ashenMost Tropical islands such as Indonesia, Philippines and Hawaii are well known among the diving community. Aside from them Egypt too has gained a rapid popularity among scuba divers as a great location for diving in the Red Sea which features more than 200 dive sites. Undoubtedly the first thought that popped into your head after hearing the name Egypt are the Pyramids. The River Nile, Archaeology and the thousand year old mummies! With of all attractions in the mainland, the adventurous, nature lovers spot is really the Red Sea. How is that so? What lies in the Red Sea waiting to be witnessed by you? What are the best spots for scuba diving in Egypt? Keep reading to plan your next trip to this magnificent and historically valued destination!
There exists a whole of diving sites in Egypt filled with breathtaking coral reefs, historical shipwrecks, mighty sharks and other diversities of fish. Egypt truly owns a great coastline and an equally valuable underwater world. The waters are clear blue as a result of the high salinity given the evaporation across the deserts, and it is hard resisting to plunge into the clear blue water right when you see it! There are plenty of spots along the coastline(actually more than 1,800 miles of it) for tourists to enjoy scuba diving and not get overly populated in one place. The northern line consists of the shores of the Mediterranean and there too you can get an unparalleled scuba diving experience in Egypt. With all that said, here is the complete guide to the top destinations for scuba diving in Egypt!
What you need to know before you go Scuba Diving in Egypt
A little trivia about scuba diving in Egypt wouldn’t hurt. Egypt is known for its complicated yet rich history both spread in the lands and underwater. Shipwrecks are a great peek into the wars fought back in the day and a mesmerizing experience for any diver. These artifacts, the rich marine biodiversity and crystal clear waters is what makes the scuba diving experience in Egypt unique and memorable. Most of these shipwrecks are centered on the northern coastline(Mediterranean).
The rest of the diving is covered in the southern the Red Sea. And this part is experienced at best using liveaboard. The special thing about liveaboards over a regular diving excursion offered by the resorts near the Red Sea is that you get to witness remote locations of diving. These spots aren’t accessible by on a day trip. Using a liveaboard you can be the first person to visit these locations and the last to leave, because it is customized just for you.
These liveaboards aren’t just limited to a single destination. They sail to different spots on the Red Sea and you can choose your the one that suits with your desires. If you have everything planned out initially, you can pick the perfect liveaboard that includes your specific destinations. The Egyptian liveaboards offer top level service with well trained diving instructors for you to safely master diving, excellent cuisine and an all around pleasant environment for a vacation. Of course there is a rather heavy price tag involved, but its your choice.
Best time for diving in Egypt
The name “Red” Sea originates as a result of periodic algal blooms that occur here and its very warm with almost no rough waves. Therefore you can dive almost during any time of the year. However temperature brought out by the climate has an impact. The water is about 30°C from June to August. And about 22°C in February. Regardless of temperature scuba diving is also meant to be educational apart from being a fun activity. Therefore the best time for scuba diving for someone very interested in marine life observation would be between May and August.
If you choose to dive between those months, you have a higher probability of witnessing the Egyptian marine life. Whale sharks, Sea horses, Manta Rays, Hammerhead Sharks and turtles are often spotted during these times. The winter months too are fantastic if you want to observe some of the fish. Therefore scuba diving during December to February can also help you observe some grey reef sharks, dolphins and dugongs.
As we mentioned earlier, both liveaboards and resorts are chosen ways by tourists to experience the underwater world. The privilege with liveaboards is the that your experience can surpass the diving sites close to land. You can reach the best parts of the Red Sea, north and south alike. Therefore don’t hesitate to book a liveaboard and get the once in a lifetime experience if you have the budget!
Now that we have covered a few essentials to know before you plan your trip, lets hop on to the best destinations for scuba diving in Egypt!
