Red Sea - Taba, any info?

[SkubaDude]

Hi there

I am going to Taba in the gulf of Aqaba end of August 02.
Has anybody been to/dived this area before?

Any info. would be greatly appreciated

many thanks
Paul

 

[chiara]

I stayed one night in Taba in August 1985, it was very much the desert and not much else.

I wonder why they never talk about it when listing Red Sea locations, maybe it's because it's a bit too close to the Israeli border.

I wouldn't feel safe in Sharm el Sheikh nowadays, let alone Taba which is a good 100 kms if not more more to the north.

 

[Diversauras]

Taba is the Egyptian side of Eilat and it is good diving. There is a shop in the Hilton there at the hotel beach. There are a couple of days there if you don't get adventurous, a couple of weeks if you do.

If you get the chance you could also take the ride to Dahab or Newaiba (sp?) and do some really great diving.

I think the shop is an extension of the Red Sea Sports Club and maybe even another shop, but I can't think of it's name, Aqua Sport maybe. I'd do a search for scuba egypt taba.

Good luck

 

[nickjb]

While I was last in Egypt an Egyptian friend of mine recommended some secluded bays near Taba as a relaxing, peaceful place to stay. In the end I only managed Sharm, Narma and Dahab on that trip. I can definitely recommend the diving in Dahab. I'm going back this Autumn ('Fall' for our american cousins)

 

[Diversauras]

nickjb once bubbled...
While I was last in Egypt an Egyptian friend of mine recommended some secluded bays near Taba as a relaxing, peaceful place to stay. In the end I only managed Sharm, Narma and Dahab on that trip. I can definitely recommend the diving in Dahab. I'm going back this Autumn ('Fall' for our american cousins)

When I win the lottery I am going to retire in Dahab, come stay at my luxury hotel. I think it is the best diving in the world!!!!

 

[Diversauras]

http://www.geographia.com/egypt/sinai/divetaba.htm

 

[SkubaDude]

Thanks for the link Greg Any info is greatly accepted.

A few people I have talked to have commented that this is a dangerous place to go. Any comments?

cheers
Paul

 

[Diversauras]

Unless you are trying to go back and forth between Israel and Egypt I don't see that it would be any more dangerous than most other places today. It can be dangerously hot but... Do take your Amodium with you tho, Montazuma's revenge is more than common place, it is almost the rule. Do not eat anything not cooked and don't drink anything cold unless it is in a sealed bottle.

I spent a year in Israel and crossed at Taba a dozen tmes enroute to Dahab and south and never had any problems at all.

 

[vicky]

There is a diving club in Hilton Taba Hotel (the only hotel in Taba )which is an extension of Eilat's "Aqua Sport".
There are some nice sites in Taba itself and in the close vicinity (both in the Egyptian side of the border and in the Israeli).
There are daily boats to the "Coral Island" and some other sites nearby, others can be easily accessed with a vehicle. In Eilat most clubs offer free of charge transfer to/from popular diving sites.

If you're planning to dive in Eilat (5-10 minutes from Taba) you must have a valid diving insurance and a logbook showing you've made a dive whithin the last six months, or you'll be politely asked to make a "refresh dive" before they rent you any equipment (including tanks). DM and above do not need a refresh dive and are not asked to show a logbook.
In Egypt guided dives are compulsatory.

All in all you have lots of diving sites for several days very close to Taba, But it is not Sharm-el-Sheikh or Dahab if you know what I mean...

 

[vicky]

Hmmm... As you were told, the sun is perhaps the most dangerous thing over here.. If you don't drink very very often and don't put a hat on your head you may easily get a sunstroke, plus, dehidration is considered as a factor that may increase DCS (in addition, you are also breathing dry air both from the tanks and from the desert )...
The second other risk factor are the taxi drivers in Sinai, especially at night.
Then there is diving itself, which some people (mostly non-divers) and most insurance companies tend to consider it as risky. I never figured out why, but that's the way it is.

I don't think you should be afraid to visit Eilat, but if you really are, you have to consider two things: Most of the interesting sites (and clubs) are out of town. Actually they are closer to Taba than to Eilat...
If you want to do anything else rather than staying all the time at Taba's hotel lobby (shopping, restaurants, cinema, sea activities, and so on) then Eilat is probably the only available place to go...

Enjoy your stay and your dives!