + Telašćica 3-day tickets (mySea portal only); diving-visit fees charged to dive organisers.",
          "tier": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "item": "Croatian individual diving authorisation (Harbourmaster's Office)",
      "amount": "€318.53, valid one year",
      "status": "official",
      "note": "For diving on your own; gov.hr describes organised diving through diving centres and associations separately.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "id": "dive_hr_govhr",
          "name": "gov.hr (Croatian government portal)",
          "title": "Diving",
          "url": "https://gov.hr/en/diving/1554",
          "checked": "2026-10-28",
          "note": "Undated official page. Individual diving authorisation from a Harbourmaster's Office, €318.53, valid one year; organised diving for members of diving centres and associations; dive buoy and flag marking.",
          "tier": "official"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "mooring_and_anchoring": [
    {
      "text": "Kornati: anchoring and overnight stays are allowed only in the coves the park lists (about 20, including Stiniva, Statival, Lupeška, Šipnate, Lučica, Gujak, Opat and Lavsa). Boats may sail anywhere in the park except the strict protection zones, which visitors may not enter.",
      "status": "official",
      "sources": [
        {
          "id": "dive_hr_kornati_rules",
          "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
          "title": "Pravila ponašanja (rules of conduct)",
          "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=80&Itemid=282&lang=hr",
          "checked": "2026-10-28",
          "note": "Official park page (Croatian; translations ours). Anchoring and overnight stays only in the coves it lists; no visitor access to strict protection zones.",
          "tier": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "text": "Kornati: during a dive nothing may be touched or taken from the sea (except litter), marine life must not be disturbed, night diving from 19:00 to 07:00 is not allowed, and the maximum depth is 40 m.",
      "status": "official",
      "sources": [
        {
          "id": "dive_hr_kornati_diving",
          "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
          "title": "Ronjenje i snorkeling (diving and snorkelling)",
          "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=83&Itemid=279&lang=hr",
          "checked": "2026-10-28",
          "note": "Official park page (Croatian; translations ours). Snorkelling needs no special permit; scuba only in organised, approved groups run by registered organisers under contract with the park; nine diving zones; no night diving 19:00–07:00; 40 m maximum depth.",
          "tier": "official"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "diving": [
    {
      "text": "Kornati: scuba diving only in organised, approved groups run by a registered organiser under contract with the park; individual diving is not allowed. The park lists seven contracted dive centres for 2026.",
      "status": "official",
      "sources": [
        {
          "id": "dive_hr_kornati_diving",
          "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
          "title": "Ronjenje i snorkeling (diving and snorkelling)",
          "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=83&Itemid=279&lang=hr",
          "checked": "2026-10-28",
          "note": "Official park page (Croatian; translations ours). Snorkelling needs no special permit; scuba only in organised, approved groups run by registered organisers under contract with the park; nine diving zones; no night diving 19:00–07:00; 40 m maximum depth.",
          "tier": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "text": "Anywhere in Croatia, diving on your own needs an authorisation from a Harbourmaster's Office (€318.53, valid one year); organised diving is allowed for members of diving centres and associations. The diver must check the zones closed to individual diving, set by an ordinance.",
      "status": "official",
      "sources": [
        {
          "id": "dive_hr_govhr",
          "name": "gov.hr (Croatian government portal)",
          "title": "Diving",
          "url": "https://gov.hr/en/diving/1554",
          "checked": "2026-10-28",
          "note": "Undated official page. Individual diving authorisation from a Harbourmaster's Office, €318.53, valid one year; organised diving for members of diving centres and associations; dive buoy and flag marking.",
          "tier": "official"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "text": "Mark the dive: an orange or red buoy of at least 30 cm in the centre of the dive area, or flag A or a diver-down flag shown on the boat; at night the buoy needs a yellow or white strobe.",
      "status": "official",
      "sources": [
        {
          "id": "dive_hr_govhr",
          "name": "gov.hr (Croatian government portal)",
          "title": "Diving",
          "url": "https://gov.hr/en/diving/1554",
          "checked": "2026-10-28",
          "note": "Undated official page. Individual diving authorisation from a Harbourmaster's Office, €318.53, valid one year; organised diving for members of diving centres and associations; dive buoy and flag marking.",
          "tier": "official"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "visibility": {
    "text": "We found no official or survey source for underwater visibility, so we give no figure. Ask the local dive centre on the day.",
    "status": "not_verified",
    "sources": []
  },
  "not_verified": [
    "The list of zones closed to individual diving (the ordinance itself was not read).",
    "Snorkelling and diving rules in Telašćica, Mljet and Brijuni.",
    "Kornati mooring buoy prices and locations (the park has a separate buoy page we did not read).",
    "Underwater visibility."