SHARM EL SHEIKH Scuba diving
Sharm el-Sheikh is the undoubtedly the most popular scuba diving and tourist destination in Egypt and Red Sea. Hence the crowd is not in small numbers and you can’t expect to enjoy the water all by yourself unless you hire a liveaboard. However if you are lucky, you will get to experience some of Egypt’s best marine life with coral reefs and world famous shipwreck the SS Thistlegorm. It is situated at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula and is great for a diver of any level. From beginner to advanced you won’t be bored around Sharm el-Sheikh.
First you have the remains of the SS Thistlegorm wreck and there is a ton of stuff to observe like locomotives, motorbikes and tanks. Then you get the Ras Mohammed Marine Park where you can observe fishes like Barracudas and Trevallies swimming by. Although Yolanda and Shark Reefs are the two most popular, there are ten dive sites altogether. If you are an experienced diver you can have fast drifts along the reefs of the Straits of Tiran or if you are a beginner you can enjoy gliding alongside the corals. You can also observe Hammerhead Shark or the Tiger Shark in the Straits of Tiran. It maybe a bit overcrowded and noisy, but don’t miss out on this excellent diving spot!
Alexandria
Yes, The ancient city known for hosting a world wonder The Lighthouse of Alexandria, this too is a spot you don’t want to miss on your trip to Egypt especially if you are a history lover. As we mentioned earlier the northern Mediterranean shores are also open for divers and offers a ton of value. There cannot be a better place for someone keen on diving into the colorful history of Egypt. There aren’t many colorful coral reefs in here unlike the Red Sea, however an estimated 7000 artefacts and monuments from the Pharo and Roman eras are preserved underwater in this part of the Egyptian coastline.
Cleopatra’s Palace which collapsed into the sea after an earthquake and Pharos Lighthouse are great diving spots here in Alexandria. You can also witness remains of battle of the Nile in the eastern part of the city. The best dive for beginners is the wreck of an airplane from World War II or the Faros Island. Another awesome spot to dive are the crystal clear waters of Siwa Oasis right in the middle of the desert where the Roman ruins are found. You should also try out sand boarding and kite sailing to complete the tour of Alexandria. Not to mention the unique local culture experience. The best way to get to Alexandria is to take the two and half hour bus ride from Cairo.
Scuba diving in Hurghada
If you are a beginner diver then this is the perfect spot for you to start snorkeling or scuba diving. Located on mainland Egypt at the mouth of the Gulf of Suez it is the main gateway for liveaboards on the north or the south of the Red Sea. You should really consider allocating at least three days for Hurghada alone. Reck diving in Hurghada is mesmerizing. The popular Abu Nuhas wrecks are located in northern Hurghada. There are four shipwrecks in total in this part of the reef and there’s so much variety in each of the wrecks. The Rosalie Moller, the Kingston, Ulysses and Gubal Barge are some other dive sites you should definitely checkout in the Shadwan and Gubal islands.
Also the Giftun islands have many coral reefs scattered around it and it is quite shallow. There is also a cave passage at Umm Gamar heading to the northern parts that is worth exploring. Hurghada is mostly the primary departure point for liveaboard safaris to the Southern Red Sea where you encounter many more attractions sites some of which we will talk about next. Therefore you can book your liveaboard itinerary here to visit any wreck or reef in the Red Sea. Believe it or not Hurghada was a small fishing village which became a flourishing tourist epicenter of Egypt. You can check some of the Hurghada diving resorts here.
The Brothers
Made up of two islands namely the Little Brother and Big Brother this site has earned its name as The Brothers and is located in the middle of the Red Sea. As you can probably guess it is only accessible by liveaboard. And diving in this part of the Red Sea isn’t for the amateur diver. The advanced diver is perfectly capable of handling the current changes and hence can experience the magnificent reefs and the barracudas, tunas, and manta rays swimming by you. You can also observe varieties of sharks here such as the hammerheads and reef sharks.
If are still interested in observing the shipwrecks, there are a couple around the big Brother. Namely Numidia and the Aida that sunk in the early 1900s. The Little Brother on the other hand is the diving spot for the marine observer. The sharks and coral reefs are found in abundance here. We mentioned that Hurghada is the departure point for most liveaboards to the Red Sea. Therefore you should checkout the liveaboard itineraries from there to The Brothers. Some liveaboards also depart from Port Ghalib.
