a_lamonta
Registered
I've done Sharm many many times (did my OW and AOW there as well back in 2003-2004). I did Marsa Alam in 2018 local daily diving + a LoB out to Brothers and Elphinstone. I've been asking about Hurghada and Safaga as well, and here are my 2 cents: it's about the type of diving that you prefer 
The western coast of the Red Sea in Egypt; covering Marsa, Hurghada, Safaga etc, is more sandy bottoms (although the sandy bottom can absolutely be at 30m). Slightly easier diving, and lots to see! I saw my first seahorse there in the grass.
I personally prefer Sharm. It's more wall diving and currents. Lots of chances to see big stuff (although Marsa has Dyson, the resident Dugong... no one will argue that he's not a big guy ) But in Sharm I've seen mantas, many eagle rays, white and grey tip reef sharks etc.. In terms of turtles, both types are in both places, but based on the topography; more hawksbill turtles in Sharm eating in the reef, more Green turtles in Marsa eating the grass.
Overall, the diving in Sharm is a bit harder than Marsa etc, but that's not to say that you would have a hard time in Sharm. If you've done Galapagos, you will be fine in Sharm.
It's more about what you like. As much as I was bored in local Marsa, telling myself "Next time I'm going back to sharm", I met people there who had been to Sharm and thought Marsa was SO much better, as they preferred the sandy bottoms in Marsa.
The western coast of the Red Sea in Egypt; covering Marsa, Hurghada, Safaga etc, is more sandy bottoms (although the sandy bottom can absolutely be at 30m). Slightly easier diving, and lots to see! I saw my first seahorse there in the grass.
I personally prefer Sharm. It's more wall diving and currents. Lots of chances to see big stuff (although Marsa has Dyson, the resident Dugong... no one will argue that he's not a big guy
) But in Sharm I've seen mantas, many eagle rays, white and grey tip reef sharks etc.. In terms of turtles, both types are in both places, but based on the topography; more hawksbill turtles in Sharm eating in the reef, more Green turtles in Marsa eating the grass. Overall, the diving in Sharm is a bit harder than Marsa etc, but that's not to say that you would have a hard time in Sharm. If you've done Galapagos, you will be fine in Sharm.
It's more about what you like. As much as I was bored in local Marsa, telling myself "Next time I'm going back to sharm", I met people there who had been to Sharm and thought Marsa was SO much better, as they preferred the sandy bottoms in Marsa.
