Planning a trip?
Hotels, dive operators, gear, and how to get here are on the Kornati National Park location page.
Overview
Balun is a wall dive on the open Adriatic flank of the northern Kornati islands, where the archipelago's limestone crowns drop from the surface into deep blue water. Finning southeast along the cliff, divers reach a terrace near 26 metres where the rock turns thick with red and violet gorgonian sea fans (Paramuricea clavata) and golden Eunicella, packed among yellow sulphur sponges at a density rarely seen elsewhere in the Mediterranean. Dusky groupers hang off the wall while conger eels, scorpionfish and spiny lobsters wedge into the cracks. Diving here is permitted only with a licensed centre inside Kornati National Park.
Briefing note
Diving inside Kornati National Park is allowed only through a licensed dive centre, in designated zones, and a daily park ticket is required. The richest gorgonian growth sits below 25 metres, so plan for cold water at depth and conservative no decompression limits.
What you'll see
7 species curated- year-roundViolet gorgonian sea fan
- year-roundYellow gorgonian
- year-roundDusky grouperPeak: Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct
- year-roundEuropean conger
- year-roundMediterranean moray
- year-roundEuropean spiny lobster
- year-roundRed scorpionfish
Conditions
| Month | Water | Visibility | Current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13–14 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| Feb | 12–14 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| Mar | 13–14 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| Apr | 14–16 °C | 15–30 m | mild |
| May | 16–19 °C | 20–30 m | mild |
| Jun | 20–23 °C | 20–35 m | mild |
| Jul | 22–25 °C | 25–40 m | mild |
| Aug | 23–26 °C | 25–40 m | mild |
| Sep | 21–24 °C | 25–40 m | mild |
| Oct | 18–21 °C | 20–35 m | mild |
| Nov | 16–18 °C | 15–30 m | moderate |
| Dec | 14–16 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
Season calendar
Peak season highlighted · current month outlined
Next step
Book your trip to Kornati National Park
Hotels, liveaboards, dive operators, gear recommendations, and travel logistics for the whole region.
Plan your trip →Some links earn us a commission. Learn more
