Help! Need to plan an Egypt dive trip for NEXT WEEK!

[@dam]

Hi guys. I'm doing an Egypt tour for 2 on 2 June, starting in Cairo. However, I booked our flight to arrive the evening of 27 May with the intention of doing a little diving first. I'm advanced and have about 55 dives, she's open water and has 23. It's mostly about great diving for us as other things will be done on our tour. We want someplace fun, pretty and clean, but it doesn't have to be particularly luxurious.


Questions
1) Dahab vs Shar vs Hurghada- what's best for a last minute trip of this type
2) Since I'm arriving in the evening, and have to be in Cairo sometime on 2 June, what's the best transport? Overnight bus? Flight? Can I pre-book a bus?
3) Can anybody recommend a dive resort? I'm hoping <$90 for hotel and <$75 per two-tank dive...maybe cheaper if we get 6-10 at a time

Thanks in advance. Normally I research the hell out of things, but there are other points of the trip I'm still running around like crazy planning (going to Europe first, work, vaccines, etc)

 

[diverLux]

Hi,

Fly Egyptair Cairo to Hurghada, then 20 minutes limousine service to El Gouna , stay at the Mosaique dive with Colona, return to Cairo via bus or limousine directly from town.


Limousine. gotohurghada.net
The town: El Gouna Red Sea Egypt's Best Holiday Destination and Beach Resort Town
Diving: Colona Divers
My experience in Sept. last year: Dive Center Reviews | Colona Dive Center | El Gouna | Scuba Diving Reviews | Scubadviser


Other useful info: CDWS-Egypt, Tripadvisor.com

Happy diving.

 

[Solly]

this one is good, also you can fly to sharm and contact oonasdivers then back to cairo by plane as well.
They have their own hotel, I stayed there and did some dives with them and it was all a very nice experience.
booking online gives you some discount as well:

Prices

 

[diverLux]

Hi again,

Ehm, I also had Sharm in mind but you'll loose one day if you fly back and overland transport through the Sinai is not really an option.


Just got back from Sharm myself last week, stayed at the Iberotel Club Fanara at Ras Um Sid. The on site dive centre is Diving & Discovery. Pre-book the diving to get the on-line price, you can also book the hotel package, diving and airport transfer directly with the dive centre.


The Mariott Renaissance Golden View is just across the street and a little further up the road you'll find the Hilton Waterfalls. I visited both and prefer the Iberotel.


The hotel: Hotel - iberotel.de
The dive centre: Diving & Discovery scuba center - Sharm el Sheikh


Why is it everbody from the US wants to go to Dahab ? diving around Sharm is far superior, yes the Blue Hole is an attraction but about mid-day this place borders on Kitsch when all the day trippers arrive.

The Dahab experience last year in June: http://www.scubadviser.com/destinations_1.aspx?id=1:35219&company=0:18382


Happy diving.

 

[Solly]

thats a good point, traveling back on land not to lose a day of diving...