Mainland Red Sea
 SCUBA DIVING IN EL GOUNA

El Gouna is a great divers' destination in the Red Sea Riviera. For new divers, heated pools and calm local reefs provide an excellent start to your diving experience. For more experienced divers, El Gouna's range of walls, reefs and wrecks are among the finest in the Red Sea; thus it guarantees an unforgettable diving holiday.

El Gouna, although officially does not belong to any of the Red Sea national parks, has a very strong conservationist philosophy. A mooring buoy project has been privately sponsored by the resort’s investors and diving centres, and a system to avoid overcrowding of the dive sites have been implemented since years.

El Gouna is mostly about relaxed diving and stunning coral gardens, but it has also a number of exciting drop offs for the more experienced. Moreover, El Gouna is home to a pod of bottlenose dolphins, which have permanent residence in the beautiful moon-shaped reef of Dolphin House.

Scuba diving in El Gouna is conducted solely by boat, as all reefs are off shore. Daily boats cater also to snorkellers and non-diving companions, as most dive sites are suitable also for snorkelling, making for a great day out in the sea for the whole family or group of friends.

Dive sites in El Gouna

At El Gouna divers can enjoy world-class diving locations, in secluded coral gardens teeming with life and colours. All are reachable in between half to two hours of cruising on the comfortable diving boats. Some of them are among the most famous dive sites of the Red Sea Riviera

in Egypt:

The ship graveyard of Abu Nuhas (at only an hour away by boat), a fascinating step into history with four interesting wrecks: from the romantic Carnatic, a 19th century ship, to the impressive Chrisoula K, all of them teeming with underwater life.

Dolphin House, in Sha’ab el Erg, a big aquarium where everything can happen – even to dive for an hour with 25 dolphins!
The legendary tekkies' paradise of the SS Rosalie Muller, another historical wreck basically untouched due to its remoteness.
Sha’ab Ruhr Umm Gamar, with its plummeting drop off and wealth of pelagics, a definitive “must” for the experience diver.

El Gouna Diving Services

All diving centres in town are top-class and offer a complete range of courses of internationally recognized agencies for beginners and professionals, both in recreational and technical diving. Facilities for rebreathers and underwater photographing and video shooting are also, available.

They all offer all sorts of scuba diving services, from entry-level courses to professional courses, introductory dives and diving packages, with one, two or more dives per day, for those who are certified. And, what a better place to learn to dive in the Red Sea than El Gouna? With its number of easy shallow dive sites teeming with life, getting your scuba diving certification here is a pleasure and an unforgettable experience.

For the non-licensed diving enthusiasts, many centres offer free of charge pool intros, where visitors can experience the thrill of scuba diving on a one-to-one basis with a diving instructor in the hotel’s swimming pool. The El Gouna diving centres also offer experience programmes, where the visitor can try actual dives in the sea straight away, under the strict supervision of a diving professional.

SCUBA DIVING IN THE HURGHADA

Hurghada, along with Sharm el Sheikh, is where it all started. These where the first two destinations of the nearly 20-years old diving history of the Red Sea. Diving in Hurghada needs no introduction, it's already world famous. From minuscule nudibranchs to giant whale sharks, this area has it all for a perfect Red Sea diving holiday: hard and soft coral, turtles and dolphins, mantas and moray eels, napoleons and tuna, and much more, including the wreck graveyard at Sha'ab Abu Nuhas.

The Hurghada marine area is protected, as many other areas in Egypt, and diving centres here operate under environmental-friendly procedures. Starting from year 1995, local authorities, NGO’s and international bodies such as USAID have co-operated in the conservation of the underwater life of the region. Nowadays, regular checks and upgrades ensure the presence of mooring buoys in all dive sites.

Hurghada is also a popular starting point for extended dive trips, also called liveaboards or diving safaris. From here you can join a liveaboard to the exceptional divesites of the Straits of Gubal with the wreck graveyard of Abu Nuhas, cruising over to the fabled Thistlegorm, the Red Sea's most well known wreck.