Diving in Dahab
Remember how we said that the scuba diving in Sharm El-Sheikh isn’t going to be peaceful? Well Dahab is the perfect place if chilling back while scuba diving is what you are looking for. The best known Dahab dive site is the enchanting Dahab Blue Hole dive site. Having a depth of about 130m there is also an exciting adventurous arch connecting the Blue hole to the Red Sea. However you should NEVER try diving under the arch as it has resulted in the death of many in the past.
Mainly consisting of coral reefs and coral gardens the Dahab diving sites are exceeding 50 in number. Although here in Dahab encountering sharks are rare, you can still observe turtles, barracudas and jacks. Also no shipwrecks are seen around these parts of the Red Sea. Some other prominent dive sites in Dahab include The Canyon, The Bell, Lighthouse reef and Eel Garden. Definitely make sure to take a dive in the Canyon which is about 30m deep featuring miniature corals and a great many number of fish. Also some time in the Bedouin cafés and bars and restaurants in Masbat is appropriate after your dives and to experience the locality. Also day trips to the other diving attractions such as Ras Mohamed and the Thistlegorm wreck are available here.
Marsa Alam
Marsa Alam is the latest and trending dive site in the Red Sea. And this is the gateway to the Elphinstone Reef where you can discover plenty of colorful corals, abundance of marine life and plenty of spaces to venture. Especially known for the many whitetip and hammerhead shark encounters. However Elphinstone Reef is best recommended to advanced divers given the strong currents and the open sea diving.
In Marsa Alam you have better chances of encountering Dolphin varieties, Sea Turtles and Dugongs. And if you visit during May to August you might be fortunate enough to observe the Manta Rays or the Whale Shark.
St John’s and the Deep South
St John’s and the Deep South contains three of the most famous dive sites namely St John’s, Zabargad and Rocky Island all of which are accessible by liveaboard. The best thing about this location is that it contains the most untouched and undamaged reefs of the Egyptian Red Sea. Even in here you get to observe a variety of fish. Mantas, Hammerheads, Silvertips and dolphins can be witnessed around Rocky islands and Zabargad and as you get a bit closer to the shore, you can see the Tuna and Jack fish.
Strong currents come from the Rocky islands and Zabargad, which means those spots are for the experienced diver ready to experience drift dives. In contrast St John’s is suitable for beginners because of its smooth waters, however it is safer to anticipate stronger currents too. Departure to the Deep South is mostly from Port Ghalib and the closest airport is Marsa Alam. You’ve also got to experience the Fury Shoal which is a series of coral reefs and is easily accessible. If you want to experience some gorgeous unspoiled coral reefs definitely head over to the Deep South.
Safaga
Widely popular for the Salem Express wreck, wall dives and splendid coral gardens Safaga is located 70 km from the south of Hurghada. Panorama Reef is the most famous spot here for wall diving as it has 200m deep walls for drift diving. Also make sure to visit Ras Abu Soma, Abu Kafan and Tobia Reeds and your diving sites in Safaga are covered. Most probably you will get to see grey reef sharks, Barracudas and schooling jacks while you are diving in these parts of the Red Sea. All diving sites are accessible by boat. Wherever you choose to dive make sure to witness the Salem Express first, for it is a best wreck dive in the world.
That’s pretty much covers the best spots for scuba diving in Egypt. There are a few other locations such as El Quseir, El Gouna and Hamata which are also located in close proximity to these other famous dive sites. If you have the the time make sure to check those out too.
The current visa fee for visitors entering Egypt is US $25 and can be purchased at the airport. There is a 15 days visa free stay with restraints for visitors. But our advise is to purchase the visa and dive about freely without any restrictions. There are large numbers of legal diving centers in Egypt to help you experience everything the Red Sea and the Mediterranean has to offer. Always remember to leave nothing but footprints behind and only take the memories back with you!
