Dive sites in Norway
Browse by region, city or dive type to find suitable locations for your experience level.
Regions
All dive sites
Lofoten Islands
Svolvær · Nordland · Norway
Arctic Norway's dramatic underwater walls and kelp forests where orcas hunt herring in winter and the midnight sun illuminates summer dives above the Arctic Circle.
Saltstraumen
Bodø · Nordland · Norway
The world's strongest tidal current, where divers descend during brief slack windows into a channel bursting with enormous fish, giant kelp, and cold-water corals.
Trondheim Fjord Wrecks
Trondheim · Trondelag · Norway
Norway's third-largest city guards a deep fjord containing World War II German naval wrecks, Cold War submarine relics, and centuries of maritime history in cold, clear Scandinavian waters.
Gulen
Bergen · Vestland · Norway
A world-class cold-water macro destination in western Norway where nutrient-rich fjord walls host nudibranchs, dead man's fingers coral, and one of Europe's richest invertebrate assemblages.
Naeroyfjord Cold Water Dive
Gudvangen · Vestland · Norway
A UNESCO World Heritage fjord in western Norway where glacial walls plunge into dark, tannin-stained waters creating a unique stratified environment with a freshwater lens, deep-water corals, and eerie visibility shifts between crystal clear and near-zero.
Dive centers in Norway
Gulen Dive Resort
Gulen · Vestland · Norway
Norway's premier cold-water dive resort offering fjord diving with nudibranch diversity, soft corals, and World Heritage fjords.
Lofoten Diving - Activities Lofoten, Norway
8373 Ballstad · Nordland · Norway
Diving in Norway
Dive sites in Norway include wall, channel, wreck locations across Nordland, Trondelag, Vestland. Each location includes depth, conditions and environment type to help you plan safely.
Use the region and city navigation above to narrow your search, or explore individual site pages for detailed conditions, entry type, skill requirements and nearby alternatives.
FAQ
Can I dive with orcas in Lofoten?
Yes, but orca encounters in Lofoten are primarily snorkelling-based rather than scuba diving. From October through January, large pods of orcas and humpback whales follow the herring migration into the fjords around Lofoten and nearby Tromsø. Specialised operators offer snorkelling trips where you enter the water near feeding whales. The experience is breathtaking but requires comfort in cold water at 5 to 7 degrees Celsius and the understanding that wildlife encounters are never guaranteed.
What is midnight sun diving like in Lofoten?
Diving under the midnight sun is a unique Arctic experience available from late May through mid-July when the sun never sets above the Arctic Circle. The extended light creates unusual underwater conditions with soft golden illumination throughout the night hours. Kelp forests glow with an otherworldly quality, and marine life behaves differently without the normal day-night cycle. The water is at its warmest during this period at around 10 to 14 degrees.
What experience level do I need for diving in Lofoten?
Most Lofoten dive sites are suitable for intermediate divers with cold-water and drysuit experience. The wall dives involve depths of 20 to 35 metres with moderate currents, and the remote locations mean self-reliance is important. Advanced Open Water certification with drysuit training is the practical minimum. Some operators welcome experienced Open Water divers for sheltered sites, but prior cold-water diving experience is strongly recommended.
Is it safe to dive in Saltstraumen?
Diving Saltstraumen is safe when conducted by experienced operators who precisely calculate slack water windows. The current reaches speeds exceeding 20 knots at peak flow, making diving outside slack periods extremely dangerous and potentially fatal. Slack water lasts approximately 20 to 40 minutes depending on the tidal phase, and all diving must be completed within this window. Only dive with operators who specialise in Saltstraumen diving and have detailed knowledge of the tidal patterns.
What certification do I need to dive Saltstraumen?
Most operators require a minimum of Advanced Open Water certification with proven cold-water and drysuit experience. Some operators require a minimum of 50 logged dives. The dive itself is not technically demanding during slack water — depths are moderate and the bottom is relatively flat — but the environment demands discipline, precise timing, and the ability to respond calmly if conditions change. Prior experience with current diving is strongly recommended.