Dive sites in Hurghada

With very few exceptions, diving in Hurghada is performed on daily or half-day boats, since the coastal area is mostly devoid of fringing reefs. The Hurghada diving area comprises also the Protected Marine Park of Giftun Island where access is permitted only with an entrance fee (payable directly at all diving centers). The area in general is blessed with refreshing breezes from the north both in winter and summer. These breezes often turn though into strong winds which may limit access to certain dive sites.

Here are only some of the most famous dive sites in Hurghada are:

Gota Abu Ramada, a network of coral gardens from which the most famous is adequately named “the Aquarium”. A perfect place to learn to dive, with a profusion of Red Sea coral reef population.
Sha’ab Ruhr Umm Gamar, a sort of encyclopedia of the Red Sea. A dense population of reef species and pelagics crowds this relatively small reef. The site was badly damaged a few of years ago by an outburst of the Crown of Thorns sea star, but now is again a favourite of advanced divers.
Small Giftun, a spectacular site especially for technical divers, in the Giftun National Park. Sheer walls, caves, canyons, a great playground for the experienced with a profusion of giant fans and black corals and big game, including whale sharks, barracudas, oceanic white tip sharks.
Carless Reef, or “moray eel house”. The site, very popular in Hurghada is accessible both to beginners and experienced divers. Two coral towers close to a plateau at 16 meters, is where a big population of friendly giant moray eels make the dive an unforgettable one.

Hurghada Diving Services

In Hurghada only, there are more than 100 dive operators, with services ranging from scuba diving beginner certification courses to professional courses and technical diving, and providing guided dives to the area's outstanding reefs.

Most resorts in Hurghada have reliable and well-organised diving centres, officially registered at the Red Sea Diving Association for Diving and Watersports, which offer all sorts of scuba diving services, from entry-level courses to professional courses, introductory dives and diving packages, with one, two or more dives per day, for those who are certified.

For the non-licensed diving enthusiasts, most centres offer free of charge pool intro’s, where visitors can experience the thrill of scuba diving on a one-to-one basis with a diving instructor in the hotel’s swimming pool. The Hurghada diving centres also offer experience programmes, where the visitor can try actual dives in the sea straight away, under the strict supervision of a diving professional.

Hurghada, with its wealth of shallow coral gardens, is an ideal location of the Red Sea Riviera to learn to dive, and most diving centres offer the full range of beginners’ courses. Even kids from 8 years on can enrol in children-dedicated scuba diving activities, such as the popular bubble-maker course, where kids learn to be familiar with water and scuba diving and have fun swimming around in a confined water area.

SCUBA DIVING IN MAKADI BAY

Makadi Bay, the beautiful bay south of Hurghada, is in the middle of a rich coral reef system, extending from Hurghada in the north to Safaga in the south. The protected sandy bay is an ideal place to learn to dive, while just a few miles off the coast are some of the nicest reefs of the area. Makadi Bay is a perfect option for those seeking to combine a diving holiday with pure relaxation by the beach.

The Makadi Bay marine area is protected, as many other areas in Egypt, and diving centres here operate under environment-friendly procedures. Starting from year 1995, local authorities, NGO’s and international bodies such as USAID have co-operated in the conservation of the underwater life of the region. Nowadays, regular checks and upgrades ensure the presence of mooring buoys in all dive sites.

The area is a naturalist’s paradise, with thousands of species of marine life. With shallow, deep, drift and wreck sites at your doorstep, dive sites in Makadi range from easy to challenging, with profiles apt both for the novice and the expert. In Makadi Bay there is also a pretty house reef which is reachable from shore with guided and non-guided dives.

