Question First trip to Red Sea for a experienced diver

[Sascha314]

Generically the house reefs are supposed to be better the more south. In Hurghada there is lots of damage due to bad diving .
The northern area around of sharm el sheik has also good spots but afaik less hiuse reef. I would also avoid that area because of the close proximity to the ukraine. That should not be of a concern in the south.

So you chan choose different approaches:
Best for diving is a live aboard. So you are like 5 days on a boat, 3-5 dives a day. Then while you are sleeping you are carried to the next spots. So you get the best spots.
Usually you can book a packsge with a hotel night afterwards and flat dives the last day, so you are safe for flying. I would suggest to have a hotel night before in case of flight delay.

If you prefer a hotel, there are hotels with good house reef and also daily boat/mini bus tours. You can also get to some good spots but of course invest more time snd its more busy.
Then the only question is:
You can have a confortable 5 star hotel with all amenities or a budget hotel, where the focus lies in diving. The latter are common reasonable and clean, but mostly have the better dive options.

However for all options bear in mind that "not so good" is mostly above average for other destinations..

As the country itself is concerned you should keep in mind common things. Like tip money, only use bottled water. Also avoid fresh salad or fruits. In less expensive hotels they wash it with tap water, and well lets say a lot of people get sick from it.

 

[BoltSnap]

I would also avoid that area because of the close proximity to the ukraine.

Sharm is close to the Ukraine??? Holy angelfish, what do you say about Germany, downtown Kiev?

 

[Sascha314]

My bad i was distracted by my child. I wanted to refer to the israel - gaza conflict.

 

[JustSurfaceInterval]

I would also avoid that area because of the close proximity to the ukraine.

Fun fact: Germany is closer to the Ukraine than Egypt. Look at a map...

Usually you can book a packsge with a hotel night afterwards and flat dives the last day, so you are safe for flying.

No. The purpose of a day off after a LOB is to not dive to be on the safe side before taking a plane after an extensive week diving with up to 5 dives a day.

 

[Sascha314]

To be more precise: a flat las

Fun fact: Germany is closer to the Ukraine than Egypt. Look at a map...

No. The purpose of a day off after a LOB is to not dive to be on the safe side before taking a plane after an extensive week diving with up to 5 dives a day.

Wow you are really picky...

I exactly said that, maybe not precise because I am not a native speaker.

Last day of liveaboard: flat dives. One additional day of rest in a hotel precisely to be more on the safe side.

 

[BoltSnap]

My bad i was distracted by my child. I wanted to refer to the israel - gaza conflict.

Kiev, Germany, Gaza, may Allah protect us all and brings the criminal crazy bastards to their sanity or gets rid of them very soon Insha-Allah.

 

[GS-111]

Hi fellow divers!

After years delaying a trip to the Red Sea, I can not wait anymore and I'm trying to put together a trip for 2025.

The info I found in SB is mostly for Open Water Divers travelling to the Red Sea for first time, but if you were a very experienced diver looking for the best reefs and dive sites in Egypt, where would you go?

What I imagine when I think of the Red Sea are the most pristine reefs full of colourful fish like an aquarium.

I also like macro, and the idea of seeing hammerheads and dolphins are also super fun! ( I have never seen a hammerhead so that would be awesome!).

Diving SS Thistlegorm is a must. I'm divided if I should do a day tour to Thistlegorm from Hurgada and then a LOB to the BDE route.

Or instead dive Elphinstone reef from Marsa Alam and then a LOB to the Northern route. Or is diving from sharm el sheikh a better option?

After diving, I would like to add a few days visiting Luxor, Abu Simber and Cairo, so I prefer diving from Hurgada side, but my preference is to visit the best dive sites, I can adapt the land tour afterwards.

I will be a solo woman travelling to Egypt so I would like have everything arranged before arrival.

Thank a lot and happy diving!

Taty

My dates are flexible, but I was thinking on September 2025.

Also what live aboard would you suggest? After my research I found its not uncommon that boats catch fire, I would like to book something basic but with the best professionals on board and good ships.

Hi fellow divers!

After years delaying a trip to the Red Sea, I can not wait anymore and I'm trying to put together a trip for 2025.

The info I found in SB is mostly for Open Water Divers travelling to the Red Sea for first time, but if you were a very experienced diver looking for the best reefs and dive sites in Egypt, where would you go?

What I imagine when I think of the Red Sea are the most pristine reefs full of colourful fish like an aquarium.

I also like macro, and the idea of seeing hammerheads and dolphins are also super fun! ( I have never seen a hammerhead so that would be awesome!).

Diving SS Thistlegorm is a must. I'm divided if I should do a day tour to Thistlegorm from Hurgada and then a LOB to the BDE route.

Or instead dive Elphinstone reef from Marsa Alam and then a LOB to the Northern route. Or is diving from sharm el sheikh a better option?

After diving, I would like to add a few days visiting Luxor, Abu Simber and Cairo, so I prefer diving from Hurgada side, but my preference is to visit the best dive sites, I can adapt the land tour afterwards.

I will be a solo woman travelling to Egypt so I would like have everything arranged before arrival.

Thank a lot and happy diving!

Taty

My dates are flexible, but I was thinking on September 2025.

