Bornholm's diving spans accessible shore reefs and demanding deep wrecks, giving the island a wider skill range than its compact size might suggest. Hullehavn draws beginners to its reef from the shore, while the Fu Shan Hai, a large shipwreck resting at considerable depth offshore, is territory for advanced and technical divers only. Water temperatures swing sharply across the year, keeping conditions cool to cold outside summer. Cod is the most reliably sighted species. The species list also includes Shrimp, Catshark, Skate, Lumpfish, and Jorunna Nudibranch, reflecting the cool-water character of the reefs.
Monthly water temperature across Bornholm's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Water temperatures rise meaningfully through late spring, peaking in summer before dropping away through autumn and into a cold winter. The warmest months, from June through September, offer the most comfortable diving and attract the highest diver activity. Outside that window, temperatures fall sharply, and thicker exposure protection becomes essential for anyone planning year-round dives.
18 more sites to explore
Water temperature around Bornholm ranges from about 4°C in February to 18°C in August, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
In the warm season (about 18°C) a 5mm suit is comfortable in Bornholm; in the coldest months (about 4°C) step up to a drysuit.
Fin maps 20 sites in Bornholm (20 scuba diving sites and 2 snorkelling spots, with some suited to both).
Across Bornholm's dive sites, May, June, July, August, September and October are most often reported as the best months to visit.
Cod is the species most consistently observed at sites around Bornholm, and Shrimp have also been recorded. The broader species list associated with the area includes Catshark, Dogfish, Skate, Lumpfish, Monkfish, Gurnard, John Dory, King Crab, Squat Lobster, and the small Jorunna Nudibranch. Encounter rates for many of these species are not yet observation-backed, so treat them as possibilities rather than certainties.
Hullehavn is explicitly rated as a beginner site, offering shore access and a reef environment that suits less experienced divers. However, Bornholm's most prominent site, the Fu Shan Hai wreck, is reserved for advanced and technical divers due to its considerable depth. Beginners will find a starting point here, but the island's full range of diving requires significant experience.
No. The Fu Shan Hai lies a significant distance offshore and requires boat access. It also sits at depths suitable only for advanced technical divers. Divers planning to visit this site should arrange a boat through one of the local operators, such as Diveline Bornholm or Dykkercenter Bornholm, and confirm that their certification and gas planning meet the depth requirements.
The reef sites, like Hullehavn, are reachable from shore and extend from relatively shallow water down to deeper levels, making them versatile and accessible. The Fu Shan Hai wreck is a structurally complex shipwreck that demands boat access, specialist training, and appropriate equipment for deep diving. The two site types attract quite different divers and offer very different experiences within the same region.