  ],
  "source_counts": {
    "official": 5,
    "secondary": 0
  },
  "status_legend": {
    "official": "Read in an official text: government, park authority, ministry or official tourism board.",
    "secondary": "From a newspaper, NGO, guide or tour operator; not official.",
    "not_verified": "We could not confirm it. We leave it open rather than guess."
  },
  "caveat": "Park rules change and some are seasonal. Check with the park, the charter base or a local dive centre. The answer, wetsuit column and warm-water flag are our wording and rules applied to labelled facts and NOAA means.",
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "dive_hr_kornati_diving",
      "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
      "title": "Ronjenje i snorkeling (diving and snorkelling)",
      "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=83&Itemid=279&lang=hr",
      "checked": "2026-10-28",
      "note": "Official park page (Croatian; translations ours). Snorkelling needs no special permit; scuba only in organised, approved groups run by registered organisers under contract with the park; nine diving zones; no night diving 19:00–07:00; 40 m maximum depth.",
      "tier": "official"
    },
    {
      "id": "dive_hr_kornati_rules",
      "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
      "title": "Pravila ponašanja (rules of conduct)",
      "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=80&Itemid=282&lang=hr",
      "checked": "2026-10-28",
      "note": "Official park page (Croatian; translations ours). Anchoring and overnight stays only in the coves it lists; no visitor access to strict protection zones.",
      "tier": "official"
    },
    {
      "id": "dive_hr_kornati_prices",
      "name": "Kornati National Park (JU NP Kornati)",
      "title": "Cjenik naknada i usluga za 2026. godinu (2026 price list)",
      "url": "https://www.np-kornati.hr/images/uvodne/cjenik_2026hr-1.pdf",
      "checked": "2026-10-28",
      "note": "Official price list adopted by the park's governing board on 30 June 2026 (Croatian). Per-vessel tickets by length and season (I–V and X–XII vs VI–IX), bought outside or inside the park; joint Kornati + Telašćica 3-day tickets (mySea portal only); diving-visit fees charged to dive organisers.",
      "tier": "official"
    },
    {
      "id": "dive_hr_govhr",
      "name": "gov.hr (Croatian government portal)",
      "title": "Diving",
      "url": "https://gov.hr/en/diving/1554",
      "checked": "2026-10-28",
      "note": "Undated official page. Individual diving authorisation from a Harbourmaster's Office, €318.53, valid one year; organised diving for members of diving centres and associations; dive buoy and flag marking.",
      "tier": "official"
    },
    {
      "id": "noaa_oisst_ltm",
      "name": "NOAA PSL (NOAA/NCEI OISST v2.1)",
      "title": "NOAA High-resolution Blended Analysis: OISST v2.1 long-term mean monthly sea surface temperature, 1991–2020 (sst.mon.ltm.1991-2020.nc)",
      "url": "https://psl.noaa.gov/thredds/catalog/Datasets/noaa.oisst.v2.highres/catalog.html",
      "checked": "2026-10-28",
      "note": "NOAA's published 1/4° monthly climatology (climo_period 1991/01/01–2020/12/31; every month of every cell we use rests on 30 years). Read on 28 Oct 2026 through PSL's THREDDS point service by scripts/fetch-sst.mjs; we chose one sea cell per destination and rounded to 0.1 °C. Satellite-and-in-situ analysis of the sea surface, not a beach or depth reading.",
      "tier": "official"
    }
  ],
  "attribution": "Cite \"Catamaran Index\" with a link to the canonical_url of the page the figure comes from, and name the original source listed with it.",
  "affiliate_note": "book_url links go through /go/samboat, an affiliate link: Catamaran Index may earn a commission on bookings, at no extra cost to the traveller. It never changes the data."
}