Dive sites in Makadi Bay

Scuba diving in Makadi is performed either from shore, with a felucca for the closest reefs, or with large diving boats for the daily or half-day trips. From Makadi Bay you can also visit the beautiful Marine Park of Giftun Island, one of the most beautiful in the Red Sea and Egypt. (access only with an entrance fee). The area in general is blessed with refreshing breezes from the north both in winter and summer. These breezes often turn though into strong winds which may limit access to certain dive sites.

 

ere are only some of the most famous dive sites in Makadi Bay:

Gota Abu Ramada, a network of coral gardens from which the most famous is adequately named “the Aquarium”. A perfect place to learn to dive, with a profusion of Red Sea coral reef population.
Abu Hashish, a beautiful and easy dive apt also for snorkellers.
Ras Abu Soma, a great fringing reef with an impressive drop off which attracts great turtles, moray eels, and occasionally, big game such as reef white-tip sharks and barracudas. A must for the intermediate diver.

Makadi Bay Diving Services

In Makadi there are several reliable and professional diving centres, with services ranging from scuba diving beginner certification courses to professional courses and technical diving, and providing guided dives to the area's outstanding reefs, introductory dives and diving packages, with one, two or more dives per day, for those who are certified.

For the non-licensed diving enthusiasts, most centres offer free of charge pool intro’s, where visitors can experience the thrill of scuba diving on a one-to-one basis with a diving instructor in the hotel’s swimming pool. The Makadi Bay diving centres also offer experience programmes, where the visitor can try actual dives in the sea straight away, under the strict supervision of a diving professional.

Certified divers can dive either from shore, to the pretty house reef, every day from 8am to 5pm, or join one of the short trips to visit dive sites only 15 minutes away by felucca. There are also half day and full day trips to the furthest dive sites, with one or two dives per day.

Makadi Bay, with its wealth of shallow coral gardens, is an ideal location of the Red Sea Riviera to learn to dive, and most diving centres offer the full range of beginners’ courses. Even kids from 8 years on can enrol in children-dedicated scuba diving activities, such as the popular bubble-maker course, where kids learn to be familiar with water and scuba diving and have fun swimming around in a confined water area.

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

SCUBA DIVING IN SOMA BAY

Soma Bay, with its upscale resorts, long soft sandy beach and stunning fringing coral reef, is an ideal location for a diving holiday with the family. If you kids or spouse aren’t divers, you can be sure that they will be kept perfectly pampered and spoilt by the resort’s great facilities while you enjoy the fantastic underwater sights of the area.

Located on the northernmost point of the large bay of Safaga, Soma Bay commands impressive views of the sea and the mountains. To the south-west there is a large, shallow sandy beach, ideal for swimming and snorkelling. To the east and north-east, one of the most beautiful fringing reefs of the region borders the headland of Ras Abu Soma, accessible by the long jetty in front of the Sheraton.

The Soma Bay marine area is protected, as many other areas in Egypt, and diving centres here operate under environment-friendly procedures. Starting from year 1995, local authorities, NGO’s and international bodies such as USAID have co-operated in the conservation of the underwater life of the region. Nowadays, regular checks and upgrades ensure the presence of mooring buoys in all dive sites.

Dive sites in Soma Bay

Scuba diving in Soma Bay is performed either from shore, via the jetty on the fringing reef, or with comfortable diving boats doing daily or half-day trips. There is a wide variety of dive sites to choose from, both for novice and experienced divers. The area in general is blessed with refreshing breezes from the north both in winter and summer. These breezes often turn though into strong winds which may limit access to certain dive sites.

Here are only some of the most famous dive sites in Soma Bay:

Abu Qifan: legendary for hammerhead sightings in late spring and manta rays in wintertime. This 300-meter long and narrow reef offers a plateau in both north and south tips.
Panorama Reef: one of the largest reefs in Safaga, featuring numerous grottos and overhangs, where gorgonians and soft corals thrive with the frequent nurturing currents. Due to the size of the barrier, there are at least three different dives to be done here: the south plateau and the east and the west drop offs.
Abu Soma: Abu Soma, a peninsula surrounded by a fringing reef, rich with top quality dive sites. The reef slopes gently to a plateau at around 25 meters and drops off with caves and overhangs rich with schooling reef fish, giant moray eels and healthy hard corals.

