North or South, newish diver advice

[JustSurfaceInterval]

I can confirm: Orca Soma Bay and the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge = Top location with a great reef and some nice full day tours as well (e.g. Panorama Reef, Salem Express, ...).
It's 42 km south of Hurghada but worth the travel.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Sorry, but one question: 4 or 5 dives in 1 day on live aboard???? where is that usual?
To go there may become one of the points on my bucket list.

I’ve been on 11 LOBs and all have had 4 a day on most days. Those few days and exceptions are on the days we had long overnight crossings where we would start traveling immediately after the 3rd dive or in places that have government restricted areas (Red Sea). Some places that I have not been to yet like Cocos Island now no longer allow night dives due to tiger sharks.

 

[Christian]

Dive resort such RSDS Marsha Shagra offer lot of flexibility. Not difficult to get 4 dives per day. Book the unlimited (unguided or guided) diving package, very good value – unlimited dive at their house reef, shore dive or zodiac dive. No solo diving.
Normally for first 2 dive will be orientation dives accompanied by dive guide.
Their house reef is not bad at all, but if you are boring then you can join (at extra cost) shores dive outside house reef, 5 – 20 minutes’ drive by truck/bus or Elphinstone (20 minutes zodiac). If you and your partner is comfortable at Elphinstone then you’ll enjoy BDE

^^^^^^^^
This

If you want to dive a lot, check in to one of RSDS:s ”camps”. I have been a few times to Shagra and Nakari. Great layout and it’s ”diving freedom” like it used to be in Sipadan Island back in the day. Just grab a tank (you need a buddy), scribble down your dive plan on the board and get in. Shagra has a very nice house reef and not unususl to see dolphins, rays and small sharks in the bay. Founder Hossam Helmy a very nice man and a pioneer. There’s a chamber across the street from Shagra which I unfortunatelly had to escort a German gentleman to once, some 5-6 years ago.

 

[bvbellomo]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I am booked on the Tillis and no shore diving on this trip.

I'd love to dive Brothers, and a using a resort to get 50 dives made sense, but in the end this is too much like trying to do 3 vacations in 1 trip (since I am spending time in Europe first). I will do a 2nd Red Sea Liveaboard for BDE another year.