Famous for the Egyptian pyramids, beautiful landscapes and colorful corals, Egypt has everything you need for a wonderful diving holiday. Read below where you can dive best and cheaply in Egypt, discover more about the country itself and finally check out some important tips for your vacation.
Egypt’s reefs are teeming with life; bright corals and fish clouds together create a splendor of colors. The wonderfully calm and clear water provides ideal conditions for new divers, wreck divers or anyone just interested in exploring the beautiful underwater world. Excellent visibility and easy access to depths also make it an attractive place to train.
Many of the diving destinations provide access to famous Egyptian historical sites, but it is also easy to divide a holiday into a number of different places, so that in addition to a number of diving sites you can experience the different cultures.
If you are going to dive in Egypt and are looking for the best place to do it, check out the following 3 popular places.
If you need to dive in Egypt, Hurghada is a great option. Here you can dive daily, and this place is also a favorite starting point for many liveaboards (boats you spend the night on). Liveaboard tours depart from here to explore a wider range of locations in the north or south. There are many routes to choose from; some specialize in wrecks, while others offer a mix of wrecks and reefs. There are a number of boats with some of the most luxurious available. Tours are usually seven days, but shorter periods are also available.
If you dive daily, keep in mind that many dive centers are located in hotels, so keep this in mind when choosing your accommodation. You can dive with centers at other hotels, but do not forget to get there early every morning. This can contribute significantly to the length of your diving day.
Hurghada is a great place for wreck enthusiasts as well as those who want to dive with dolphins in Egypt. These are swimming around here in nature, so hopefully you can spot some!
If you dive in Egypt and choose Marsa alam, you should know that there is plenty of diving along the coast here. Diving centers also organize minibuses to other dive sites, so it’s a good choice if you do not really like boats. If you want to go out to sea with a boat, you can choose from large comfortable boats that make day trips and excursions to Elphinstone. Some operators use less inflatable zodiac signs both to take you to dive sites. Beach diving is relaxed and calm and suitable for all levels, but some other places like Elphinstone require more experience to be able to enjoy it comfortably.
Marsa Alam or rather Port Ghalib is a popular place to take a liveaboard holiday to Egypt’s southern locations. St. Johns, Daedalus, Fury Shoals, Brothers and Elphinstone are the biggest dives on these cruises. The boats are large and comfortable and vary in luxury. In general, the locations on the liveaboard routes are more suitable for intermediate and experienced divers; the spots are deep and may experience a strong current.
Sharm El-Sheikh
Sharm el-Sheikh is also a popular place for diving in Egypt. It is also the gateway to many liveaboard boat and route options. Some places have strong currents, making them unsuitable for beginners, but offer the most wonderful dives for those who are a little more advanced. Liveaboard operators often require between 30 and 50 lodged dives as a requirement to travel.
Sharm el-Sheikh has about 30 different places to explore on day trips. The boats are large, comfortable and specially built for diving. Ras Mohamed National Park offers a number of exciting places for those who take diving trips daily. Land diving and speedboat diving options are available for those who prefer them.
Egypt is famous for its ancient civilization that evokes images of pyramids, sphinxes and mummies. The long background of archeological adventure and discovery attracts Egypt visitors for its unique history.
The country’s geography is unusual, the Gulf of Suez almost divides Egypt in two, and the country stretches across both Africa and Asia. Its coastlines consist of the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, and although much of the country is desert, the Nile enriches its shores with plenty of green areas.
- It is mandatory to have a dive computer: many people do not have one and believe that it is not necessary or that you can share one. Wrong. In Egypt and in many other countries, the use of an individual dive computer is mandatory for your own safety.
- Gloves are not allowed: this is to protect marine life.
- The maximum depths: Unless you are a technical diver or have a deep diving specialty – which in this case allows you to dive up to 40 meters – you can only dive up to 30 meters. This is the rule for every diving center.
- Safety buoy: If you dive without a guide, it is mandatory to have a safety buoy. Some dive centers may not monitor this, but most do.
- Diver insurance: it is not mandatory to have diver insurance to dive in Egypt. However, some dive centers require this to dive with them. So it is recommended that you take one out.
- If you avoid high season and do not choose the mega big resorts, you can dive quite cheaply in Egypt. Book on time and do some research in the different places. It is possible to dive in Egypt all year round.
Apart from the many historical sites, diving in Egypt is very popular and has many destinations to choose from. But there is much more; you can explore the desert, sand board in the dunes, take a boat trip to see dolphins, relax on the beach, take a jeep or camel ride at sunset or even opt for a hot air balloon ride. In short, lots to see and experience in this fascinating country. Enjoy your diving holiday!