Cold Water
Intact wrecks from the 1600s in Sweden's first maritime cultural reserve
1–19°C · 34–66°Fintermediate
Country
Diving in Sweden
9 dive destinations in Sweden, up to 470 km apart. Water temperature across them runs 0–21 °C. All 9 are in season in Jul–Aug. 41 named dive sites have their own pages.
Bohuslän & Gullmarsfjord · photo W.carter
- Destinations
- 9
- Dive sites
- 41
- Water
- 0–21°C
- Most in season
- Jul–Aug
RegionCold Water
Where are the dive destinations in Sweden?
- 1Stockholm Archipelago & DalaröSep–May
- 2Koster Islands & KosterhavetJul–Mar
- 3VäderöarnaJun–Aug
- 4Lake VätternMar–Oct
- 5Bohuslän & GullmarsfjordJul–Sep
- 6Gotland & FåröYear-round
- 7Gothenburg ArchipelagoDec–Jun
- 8Öland & the Kalmar StraitMay–Dec
- 9Karlskrona & the Blekinge ArchipelagoJul–Aug
Numbers match the table below. Land outline: Natural Earth (public domain).
How do they compare?
| # | Destination | Best months | Water | Visibility | Depth | Level | Access | Sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockholm Archipelago & Dalarö | Sep–May | 1–19°C | — | 11–25 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to intermediate | Shore, Day boat | 4 |
| 2 | Koster Islands & Kosterhavet | Jul–Mar | 3–19°C | — | to 30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to intermediate | Day boat | 5 |
| 3 | Väderöarna | Jun–Aug | 3–18°C | — | 5–25 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Day boat | 2 |
| 4 | Lake Vättern | Mar–Oct | 2–17°C | — | 3–20 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 6 |
| 5 | Bohuslän & Gullmarsfjord | Jul–Sep | 2–18°C | 5–20 m | 8–35 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 5 |
| 6 | Gotland & Fårö | Year-round | 2–19°C | — | 3–27 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 8 |
| 7 | Gothenburg Archipelago | Dec–Jun | 3–19°C | — | 19–29 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Day boat | 4 |
| 8 | Öland & the Kalmar Strait | May–Dec | 0–21°C | — | 5–26 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to intermediate | Shore, Day boat | 6 |
| 9 | Karlskrona & the Blekinge Archipelago | Jul–Aug | 2–18°C | — | 7–14 m | Intermediate | Shore, Day boat | 1 |
When is the best time to dive Sweden?
The most destinations are rated good or prime at the same time in Jul–Aug: 9 of 9. Each row is one destination's own season rating.
| Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Stockholm Archipelago & Dalarö | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime |
| 2Koster Islands & Kosterhavet | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| 3Väderöarna | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
| 4Lake Vättern | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 5Bohuslän & Gullmarsfjord | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 6Gotland & Fårö | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| 7Gothenburg Archipelago | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime |
| 8Öland & the Kalmar Strait | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| 9Karlskrona & the Blekinge Archipelago | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| Good or prime | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
Which destinations combine into one trip?
Destinations that fit within 200 km of each other end to end and share at least one month rated good or prime. Distances are straight lines between destinations, not travel routes.
137 km end to end
In season together: Jul–Oct
151 km end to end
In season together: Year-round
73 km end to end
In season together: Jul–Aug
All 9 destinations in Sweden
Cold Water
Anemone-hung skerry walls in and around Sweden's first marine park
3–19°C · 37–66°Fintermediate
Sweden's westernmost skerries, with seal colonies and current-fed walls
3–18°C · 37–64°Fintermediate
Cold Water
Lake Vättern
Sweden
Sunken cargo boats off Hjo in cold, clear fresh water
2–17°C · 36–63°Fintermediate
Sweden's only cold-water coral reefs, inside its first marine national park
2–18°C · 36–64°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftintermediate
Cold Water
Gotland & Fårö
Sweden
Shore-dive the Digerhuvud drop-off on Fårö, ledges falling to about 55 m
2–19°C · 36–66°Fintermediate
Cold Water
Gothenburg Archipelago
Sweden
More than 200 known wrecks, and wolffish at Trubaduren from December to midsummer
3–19°C · 37–66°Fintermediate
Cold Water
Baltic wrecks from beginner shore dives to intact hulls in the strait
0–21°C · 32–70°Fintermediate
Cold Water
Naval ships scuttled to guard Karlskrona, lying at about 12 m in Djupasund
2–18°C · 36–64°Fintermediate