Soma Bay Diving Services

In Soma Bay there are several reliable and professional diving centres, with services ranging from scuba diving beginner certification courses to professional courses and technical diving, and providing guided dives to the area's outstanding reefs, introductory dives and diving packages, with one, two or more dives per day, for those who are certified.

For the non-licensed diving enthusiasts, the centres offer free of charge pool intro’s, where visitors can experience the thrill of scuba diving on a one-to-one basis with a diving instructor in the hotel’s swimming pool. The Soma Bay diving centres also offer experience programmes, where the visitor can try actual dives in the sea straight away, under the strict supervision of a diving professional.

Soma Bay, with its wealth of shallow coral gardens, is an ideal location of the Red Sea Riviera in Egypt to learn to dive, and most diving centres offer the full range of beginners’ courses. Even kids from 8 years on can enroll in children-dedicated scuba diving activities, such as the popular bubble-maker course, where kids learn to be familiar with water and scuba diving and have fun swimming around in a confined water area.

SCUBA DINVING IN SAFAGA

Safaga, originally a major commercial harbour in the Red Sea Riviera, has become over the years a divers’ favourite. Some even claim Safaga's offshore reefs offer better diving than Sharm el Sheikh or Hurghada. It offers shallow easy dive sites for beginners, and impressive sheer walls for the more experienced, such as fabled Abu Qifan, with the complete range of colours and marine life perfect for a diving holiday.

Safaga is located in a wide large bay, adorned with a long sandy beach where resorts cater mainly to divers, windsurfers and families with kids. In the middle of the bay, a number of coral “ergs” create a beautiful coral garden ideal for the beginners. Off shore open ocean dive sites still amaze even the most experienced diver. Many live-aboard safaris from Hurghada include Safaga's best dive sites in their itineraries.

There is something in Safaga for everybody: manta rays at Sha'ab Saiman, the eel garden at Gamul Kabira, blue spotted stingrays at Tobia, sharp drop-offs at Abu Qifan, the anemone city at Panorama Reef. There is nothing like a night dive at Sha'ab Sheer.

The Safaga marine area is protected, as many other areas in Egypt, and diving centres here operate under environment-friendly procedures. Starting from year 1995, local authorities, NGO’s and international bodies such as USAID have co-operated in the conservation of the underwater life of the region. Nowadays, regular checks and upgrades ensure the presence of mooring buoys in all dive sites.

Dive sites in Safaga

Scuba diving in Safaga is performed with comfortable diving boats doing daily or half-day trips. The bay of Safaga has an outstanding selection of lovely dive sites for beginners and easy-going divers. The large bay and Safaga Island create an environment generally protected from strong currents and wind, which makes the sites ideal also for non-diving companions willing to spend a day on a boat, swimming and snorkelling in top Red Sea waters. Off shore, we find the more challenging sites, with a wealth of pelagic species.

Here are only some of the most famous dive sites in Safaga:

Abu Qifan: legendary for hammerhead sightings in late spring and manta rays in wintertime. This 300-meter long and narrow reef offers a plateau in both north and south tips.

Panorama Reef: one of the largest reefs in Safaga, featuring numerous grottos and overhangs, where gorgonians and soft corals thrive with the frequent nurturing currents. Due to the size of the barrier, there are at least three different dives to be done here: the south plateau and the east and the west drop offs
Tobia Arbaa: Named the "seven pillars" after the small pinnacles rising from a sandy bottom. One of the best dives in Safaga, despite the shallow bottom, sometimes cause of not perfect visibility. Soft corals cover all the seven ergs, glassfish, gorgonians, giant puffer fish, octopus, blue spotted rays, morays, lionfish, sergeant majors, nudibranches, etc. Easy dive and great for snorkellers.

