Which Red Sea liveaboard is best?

[Tovster]

I am going to Israel this summer and I am planning my first liveaboard trip ever in the Red Sea. Wrecks don't interest me, and from what I read, it appears that I should be in the southern part of the Red Sea.

What are the best liveaborads for this region? This ship has to be very comfortable or I am going to be in trouble, if you know what I mean.

What is the best itinerary in the southern part of the Red Sea? I could only go once; where would you go? I like nice bathtub water with tons fish-life. (who doesn't?)

Also, is anyone aware of aware of a direct flight from Israel to Sharmel el Sheikh, or where ever the ship leaves from?

Thanks!

Tov

 

[djkpsu]

I am planning on going on Sea Queen I in November and its supposed to be one of the nicer liveaboards in the Red Sea, but that trip is going to be a photo expidetion so I did really do any shopping around.

As far as flying from Israel to Sharm, this is something I have researched quite a bit (last year). I was not able to find any feasible way of doing it. You can fly from Tel-Aviv to Cario, but thats only a few days a week, and I have been told that the domestic flights in Egypt are not very reliable.

I think the best way to get from Israel to Sharm is by going to Eilat crossing the border, and then taking a bus/taxi/rental car to Sharm.

 

[MarkUK]

If you are wanting to do a Deep South or offshore marine park trip in Egypt (these are the sites with better walls, better currents, pelagics, masses of marine life, etc), the starting point is usually either Hurghada or Marsa Alam, not Sharm. Liveaboards out of Sharm tend to do northern itineraries (Ras Mo, Tiran reefs, Dunraven, Thistlegorm, etc).

The Tornado Fleet have some nice boats, as do the Flowers of Sinai and Blue o' Two. Both run itineraries taking in some, if not all, of the offshore marine parks.

A week-long trip hitting The Brothers, Daedalous and Elphinstone, or Daedalous, Zabargad, Rocky Island and Elphinstone, would satisfy your diving requirements nicely.

Mark

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

But take care, if you're an Israeli passport, you may face troubles with permissions to the marine parks.

 

[DivesWithTurtles]

From my little bit of research, I concur with djkpsu: getting from Israel to the Southern Red Sea is tough if not impossible. I had a great time last September doing a short live-aboard trip at Tiran out of Sharm with a group from a dive center in Eilat. There is a very short report of that trip here.