Headed to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt for a dive trip!

[BadabingM3]

Hi all,

I'm headed to Sharm for a week long Dive trip in September. I would like to hear from you all that have been there before for any tips, advice on good or bad dive shops, experiances good and bad and any info you can give me. Hope to post some pics when I get back. Thanks,

 

[=C=]

With whom did you book your trip?

I have had good and bad trips to Egypt.

The blue o2 group is pretty awesome Scuba Diving Holidays, Dive-IN was OK.

Red sea diving college also seem like an okay Dive company but they have some commission guys who are a pain.

I was with the Red Sea group and the Dive IN Scuba group on the Thistlegronm a couple weeks ago and it was a good trip. Boat was rather old but the nitrox meter was functional which is a good sign and they had o2 on board. One of my tanks tasted funny so i swapped it but otherwise uneventful. A couple of the places I have been in Egypt have been frightening but this tends to be south of hurgada.

A couple of things... if your diving a boat and the tanks look old be sure to check them for water contamination (rock the tank back and forth in horizontal or turn over and vent for a second... they typically dont have a tube installed). Its pretty common on the older liveaboards and day boats. If you pay for nitrox check it... plenty of people do not.

I would advise against diving steel tanks.

You can quickly generally tell the better operations if most of the crew has some certification (more than one divemaster around, there is oxygen and a DAN cert oxygen provided on the boat, is the o2 full? etc...)

o.. and bring anti diarrhea meds just do it... you feelbetter taking something you know than sorting something in Sharm.

 

[=C=]

Heres a BSAC forum page about the dive-in guys... I also like the renaissance... ant they have a pier now.

Sharm el Sheikh - Renaissance Golden View - BSAC Scuba Diving Forums

 

[paul madox]

Hello we go to sharm quite a lot i dive with red sea waterworld they are part of the red sea diving college and they do deal's like buy one get one free or your buddy half price but not all the time
if you rent they have all new kit this year

The Hyatt Regency is the best hotel in sharm good shore diving the dive site is call middle gardens
Good place to get your set up right as it is more salty here so do weight check
Always clean your kit they do not change the water wash tank out alot take back to room wash it in the bath
Take rehydrate's drink lots of water you can take rehydrates for flying . duty free shop as you land at the airport pluss one in sharm you have 48 hour's to make it check times they open as it is still ramadam in sep

Always agree a price first with the taxi driver 30 to 40le is about right
You will need a visa if you wish to dive Ras Mohammed National park wich is must dive so get one at the airport or ask your rep about it
Alway use bottled water even to clean your teeth try not to drink water when it very cold as this can give you the running trots
We are in sharm from the 14 of sep till the 28 so we might even bump in to each other well good luck hope you have a good holiday

 

[Tigerman]

Emperor Divers run a great op and theive got shops in several areas of egypt as well as liveaboards.
Their sharm op is located at the bay view hotel in namaa bay.
Although the thistlegorm is a nice dive its a long way out there and back and when Ive been there its been crowded beyond belief. Im not too eager on paying the price to go back there again.

Going down to sharm again in 2 weeks btw, cant wait