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 For
Europeans, traveling to the Red Sea for scuba diving is like North Americans
going to the Caribbean. For a scuba diver based in North America or anywhere
else outside of Europe or Africa, a journey to the Red Sea is considered
one of the more exotic scuba diving trips. Like other overseas travel,
getting to the final destination is the hardest thing. The Red Sea can
be dived from ports in both Egypt and Israel but most international scuba
divers do so from the Egyptian side.
There are two major scuba diving areas in Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada. Sharm El Sheikh at the northern part of the Red Sea is the more established center having been a popular vacation resort area as both Egyptians and Europeans have been vacationing here for many years. The local scuba dive industry grew along with the overall steady growth of classy resorts, shops and other tourist services in Sharm El Sheikh. Hurghada, once just a sleepy fishing village along the west side of the Red Sea, is starting to grow as scuba divers discover this alternative to Sharm El Sheikh. More than likely, travelers going to either Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada will have to fly to Cairo before connecting with Egypt Air or taking a bus to their final destination. Many scuba divers turn their Red Sea diving trip into a major extended holiday in order to both dive and see the many wonderful ancient Egyptian sites such as the pyramids. There are many things to see and do in Egypt in addition to the ancient ruins including museums, markets and Nile river cruises. So it is highly recommended to do some research and plan accordingly for any trip to Egypt as one would not want to run into the situation where not enough time was allocated to see everything one wants to see there in addition to scuba diving. Many of the scuba operators in Sharm El Sheikh are affiliated or close by to a hotel resort. Most of the dive shops are actually owned and staffed by Europeans working in Egypt. This is similar to the situation in the Caribbean where many of the scuba operators there are American owned. The Red Sea has a higher salt content than Caribbean waters so it is recommended to add 4 to 5 more pounds to the amount of weight divers usually use. Like most European diving, the scuba community in Egypt uses the metric system so weights will be in kilos while air pressure will be in bars. Most dive computers should be able to display both metric and imperial systems.
The majority of the dives in the Red Sea are semi drift dives where the dive boats drop off divers at the dive sites and then pick them up afterwards. One very different aspect of the Red Sea compared to other dive destinations in the world is that the coral reefs here can extend up to very shallow depths. As a result, the standard safety stops at 15 feet are done drifting among many of these sloping reefs along with the accompanying marine life. Therefore, these are some of the most scenic safety stops scuba divers will ever do. This is certainly different from the usual bland safety stop in the Caribbean. One thing to note is that the maximum allowable depth for recreational scuba divers in Egypt is 30 meters which is about 90 feet. As expected, the marine life in the Red Sea is spectacular. There are many species of fish, crustaceans and marine plant life here that are not found in the Caribbean. In fact, many of them are indigenous to the Red Sea only. While lionfish can be extremely rare sightings elsewhere, they are abundant in the Red Sea, a real treat for scuba divers. It is also not unusual to jump in the water and find oneself among large schools of tuna or other fish. Many night divers find the coral reefs in The Red Sea to be more spectacular than in the Caribbean. The Red Sea
is one of those ‘must dive at least once in a lifetime' destinations. It
is a very unique place to dive especially with the desert background visible
from the dive boats. The excellent diving with the many awesome sights
of Egypt make the Red Sea a dream dive trip for any scuba diver.
More on diving the Red Sea from Enric Corbero' In my opinion, The Red Sea is Egypt's main treasure, far worthier than the ancient ruins. The Red Sea is unusual due to its geographic setting - it is a tropical sea without rivers. In 1989 international experts and scientists selected The Red Sea as one of the Seven Wonders of the Underwater World. Almost all the coast of the Egypt's Red Sea is currently protected. It is absolutely forbidden to touch anything (not even the stones). It is also forbidden to feed or catch fish. Gloves are illegal in some areas and divers must be very careful not to touch the bottom of the sea with their fins as corals are delicate creatures and even a small cloud of sand can be lethal. It goes without saying that one should not take anything from the beaches. Bags are checked in the area airports, so if you are tempted, think twice. Some scuba divers choose to stay aboard dive boats instead of on land at diving resorts. This allows visits to some of the more remote islands. Recently reopened, The Brothers, Zabargad, The Rocky, and Abu Kizan Islands offer some of the best dive sites in Egypt. Currently only a couple of boats are allowed to go there, and only experienced dive masters or instructors allowed in. Hurghada Only 15 years ago Hurghada was a small fishing village with two hotels. Today there are more than 100 hotels, several restaurants, pubs and night clubs; and many new ones being built. Nearly all acquatic sports are available in Hurghada: windsurfing, sailing, deep-sea fishing, swimming, and above all, snorkeling and diving. During the high season (from November to February), the town is packed with Europeans on holiday. Hurghada's town center is called Ad-dahar an area with many comfortable and economic accommodations, souvenir shops, bars, and a few night clubs. A few miles from Ad-dahar is Sigala, being built up, and fifteen miles south is Magawish with first class hotels. Hurghada is well known for its night life. There are several bars and night clubs that can make you forget entirely that you are in Egypt. Hurghada is
also a family destination where thousands of senior citizens and parents
with kids stay at the all-inclusive hotels. Hurghada is the perfect place
for families to enjoy the sun at the hotel's pools, to have fun on the
resort beaches and to relax in their bars. Most of these visitors never
leave their resort.