Also what live aboard would you suggest? After my research I found its not uncommon that boats catch fire, I would like to book something basic but with the best professionals on board and good ships.

Hi Taty

No doubt other people will have other views but for my 2 cents...However, I’ve done 13 Red Sea liveaboards and worked in Cario, Egypt for about 18 months, so can speak from a little experience.

Liveaboards in Egypt are for both novice and experienced divers. You will usually get 18-20 dives in the week.

Most people like Reefs and Wrecks in the North as their first Red Sea trip to see the reefs in the Tiran Straights and Ras Mohamed and the wreck of the Thistlegorm. Day trips to the Thistlegorm are possible but it’s a long trip in a small boat with an early start and they all arrive at the same time mid-afternoon, and the site gets crowded. LOB can and do adjust their schedules for weather and usually will give you 2 or 3 dives on the Thistlegorm before and/or after the day boats.

If you can manage two weeks for a second Liveaboard then yes I would suggest “Daedalus, Brothers & Elphinstone”. Expect drift dives and hovering in the blue with good chances (but no guarantee) of seeing Hammerheads and Oceanic White Tips. Not a good choice for a novice.

The “best of” cruises are a compromise with fewer dives if the weather changes and IMHO best avoided

Single woman or man or buddy pairs or a party, I would recommend using Emperor Divers or Ocean Tribe. FTAOD I have used them both and have no commercial connection. I’ve looked at other boats in port but unless you speak fluent French, German, Italian, Russian or Arabic…

For tourism afterwards prebook and do not have a driver take you from the Red Sea coast by yourself in a car across to Luxor. Prebook on an organised trip through a reputable travel agent or fly (via Cairo if necessary).

 

[Scubasophie]

Hi fellow divers!

After years delaying a trip to the Red Sea, I can not wait anymore and I'm trying to put together a trip for 2025.

The info I found in SB is mostly for Open Water Divers travelling to the Red Sea for first time, but if you were a very experienced diver looking for the best reefs and dive sites in Egypt, where would you go?

What I imagine when I think of the Red Sea are the most pristine reefs full of colourful fish like an aquarium.

I also like macro, and the idea of seeing hammerheads and dolphins are also super fun! ( I have never seen a hammerhead so that would be awesome!).

Diving SS Thistlegorm is a must. I'm divided if I should do a day tour to Thistlegorm from Hurgada and then a LOB to the BDE route.

Or instead dive Elphinstone reef from Marsa Alam and then a LOB to the Northern route. Or is diving from sharm el sheikh a better option?

After diving, I would like to add a few days visiting Luxor, Abu Simber and Cairo, so I prefer diving from Hurgada side, but my preference is to visit the best dive sites, I can adapt the land tour afterwards.

I will be a solo woman travelling to Egypt so I would like have everything arranged before arrival.

Thank a lot and happy diving!

Taty

My dates are flexible, but I was thinking on September 2025.

Also what live aboard would you suggest? After my research I found its not uncommon that boats catch fire, I would like to book something basic but with the best professionals on board and good ships.

Do not go south towards marsa alam. All corals destroyed. Coral graveyards. Take abu nuhas trips or bde trips from hurghada. Sharm tiran islands day boats great. Thistlegorm is always available.

 

[Cornbread O'Malley]

Also what live aboard would you suggest?

I chose the Ghazala Explorer based out of Hurghada for a trip September 2 to September 8, 2024. Our itinerary included wrecks and reefs. The wrecks I enjoyed the most were Ghiannis D, Thistlegorm, and Chrisoula K. For reefs I really enjoyed Ras Mohammed Nature Preserve and Straits of Tiran. Ghazala Explorer is a big boat enough room for 24 people and then some. The price for the charter cost about $1350 USD excluding tips.

 

[Jai Bar]

I second the recommendations for Liveaboard.

Thistlegorm is one piece of amazing dive. Most liveaboards do only 1 day / 2 dives stop. But depending on itinerary flexibility upon requests by guests, we sometimes parked for the night, so one can do four dives. It is not only the rusty metal thingy, also the amounts of fish is excellent. Plus, one of the best night dives.

Ras Mohammad is a good dive on any ordinary day, and if you catch a good day then this can be one of the best dives in the world. Especially for experienced diver (currents, air consumption tend to shorten the bottom time for inexperienced divers). Most groups want to cover as many dive sites as possible, but sometimes you get a group who are willing to do more than the common 1-2 Ras-Mo dives. Did I mention it is one of the best dive sites in Sinai and probably Egypt. If you stay on this side of Sinai, I think the straits of Tiran have also pretty good dives.

I did less safaris to the south, but in my opinion Elphinstone is an amazing dive site by itself, but if you meet Oceanic White Tips then the dive is instantly upgraded to one of those dives that you will never ever forget. There is a feeling of magical journey when going south all the way to St John's, border with Sudan. Nights are dark as one passes long stretches of desert areas without nothing, no lights, no human presence and not so many boats.

There are plenty of excellent dive sites covering hundreds of km, you will probably want to come back and dive more. I know I do.

Don't get stressed by "nearby war"- it is hundreds of km away. If something to be concerned about, is the way they drive- especially at night, and the notorious Cairo taxi drivers..

Haven't been in Egypt in the last year, but heard that some areas were struck by coral bleaching. Don't know the extent, but apparently worse rhe farther south you go.