First time going to Sharm

[Christian]

If you’re staying in Dahab but want to dive Sharm (you should if you want to see the best diving in Sinai), my advice would be a short liveaboard (3d/2n) out of Sharm. I’d reach out to Sinai Divers.

 

[pclark2]

Maybe I'll try to convince my wife of doing 3 full days in Dahab and 2 in Sharm. May be able to add an extra day if required. We normally hate moving hotels, but if one doesn't need to worry about balancing the weight between suitcases for a plane, it should be a ton easier. So maybe that will work. Sadly a liveaboard would never work since my wife gets seasick if on a boat for too long. Short trips out to snorkel are the max for her.

Ok so trying to split it is my plan now. I like the idea of closer dives in Dahab so I'm not away from her all day, but I really want to see Ras Mohammed and the Straits of Tiran. Thistlegorm would be really cool since I love history, but wrecks in general are never the top of my list.

Thank you everyone! This has really helped me a ton!

 

[Christian]

I usually ’hate’ wrecks and I love the Thistlegorm. If your itineray allows it you should def. try to get it in there. Good luck!

 

[Sunn]

You're right. If it's a unique occasion to see this part of the world, you have to dive absolutely Ras Mohamed and then you'll go to some nice places in the strait of Tiran or to Dahab.

It's true that Sharm can be a tourist inferno. Although tourism has lowered of /- 50% last 2 years because of the fear of IS. (dont be afraid, less risk there than in US or Europe).
So try to avoid Naama bay, Garden bay and those "highly touristically contaminated zones". It should be better (if, like me you hate these tourists-crowded zones) staying in a hotel like Iberotel Palace or at Ras Um Sid and going to old Sharm downtown to have a tea at night...

 

[Christian]

Wouldn’t worry too much about ’tourist inferno’ or ’highly touristically contaminated zones’ in and around Sharm theese days. I haven’t been ”in” Sharm though since when France won the cup the first time, but as we sailed past Sharm last year one of the guides who lived and worked there since the early 2000’s and up until 2015 described it as a ”ghost town”. Good or bad? Depends on who you are. We saw a handful of boats over three days diving Thistlegorm - RasMo - Strait of Tiran. In October/November. Just like the old days — 30-40 years ago.

 

[Sunn]

Wouldn’t worry too much about ’tourist inferno’ or ’highly touristically contaminated zones’ in and around Sharm theese days. I haven’t been ”in” Sharm though since when France won the cup the first time, but as we sailed past Sharm last year one of the guides who lived and worked there since the early 2000’s and up until 2015 described it as a ”ghost town”. Good or bad? Depends on who you are. We saw a handful of boats over three days diving Thistlegorm - RasMo - Strait of Tiran. In October/November. Just like the old days — 30-40 years ago.

You're right, tourism has decreased a lot because of the political context in this part of the world (did I say it on a "politically correct" way ?).
It's increasing again now. Still many russians, as they tried to fill the hotels after the gulf wars with other tourists, as europeans were gone.

Last time I went on the Thistlegorm, ( 2017 - we stayed there for the night) there were 2 - 3 boats all the time... and the wreck is now quite damaged by the divers (I took pictures 20 years ago) but still worth seeing it.

 

[Christian]

You're right, tourism has decreased a lot because of the political context in this part of the world (did I say it on a "politically correct" way ?).
It's increasing again now. Still many russians, as they tried to fill the hotels after the gulf wars with other tourists, as europeans were gone.

Last time I went on the Thistlegorm, ( 2017 - we stayed there for the night) there were 2 - 3 boats all the time... and the wreck is now quite damaged by the divers (I took pictures 20 years ago) but still worth seeing it.

Russians, really? I thought they all stopped coming after the Russian charter flight was shot down in 2015. Are there Russian charters to Egypt now? Wasn’t last year, very little Russians. Europeans — Germans, French, Italians still go. Some Ukrainans. Not many Brits. Very little Scandinavians. There are afaik very limited charter flights into Sharm, no ferry from Hurghada.
Thistlegorm has been in a ”bad shape” since the 1990’s. But with the realitively slow traffic it’s a much better dive than in a long time. I also dived it in 2017 and we were alone on her a full day (3 dives) — which I understood does happen every now and then. But tourism started to and is picking up in Egypt. Not as much in Sinai as on the coast from Hurghada and South though.

 

[Sunn]

Sorry Christian, I've perhaps melted ukrainians and russians... (not fair for them)

 

[graham_s]

If you only do one dive in the Red Sea, ever, it should be the Thistlegorm.
I've been to Sharm several times, the diving is fantastic.

 

[Sunn]

If you only do one dive in the Red Sea, ever, it should be the Thistlegorm.
I've been to Sharm several times, the diving is fantastic.

well.... depends on what you like...

If I had to go for 1 dive only, should be the extreme nothern tip of Abu Kifan....