Reykjavik
Óttarsstaðir, a hidden gem along Iceland's rugged coastline, offers divers a unique experience with vibrant marine life, colorful seaweeds, and geological formations from ancient lava flows, while artificial structures have been introduced to enhance biodiversity, allowing encounters with various fish and invertebrates, including wolf fish, crabs, and sea urchins, amidst the kelp forests.
Akranes is an Icelandic shore dive with towering kelp forests, orange soft corals, wrecks and abundant life (crabs, lobsters, cod, starfish, seals); enter via a rocky beach after a 400 m walk and ~15 min swim—visibility 5–10 m (avg 5 m) and depth ~10 m.
Kleifarvatn (or Lake Kleifarvatn is an extraordinary volcanic lake dive 30 km from Reykjavík with vibrating gas vents, steep lava‑scaped shores and cold water; visibility 2–15 m (avg 5 m) and depth up to 95 m.
Garður, located at the end of the Reykjanes peninsula about an hour's drive south of Reykjavík, features a diverse underwater ecosystem with over 42 species of marine algae and extensive kelp forests, providing essential nutrients and habitats for various fish species, including the notable wolf fish, while divers can enter the water from the shore or a pier ladder.
World-renowned, premier diving and snorkeling site where you can float directly between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Davíðsgjá fissure, located in Lake Thingvallavatn within Thingvellir National Park, features a maximum dive depth of 21 meters and a top depth of 7 meters, offering warmer waters and excellent underwater visibility, making it a local favorite for divers despite being less famous than the nearby Silfra fissure, which is part of the popular Golden Circle sightseeing route.
Strýtan Geothermal Chimney, located near Akureyri, Iceland, is a boat-accessible dive site with a maximum depth of over 46 meters, featuring a 55-meter tall limestone chimney formed by hot springs releasing minerals into the cold ocean for 11,000 years, where advanced divers can explore diverse marine life and experience warm water currents, though strong currents require good buoyancy control and physical fitness.
Litlaá, or "Little River," near Iceland's northern coast, features warm 20°C waters for snorkeling in the shallow Brunnar lagoon, showcasing unique "Bubbling Sands," vibrant algae, and diverse wildlife, while being part of the scenic Diamond Circle route.
El Grillo, a boat-accessible dive site in Seyoisfjorour, Iceland, features the wreck of a British oil tanker sunk by German fighter planes during World War II, lying at depths of 43-46 meters, and is now a clean and popular dive site for certified PADI advanced open water divers.
Kinlochbervie is a shore dive on Loch Inchard to 18–20m where you swim out keeping left along a wall into deeper kelp‑free cliffs and boulder slopes carpeted with loch anemones, sea stars, sponges and fish like cuckoo wrasse and gobies.
Fanagmore: shore dive to 16–18m—enter from the slip, keep shore rocks left, follow kelp-covered rocks to a steep point rich in squat lobsters, crabs, gobies and nudibranchs.
Carnach Reef is a small, novice‑friendly shore dive on the Isle of Skye where most features can be seen within ~40 minutes.
Bay Of Clachtoll is a shallow scenic shore dive with kelp-topped rock sides, abundant life, gentle wave entry/exit and a 10m max depth—keep rocks left and follow around.
Meanish Reef (or Meanish Pier) is an excellent shore dive over a submerged reef topped by a huge kelp forest, best for sport divers—enter from shore or pier and swim out on bearings around 345–360°.
Achmelvich Bay scenic shore dive: keep the rock wall to your left as you follow it around the bay, gradually descending to about 20 m near the point where large boulders lie to the right, then retrace your route (recommended Ocean Diver+).
Ard Neackie (Loch Eriboll) is an all‑levels shore dive: head north with the shore on your right down a gently sloping seabed through wrack at 4–6 m into tall kelp and stony patches with black spotted sea hares, flatfish, scorpionfish and many crabs, continuing past 40 m—slight mid‑tide current.
Lochinver Harbour Wall is a shore dive to 12–13m where you drop off the slip to ~5m, keep the wall on your left and follow it outward as visibility improves, exploring the rocks until you return.