Safaga Diving Services

In Safaga there are several reliable and professional diving centres, with services ranging from scuba diving beginner certification courses to professional courses and technical diving, and providing guided dives to the area's outstanding reefs, introductory dives and diving packages, with one, two or more dives per day, for those who are certified.

For the non-licensed diving enthusiasts, the centres offer free of charge pool intro’s, where visitors can experience the thrill of scuba diving on a one-to-one basis with a diving instructor in the hotel’s swimming pool. The Safaga diving centres also offer experience programmes, where the visitor can try actual dives in the sea straight away, under the strict supervision of a diving professional.

Safaga, with its wealth of shallow coral gardens, is an ideal location of the Red Sea Riviera in Egypt to learn to dive, and most diving centres offer the full range of beginners’ courses. Even kids from 8 years on can enroll in children-dedicated scuba diving activities, such as the popular bubble-maker course, where kids learn to be familiar with water and scuba diving and have fun swimming around in a confined water area.

SCUBA DIVING IN QUSEIR

Most people who have dived in Quseir would agree that diving here is a relaxing experience with plenty to see. Excellent shore diving is possible north and south of this little town, as it is adorned with a long, almost continuous fringing reef rich of fauna and corals. A diving holiday in Quseir leaves plenty of time for relaxation at the resort or walking through the pretty streets and promenades of the renovated historical town, as all dives here are performed from shore.

You'll enjoy exploring Quseir's coral covered pinnacles on the sandy slopes. Navigate and explore the labyrinth like coral gardens. Glide through narrow passages and blind alleys into the territory of the crocodile fish, moray eels, sea snakes, lionfish, porcupine fish and blue spotted stingrays. You may even find the elusive white tip or guitar sharks taking cover.

El Quseir is also the main departing point for liveaboards heading towards the fabled Brother Islands, world-famous for its hammerheads and other large marine life.

The Quseir marine area is protected, as many other areas in Egypt, and diving centres here operate under environment-friendly procedures. Starting from year 1995, local authorities, NGO’s and international bodies such as USAID have co-operated in the conservation of the underwater life of the region. Nowadays, regular checks and upgrades ensure the presence of mooring buoys in all dive sites.

Dive sites in Quseir

Scuba diving in Quseir is performed from shore, either from the resorts’ jetties, via a zodiac or boat or with jeeps reaching the reefs out of town. Uniquely in the Red Sea Riviera, Quseir does not have coral heads and gardens, but a long uninterrupted reef running along its shore. Teeming with life, its richness is due to nourishing currents almost always present.

El Quseir is also famous for being a nesting area for sea turtles. A preserved eco-bay is monitored and protected to let the turtles nest in peace.

Here are some nice dive sites in Quseir:

El Qadim: a beautiful drop off north of town, with a rich wall of gorgonians.
 Beit Goha: another coral wall with depths to 30m, where often can be spotted white tip reef sharks hiding in the overhangs.
El Kaf: south of town, this is a pretty, pristine coral wall with a wealth of underwater marine life.
Quseir Diving Services

In Quseir there are several reliable and professional diving centres, with services ranging from scuba diving beginner certification courses to professional courses and technical diving, and providing guided dives to the area's outstanding reefs, introductory dives and diving packages, with one, two or more dives per day, for those who are certified.

In Quseir there are several reliable and professional diving centres, with services ranging from scuba diving beginner certification courses to professional courses and technical diving, and providing guided dives to the area's outstanding reefs, introductory dives and diving packages, with one, two or more dives per day, for those who are certified.

Quseir, with its teeming life just off your resort’s beach, is an ideal location of the Red Sea Riviera in Egypt to learn to dive, and most diving centres offer the full range of beginners’ courses. Even kids from 8 years on can enroll in children-dedicated scuba diving activities, such as the popular bubble-maker course, where kids learn to be familiar with water and scuba diving and have fun swimming around in a confined water area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

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