A scuba diver beside an encrusted cannon on the seabed

Diving in the Black Sea — wrecks & caves

Shipwrecks, anchors, cannons and amphorae from every period of seafaring, sea caves and a protected marine reserve — all within reach of Rusalka.

Black Sea navigation heritage

Shipwrecks, stone and metal anchors, cannons and amphorae from every period of seafaring lie scattered along the northern Bulgarian Black Sea coast — all within reach of Rusalka.

Rusalka is one of the best places to dive on the Black Sea — about 80 km from Varna and right next to Balchik, Kavarna and Shabla.

A scuba diver beside an encrusted cannon on the seabed

Wreck diving

  • Wooden sailing warship (17th–18th c.)4–5 m
    A nice spot for underwater photography.
    South of Krapets
  • A group of metal wrecks12 m
    A nice spot for underwater photography.
    South of Shabla
  • Fragments of two or three wooden sailing warships4–9 m
    From different epochs; remains scattered across the seabed.
    North of Shabla
  • Metal cargo steamer of unknown origin7–12 m
    Two boilers, upper structure and scattered fragments; a nice spot for underwater photography.
    North of Rusalka
  • “Kostas”, Greek cargo ship7–12 m
    Divers can penetrate into it.
    North of Krapets
  • Metal cargo ship45 m
    Very well preserved; divers can penetrate into it.
    South of Cape Kaliakra

Cave diving

The rocky coast around Rusalka — sheltered bays, clear water, caves and reefs and a protected marine reserve full of plants and fish — is ideal for snorkelling and relaxed recreational diving.

  • South of Shabla
    A stretch of coastline very rich in caves, most of them still unexplored.
  • Tiulenovo
    Cave diving in the Monk Seal’s cave — one of the most picturesque on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, reaching 108 m into the shore.
  • The Bats’ Lair
    A cave with an open-air entrance and siphons — not very big, but an exciting dive.
    South of Rusalka
  • Yailata
    A stretch of coastline very rich in caves, most of them still unexplored.
    North of Rusalka
A rocky sea cave on the Black Sea coast near Rusalka

Black Sea biodiversity

The waters off Rusalka teem with Black Sea life — reefs and algae meadows, shoals of fish and protected species, all within the Kaliakra marine reserve.

  • Kaliakra Marine Reserve
    Bordering Rusalka — divers can watch many Black Sea plant and animal species in their natural habitat.
  • The reefs of Yailata
    Part of the Kaliakra reserve — a fine strip of reefs, ideal for drift diving and rich in Black Sea marine life.
    North of Rusalka

Map of dive sites

Most sites lie between Cape Kaliakra and Kamen Bryag — a short boat trip from Rusalka and easy to reach from Varna, Balchik and Shabla.