Sharm El Sheik questions, traveling with family

[qwimjim]

Hi, I have a few Sharm El Sheik questions

1. Is there a season to Sharm, or is the vis and sealife pretty consistent year round? We were thinking of going end of September, I'd be doing day trips, no liveaboard.

2. I'm planning on going to Bali/Komodo afterwards, day tripping again.. Has anyone been there and also Sharm? How do they compare? Is Sharm worth diving just because it's convenient from the UK/Europe, or does it actually hold up when compared to places like Indonesia? Ie, would I better off skipping Sharm and adding more days to Indonesia?

3. I'll be going with my family, my son is 10 and has his Junior Open Water.. are there any shallow reef dives is Ras Mohammed with not too much current where I could dive with him? Max depth he can go is 40'. I dove some really shallow reefs in Cozumel that were perfect, mellow drift, 30' deep, lots of schools of fish. He loved it. Bonus if there's sites where my wife and daughter could have a good snorkel while we're diving.

4. If I do a daytrip on my own, is there any good shore snorkeling in Sharm for the family to do while I'm away?

Thanks!

 

[Searcaigh]

1. Is there a season to Sharm, or is the vis and sealife pretty consistent year round? We were thinking of going end of September, I'd be doing day trips, no liveaboard.

Well yes it's winter now and while there's a season for pelagic fish, the fringing reef is pretty much the same year round.

2. I'm planning on going to Bali/Komodo afterwards, day tripping again.. Has anyone been there and also Sharm? How do they compare? Is Sharm worth diving just because it's convenient from the UK/Europe, or does it actually hold up when compared to places like Indonesia? Ie, would I better off skipping Sharm and adding more days to Indonesia?

Both are completely different, especially topside. Indonesia has more to offer IMHO.

3. I'll be going with my family, my son is 10 and has his Junior Open Water.. are there any shallow reef dives is Ras Mohammed with not too much current where I could dive with him? Max depth he can go is 40'. I dove some really shallow reefs in Cozumel that were perfect, mellow drift, 30' deep, lots of schools of fish. He loved it. Bonus if there's sites where my wife and daughter could have a good snorkel while we're diving.

The shore diving around Sharm is on fringing reef so your wife and daughter can snorkel there with no problems. We did Ras Mohammed after two dives on the Thistlegorm on the way back and there was a ripping current at the end of the dive when we reached the Yolanda, perhaps not the best for someone with little experience.

4. If I do a daytrip on my own, is there any good shore snorkeling in Sharm for the family to do while I'm away?

Yes

 

[Parlem]

Hello!
I can't answer all your questions but see below:

Hi, I have a few Sharm El Sheik questions

1. Is there a season to Sharm, or is the vis and sealife pretty consistent year round? We were thinking of going end of September, I'd be doing day trips, no liveaboard.

The only time of year when the Sharm-Tiran-Ras Mohamed area is markedly better for diving is around the months of June, July and August, when many fish congregate at Ras Mohamed and hammerheads can sometimes be seen at Jackson Reef. At the end of September you might still catch the tail end of that. Or not. In terms of temperatures, September & October are ideal months: the water temp is still tropical but air temp is more tolerable than in July-Aug.

2. I'm planning on going to Bali/Komodo afterwards, day tripping again.. Has anyone been there and also Sharm? How do they compare? Is Sharm worth diving just because it's convenient from the UK/Europe, or does it actually hold up when compared to places like Indonesia? Ie, would I better off skipping Sharm and adding more days to Indonesia?

Sorry, I've never been to Indonesia.

3. I'll be going with my family, my son is 10 and has his Junior Open Water.. are there any shallow reef dives is Ras Mohammed with not too much current where I could dive with him? Max depth he can go is 40'. I dove some really shallow reefs in Cozumel that were perfect, mellow drift, 30' deep, lots of schools of fish. He loved it. Bonus if there's sites where my wife and daughter could have a good snorkel while we're diving.

In my experience day boat diving in the Sharm area is very safe and guides/instructors are very accommodating and safety-conscious. You are unlikely to find ripping currents like you do routinely, for example, in the channels of the Maldives or at Egypt's Marine Parks, every now and then. There are plenty of shallow dive sites for you and your son. Many sites around Tiran and Ras Mohamed allow for different dive profiles.

4. If I do a daytrip on my own, is there any good shore snorkeling in Sharm for the family to do while I'm away?

Thanks!

I would advise choosing a hotel with a good house reef that is snorkeller-friendly. For example, the Sentido Reef Oasis. Your non-diving family members will love snorkelling off the beach or the jetty while you are off on a day boat.

I hope this helps.

 

[diverLux]

here is a picture of the house reef at the Sentido Reef Oasis, I stayed next door (towards the lighthouse) at the Jaz Fanara, both good hotels, and both have their own dive centre.

( don't mix Fanara and Faraana they are not the same ! )

 

[qwimjim]

here is a picture of the house reef at the Sentido Reef Oasis, I stayed next door (towards the lighthouse) at the Jaz Fanara, both good hotels, and both have their own dive centre.

( don't mix Fanara and Faraana they are not the same ! )

Thanks, Jaz Fanara looks to be half the price of Sentido, I guess those are pretty much the only options where you can walk from your hotel room down to the shore where the best snorkeling is straight out?

 

[Parlem]

The Gardens area (Near, Middle and Far Gardens) is also a nice, easily accessible fringing reef segment that would be up there with the Fanara segment in terms of overall quality. Reef Oasis Blue Bay resort, for example, would provide direct beach/jetty access.

 

[Paul Desmarais]

Sharm El Sheikh offers something for everyone. From wrecks like Thistlegorm to easy shore dives. I really like Ras Um Sid (Sid's mother's head in Arabic). There are, however, good dive sites from Ras Mohammed all the way to The Blue Hole near Dahab an hour or so up the road. The Tiran Island reefs are really nice dives for realtively inexperienced divers.

The visibility in Sharm is 20-30 meters, minimum, year round. The reefs are lively and colorful consistently. Sharks and other big pelagics are seasonal.

The only real downside to Sharm is that some of the more popular dive sites can be busy and some of the really popular ones, like The Canyons are not in good condition.