
Budva & Jaz · Montenegro · Reef · Pinnacle
Galiola
Two chimneys to swim through inside an underwater pyramid
Photo: Anton Nikiforov · CC BY 3.0
Galiola is an underwater pyramid near St. Nikola Island off Budva, a reef dive with a maximum depth of 25 m. Divers swim through two chimneys in the pyramid, where octopus and grouper live, and the site is open to divers with an Open Water Diver certificate.
Also known as Reef Galiola, Galiola ridge.
Where it is and how deep
42.2659° N, 18.8522° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive is built around two chimneys that run through the pyramid, and divers swim through both of them. Octopus and grouper live in the chimneys among other marine life, and the deepest point of the dive lies at 25 m.
Marine life and season
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Budva & Jaz: Boats run from April to October; June to August brings warm water and excellent visibility.
Dive videos
Galiola Tunels Budva Montenegro · vigodiver9 on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Can Open Water divers dive Galiola near St. Nikola Island?+
Yes. The site takes an Open Water Diver certificate, and the dive through the two chimneys reaches 25 m at most.
Sources
- Diving Spots - Montenegro diving — Montenegro diving (Budva)
- Sveti Nikola, Budva (OpenStreetMap) — OpenStreetMap
Photo credits
- A green, cliff-edged island with a small rocky islet at its tip, seen across blue water with a white motorboat and a red boat in front by Anton Nikiforov, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
More dive sites in Budva & Jaz
Wreck
A storm-sunk boat lying well preserved near the Oreste
Wreck
A steamer broken into two halves on the sand
Cave & cavern
A stalactite gallery where fresh water meets the sea
Similar dives elsewhere
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Beach
Lefkada & Meganisi · Greece
A ghost net merged into the reef on the way down
Barracuda circling over a reef 50 m off the beach
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Secca delle Formiche
Aeolian Islands · Italy
Two rocks whose tops show through the clear water from the surface
Blocks down to a 32 m plain, with a grouper under a 44 m overhang

