News
New destination for Diverse Travel: Croatia

UK-based dive holiday experts Diverse Travel have added Croatia to their programme for 2021.
Croatia is one of the gems of southeast Europe and celebrates 30 years of independence in 2021. Stunning natural scenery combines with an incredible history and, with 3,600 miles of beautiful coastline to explore, this is the perfect destination for water lovers of all kinds.
Croatia’s coastline comprises over 700 islands, almost 400 islets and over 75 reefs, making the Croatian archipelago the largest in the Adriatic Sea, which is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean. Turquoise and crystal clear waters attract sailors, swimmers and snorkellers, but only divers have privileged access to its underwater realm.
Diving in Croatia has existed since the 1950s and earlier, but it has only come to the attention of travelling divers in recent years. The diving is typically Mediterranean with an interesting underwater topography of hidden caves and coral-adorned walls with overhangs and swim-throughs to explore. Many endemic species can be found amongst the rocks and reef patches.
All kinds of corals including sponges, yellow, and extremely rare, red gorgonians, can be found here amongst the rich flora and fauna of the perfectly clean Adriatic. Grouper, catfish, lobster, moray eels and octopus are commonly seen on dives, whilst macro lovers will find plenty to discover in the numerous tiny cracks and crevices. Nudibranchs of all hues are a particular speciality underwater here, as well as beautiful Yellow Seahorses.

Beautiful Yellow Seahorses can be found in the Adriatic Sea off Croatia
Diverse Travel have chosen the area surrounding the picturesque waterfront town of Trogir as the starting point for their tailor-made holidays to Croatia. Trogir is located on the Dalmatian coast, 20 kilometres west of Split – Croatia’s second largest city and the largest city on the Adriatic. Trogir became a World Heritage Site in 1997, and with 2,000 years of history, there is plenty to occupy divers on dry days, or non-diving partners and friends.
Croatia is great value for money and packages for a one week dive holiday start from just £575pp (based on May 2021) including flights with easyJet from London Gatwick or Luton to Split, 23kg baggage, return transfers, 7 night’s accommodation in a one bedroom, self-catering apartment and 10 boat dives with air, tanks and weights.
The carefully-chosen accommodation and dive centre are situated a short stroll apart in the pretty resort of Okrug Gornji Bay, which offers a super beach and plenty of restaurants, cafes and bars, as well as a water taxi to take in the cultural sights of the old town of Trogir.
Sales Manager John Butland recently visited Croatia to check that this new destination could meet Diverse Travel’s exacting standards and he had this to say:
“Croatia had been a long time on my dive wish-list. I’d heard so much about its incredible scenery above and under the water and I’m happy to report that it exceeded my expectations. If you’re looking for a spring / summer destination with crystal clear water, interesting diving, plenty of critters and culture, look no further. Croatia is ideal for divers wanting to getaway for a few days, and with a flight time of just over two hours and a 15 minute transfer, you can be under the beautiful Adriatic quicker than a trip to the coast on a sunny weekend in the UK!”
Read more about John’s experiences in Croatia on the Diverse Travel blog at www.diversetravel.co.uk/new-for-diverse-travel-croatia-diving-holidays and visit the destination guide at www.diversetravel.co.uk/diving-holiday-destinations/croatia-diving-holidays for full details.
With over fifty years’ experience of dive travel, dive centre and resort management the expert Diverse Travel team has the experience to deliver memorable holidays that benefit from full financial ATOL and TTA protection.
For more information visit www.diversetravel.co.uk, call 01473 852002, or email info@diversetravel.co.uk.
Marine Life & Conservation
IUCN Spotlights Green Fins at Bali Ocean Days 2025, Calling for Stronger Business Model in Marine Conservation