But the main reason to come to Hurghada is the scuba diving. Book a scuba dive, or snorkeling excursion with your hotel. You will also find diving centers in Ad-dahar. Before you pay, be sure the center has the appropriate equipment. Do not scrimp on money where your personal safety is at stake. Hurghada is the perfect place to take a diving course. The diving centers offer courses for the most popular titles: padi , nau II , ssi and cmas. The prices for an open water padi course are between $250 and $350 usd. There are introductory dives at $35-50 usd. Most centers also offer advanced courses, like the advanced open water ($220 usd), medic first aid ($100 usd) and divemaster ($500 usd). Visitors to this area need a full tourist visa before getting to Egypt. It is possible to obtain a mini visa at the airport, but this visa is not valid to dive at certain areas. If you have already scuba dived before it is important to bring your valid certification card and an up to date log book. It is also recommended to bring a letter from a doctor stating that your health is sound enough to dive and that you have diver insurance. Although diving is a safe sport, divers should never forget safety rules. Every year several divers die in the Red Sea, most having drunk alcohol the night before. Divers should remember to drink plenty of water, not to scuba dive if taking certain medications, and not to fly at least 24 hours after their last dive. Although many of the coral reefs in Hurghada have been destroyed, there remain beautiful sites a visitor should not miss. Local authorities are now conscious of the need for environmental preservation, although this has not slowed down the current construction mania. Best dive sites to (scuba or snorkel) in the Hurghada area
Umn Qamar, long reef one and a half hours from Hurghada.  More
about Hurghada
In the main streets of Ad Dahar you will find souvenir shops where you can buy water pipes (sheesha), alabaster statues, or a t-shirt. There are no fixed prices in these shops. How much you pay depends on your ability to negotiate with locals. One tip, keep smiling. When visiting Hurghada you should remember that you are in an Islamic country by dressing in long trousers and long sleeved shirts. dress properly. Topless sunbathing is strictly forbidden. Alcohol is available in hotels, pubs and clubs, but local religion does not allow locals to drink it (although some do drink beer). The standard of life in Hurghada is somewhat higher than in the rest of Egypt. Beggars and Shoe Shiners can be seen throughout town, but they rarely harass tourists. Excursions If you come to Hurghada and don't want to dive, you can visit the town's aquarium for a few Egyptian pounds. Most of the hotels and travel agencies in Hurghada organize one-day excursions. It is possible to do a one-day trip to Cairo (but I recommend at least two ) and Luxor. I also recommend a one-day excursion to the desert in a jeep. Most of these trips go to the Roman sites: Mons Porphyritis and Mons Claudianus. Another great excursion is a visit to the Saint Peter's and The Saint Anthony's Monasteries. You can also do a half day excursion to the desert, where you can ride a camel, eat a Bedouin dinner and witness the sunset. Getting There There is international airport in Hurghada with numerous daily charter flights. It is also possible to arrive by bus from Cairo or from Luxor. And lastly, there are ferries to and from the Sinai Peninsula (Sharm el Sheik and Dahab). Text by Cllint Leung Photos by Enric Corbero and virtourist.com
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Many
scuba operators in Sharm El Sheikh use a very interesting system for scuba
tanks. Rather than using their own tanks, their dive boats go to a common
central barge anchored in the harbor. This is where all the scuba tanks
are supplied and the dive boats collect the number of tanks they need for
day's dive trips. At the end of the trips, used tanks are dropped off at
the same barge before heading back to port.
