Liveaboard or not in Red Sea

[scarol]

I am traveling to Israel in the fall. I want to dive in the Red Sea. I am more interested in coral than wrecks. Would the diving from a liveaboard be much better than day trips? From my reading it seems that even from Israel, the boats go to Egypt. Any advice would be helpful. I have plenty of time. I would prefer to be in Israel than Egypt, but want the best diving. I am not interested in any night life. Too old for that--- will be 70 years old by the fall!

 

[ocdiver1]

I'd say definitely a liveaboard...gets you away from the hoards of day boats (I've seen upwards of 25 boats at one site before) and the resultant damage that all those people to the reefs, although the crowds wouldn't be quite as bad if you dove out of Marsa Alam. Liveaboards leave from Sharm, Hurghada and near Marsa Alam and there are lots of different itineraries. A good thing about liveaboard diving in the Red Sea is that they are as reasonably priced as you'll find anywhere in the world. I'm going on one next week for less than $1000! (although it's a last minute discount). There are lots of boats, but one good company is Blueotwo. There is land based diving from Eilat in Israel, but as I've never been I don't have firsthand knowledge as to the quality of diving or if liveaboards operate from there, but I'd never heard that the diving there was anywhere close to what it is further south.

 

[ElChe]

I've been to Eilat's Dolphin Reef and had plenty of trips to the Egyptian Red Sea. The tiny Red Sea shoreline of Israel is nice, but the best dive sites are far away from there. I'm sure the liveaboards from Israel go to Egypt, to dive the Sinai peninsula's best dive spots (there are a lot of them, just to name a few: Ras Mohammed, Blue Hole, Canyon, etc.). But my experience was the deep southern routes of the Egyptian Red Sea from Marsa Alam are more exciting with healthier reefs. To go there from Israel by boat would be too long trip... Anyway, for better diving I'd recommend any liveaboard route instead of shore dives.

 

[Bryan Cunningham]

I worked in Israel and Egypt as a dive instructor from 96 t0 2000. If you want good diving you have to go to the Sinai (Egypt) Israel only has about 10 miles of coastline in Eilat, VERY overdived. You can do shore diving in Dahab, or boat day trips from Sharm. But by far your best diving is going to be on a live aboard. Fell free to shoot me any questions, still keep in touch with a lot of friends working there, my email is bentdiver@live.com

 

[supergaijin]

Without knowing much about you, I'd say you would be just as happy diving the western coast line from Taba down through Dahab.

The Sinai peninsular- especially the Ras Mohamed and Tiran are prone to very strong currents. The coral is beautiful but conditions are very challenging at times. It depends a lot on how fit you are at 70 years old. My own father who is 72, can still do a day's work, but is not up for diving in those currents.