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Global Ocean Director, Minna Epps, has spotlighted Green Fins Indonesia along with a call for stronger business models that sustain marine conservation. Speaking at the inaugural session of Bali Ocean Days 2025 held on 7-8 February, Epps emphasised the need for sustainable financing to support and scale marine conservation initiatives such as Green Fins.
Activities earlier in the week with the Coral Triangle Center in Sanur and Ceningan Divers in the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area shaped the IUCN Ocean Director’s message at the conference and showcase, aligning with the theme of the blue economy and impact finance to sustain marine ecosystems.
“Tourism has such a big impact on marine biodiversity, and we need it to adhere to a certain code of conduct,” Epps said. “That is why through our funding facilities, we worked with The Reef-World Foundation advancing Green Fins so dive operators can become certified with standards. But this kind of initiative has been around for a long time and it’s also a tool used to improve [MPA management], but it needs to come with a business model. I also believe in market-based instruments to evolve this programme.”
IUCN’s visit is part of their Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility (BNCFF), which supports at least 21 projects around the world, building the business case for investing in the future of our ocean.
In Indonesia, the project supported by IUCN was developed in partnership with The Reef-World Foundation, the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) and the Coral Triangle Center, which serves as the local implementing organisation for Green Fins. The initiative engages marine tourism businesses through voluntary sustainability certification based on the only internationally recognised environmental standards for diving and snorkelling operations. Green Fins’ activities aim to reduce negative environmental impacts associated with marine tourism activities as well as improve the management of marine protected areas.
IUCN’s promotion of Green Fins in Bali Ocean Days signals the need for greater private sector engagement in marine conservation across Indonesia and beyond.
Investors, donors, marine tourism operators and stakeholders looking to support scalable marine conservation solutions are encouraged to explore opportunities with The Reef-World Foundation, the international coordinator of the Green Fins initiative. To learn more about sustainable marine tourism and how to get involved, visit www.reef-world.org.
About Reef-World
The Reef-World Foundation is a registered UK charity which delivers practical solutions for marine conservation around the world. The charity promotes the wise use of natural resources – particularly coral reefs and related ecosystems – for the benefit of local communities, visitors and future generations. It is dedicated to supporting, inspiring and empowering governments, businesses, communities and individuals around the world to act in conserving and sustainably developing coastal resources.
Reef-World leads the global implementation of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative, which focuses on driving environmentally friendly scuba diving and snorkelling practices across the industry globally. As such, the charity provides low-cost and practical solutions to local and industry-wide environmental challenges associated with the marine tourism industry. It provides education and capacity-building assistance to empower environmental champions (within the diving industry, local communities, authorities and governments) to implement proven coastal resource management approaches.
Visit www.reef-world.org to learn more or follow them on Facebook, Instagram and X.
About Green Fins
Green Fins is a proven conservation management approach – spearheaded by The Reef-World Foundation in partnership with the UN Environment Programme – which leads to a measurable reduction in the negative environmental impacts associated with the marine tourism industry. The initiative aims to protect and conserve coral reefs through environmentally friendly guidelines that promote a sustainable diving and snorkelling tourism industry. It provides the only internationally recognised environmental standards for the diving and snorkelling industry and has a robust assessment system to measure compliance.
Green Fins encourages and empowers members of the diving industry to act to reduce the pressures on coral reefs by offering dive and snorkel companies practical, low-cost alternatives to harmful practices – such as anchoring, fish feeding and chemical pollution – as well as providing strategic training, support and resources. By reducing the local direct and indirect pressures tourism puts on coral reefs, it helps make corals healthier and more resilient to other stresses such as the effects of climate change. Look for the Green Fins logo when booking your next dive trip.Visit www.greenfins.net to learn more or follow the initiative on Facebook, Instagram and X.
News
Filming 360 in The Bahamas

In December 2024, the Shark Trust had a very special opportunity to film sharks and rays in The Bahamas. Frogfish Photography are the Bahamas Dive Ambassadors for the UK. And Caroline, Deputy Editor at Scubaverse, is the Marketing Manager at the Shark Trust. So, when the need arose to film footage of several species of shark and ray for a new Shark Trust project, The Bahamas seemed the perfect fit. A huge thank you is needed here to the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. As they stepped in to fully support the trip both financially and practically. Ensuring that the filming expedition ran smoothly, and that we got as much time as possible in the water with sharks and rays, during the 10 day, 3 island trip.
The Bahamas is famous for its sharks and rays. Divers flock there to experience getting up close to a range of species. Our itinerary saw us visit Nassau, Bimini and Grand Bahama. It packed in as many in-water experiences as possible and had us dive, snorkel, and even take a submarine to experience them in a variety of different habitats and to capture them on film. We saw 148 sharks and rays from 8 different species (all of which have been logged on the Shark Trust Shark Log!).
But why were we there? The expedition was designed to fulfil the needs of two new projects being launched by the Shark Trust in 2025. The filming done underwater on this trip was the start of creating OneOcean360: A Shark Story. A new 360 immersive experience designed primarily for immersive domes and planetariums. The film will be the nearest experience to getting in the water with sharks and rays without getting wet! It will bring the world of sharks to an audience that may never get the chance to experience it first-hand. A Shark Story aims to deepen people’s understanding of sharks, uncovering and illustrating why they are so wonderful as well as being vital to marine ecosystems.
The film is being made in collaboration with Real Immersive. Also based in Plymouth, they have an immersive dome and are providing the technical expertise behind creating this unique experience. Reviewing the footage in the dome has been an invaluable part of the process. Both inspiring the team and allow us to refine the filming techniques to suit this immersive theatre.
You might imagine that we are using expensive cameras and even more expensive housings. But this is not the case. The entire project is being filmed using Insta360 X4 cameras. With only a few simple additions to the standard dive setup. The INON weight plate allowed us to attach this camera to a dive weight, set it down on sand or wreck, and then swim away and let the sharks be the stars. And the results are very exciting. The film will be ready this autumn. It will be accompanied by an educational pack for teachers to take away after school trips to see the film. Encouraging all those that see it to continue learning about these incredible animals.
You can support the creation of OneOcean360: A Shark Story by heading to the crowdfunder page and donating or selecting a reward.
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/a-shark-story
Read about the shark and ray dives we did on Nassau, Bimini and Grand Bahama in our next blog post coming soon on Scubaverse.
-
Gear Reviews1 month ago
Gear Review: SurfEars 4
-
News3 months ago
Santa Divers take the Plunge for Charity
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months ago
Paul Watson Released as Denmark Blocks Japan’s Extradition Bid
-
Blogs2 months ago
Jeff Goodman Launches Underwater Moviemaker Course with NovoScuba
-
Blogs3 months ago
Experience Malta and Gozo in 2025: A Paradise for Divers and Culture Lovers
-
News2 months ago
Dive into Adventure: Limited Space Available for January Socorro Liveaboard Trip with Oyster Diving
-
Blogs3 months ago
The Benefits of Underwater Photography Workshops
-
Blogs3 months ago
Discover Curaçao with the Ultimate Dive Vacation Guide – 2024 DEMA Special Edition