The Baron Gautsch was an Austro-Hungarian passenger ferry that struck a naval minefield in 1914 and sank with the loss of over 250 lives, making it Croatia's most tragic maritime disaster. The 85 m wreck lies in 28–42 m off Rovinj in the northern Adriatic, largely intact with portholes, anchors, and crockery still visible inside. She is home to enormous conger eels, lobsters, and one of the Adriatic's best grouper populations.
The Blue Hole at Dwejra on Gozo island is a natural cylindrical hole in the limestone shelf, 10 m in diameter and 15 m deep, that opens through an arch at 8 m into the open Mediterranean. The arch drops to 25 m on the seaward side, connecting to the Azure Window collapse site and a dramatic wall leading to 50 m. The resident date mussels, dusky grouper, and dense moray eel population make it an outstanding Mediterranean dive.
Cirkewwa at Malta's northern tip is an excellent all-conditions training and recreational site built around the wreck of the P29 patrol boat, sunk in 2007, and an older car ferry resting at 18 m. Horse-shoe and arch formations in the limestone provide sheltered habitat for nudibranchs, cuttlefish, and octopus that are among the most photogenic in the Mediterranean. Calm water and easy shore access make it the most dived site on the island.
The SS Kyarra is an Australian passenger ship torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1918 and now resting at 30 m off Swanage, one of Dorset's most impressive and historically significant wreck dives. The large vessel is intact enough to allow excellent exploration of the holds, engine room, and promenade deck, all heavily colonised by plumose anemones and sea fans.
Smitswinkel Bay in southern False Bay holds five deliberately scuttled vessels — including the SAS Pietermaritzburg, SAS Transvaal, and SAS Pretoria — sunk in 1990 to create an artificial reef that is now one of the most accessible multi-wreck dive sites in South Africa. Lying at 18–35 m, the wrecks are draped in colourful encrusting sponges and house klipfish, Cape knifejaw, and large resident octopuses. Shore entry is possible from the beach and conditions are generally sheltered, making this suitable for divers of all levels.
The Um El Faroud is a 110 m Libyan oil tanker sunk deliberately in 1998 as an artificial reef off Dallamara on Malta's south coast. The wreck lies on a 25–36 m sandy bottom with its superstructure accessible from 18 m, and is now colonised by large Mediterranean grouper, barracuda, and enormous spider crabs. Penetration of the engine room and cargo holds is possible for trained divers and the prop shaft makes for an iconic photographic subject.
Duboka Luka (Deep Bay) on the island of Vis in central Dalmatia is one of Croatia's most celebrated advanced dives, with a large WWII German cargo vessel lying in 35–52 m. The wreck is intact, heavily colonised by gorgonian sea fans and soft corals, and inhabited by conger eels and large dusky grouper. Vis is only recently reopened to tourism and the marine reserve status of much of the surrounding coast means fish life is exceptionally dense.