Diving in Red Sea

Dive Egypt's Wreck 'n' Reef Rich Waters

Few dive locations always crop up in conversation the way that Egypt's Red Sea does. If it isn't the first destination to crop up in a wow diving conversation, it is typically among the first 3. Join a Red Sea dive liveaboard to experience the best diving that the region has to offer.

The Red Sea takes its name from the periodic algal blooms that occur here painting the sea with a reddish hue, and not the red-tinted Egyptian mountain ranges that surround it. It's a diver's paradise, with the warmest of warm seas, very little wave action and unsurpassed visibility.

The Red Sea is considered to be one of the 7 Wonders of the underwater world, harbouring more than 1,000 species of invertebrates and over 200 species of soft and hard coral. This forms the basis of a marine eco-system which includes 1,100 species of fish, of which just under 20% are endemic, i.e. these fish species can only been found here. The high level of endemism in the Red Sea is one of the main factors that makes scuba diving in Egypt so interesting.

Red Sea scuba diving offers you unobstructed opportunities to spot tropical marine life in crystal clear waters, ranging from sharks and dolphins to gorgonian fans and feather-stars. Variety is in no short supply either and depending on where you choose to dive. Your Egypt diving holiday can include shallow patch reefs, drift dives and walls, or a collection of some of the most interesting wrecks you are likely to find anywhere. In other places vibrant reefs stretch far into the ocean and form intricate labyrinths of plateaus, lagoons, caves and gardens.

One moment you could find yourself on a coral garden atop a summit and the next a sheer wall could plunge thousands of feet into dark ocean depths. The Red Sea's abundance of marine life and depths of the reef are a thrill that many divers will tell you is unbeatable.

Highlights

The Red Sea as a whole is a pretty special attraction and like a box of Quality Street - everybody has their own favourite. Some would say that Sharm El Sheikh on the Sinai Peninsula has the best of what the Red Sea has to offer. The legendary dive location that is Ras Mohammed, wrecks the likes of the Thistlegorm and the Straits of Tiran are all easily accessible from Sharm El Sheikh. Dotted with at least 10 other interesting wreck sites, the area is also alive with big fish such as barracuda, turtles and eagle rays.

For jaded divers who have seen it all, the further south you go, the better the quality. Hurghada and Marsa Alam offer you a starting point from which to explore the Abu Nuhas wreck system, and incredibly rich sites and pelagic shark action at The Brothers, Elphinstone and Zabargad which satisfy even the most experienced divers.

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How to Dive the Red Sea

There are 2 ways to experience diving in the Red Sea:

Resort stays in Egypt will allow you the opportunity to base yourself close to a selection of fine dive sites. See our Sharm El Sheikh day trips or Hurghada day trips sections.

Red Sea liveaboards on the other hand, are always a top choice for those who want to see more than any land-based stay can offer. These dive cruises can take you around the best of the Northern Red Sea (Sinai Peninsula and the Hurghada wrecks) or the Southern Red Sea. Breathtaking diving, fantastic boats and inspiring topside scenery all await you here.

For the ultimate holiday of a lifetime, why not combine your dive trip with a tour to discover the historical sights of Egypt? You can take an overland tour of Cairo to visit the pyramids, the Sphinx and the famous museums, or a Nile cruise through the Valley of the Kings: Egypt antiquity tours.

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Diving Season

The Red Sea is a fine choice for diving any time of year but the water temperatures do vary significantly. From June to August the water can reach 30°C but it falls to a chilly 22°C in February. Do bring an appropriate exposure suit for the time of year - northern hemisphere winter = 5 or 7 mm full length, northern hemisphere summer = 3 mm shortie to long.

Air temperatures in Egypt reach 40°C (104°F) in August and fall to 20°C (68°F) in the winter (December to February), which may also dictate when you travel.

Reef Summary

Good for Wreck diving, value-for-money, visibility, wall dives and large animals
Not so good for Small animals
Depth: 5m - >40m
Visibility: 20m - >40m
Currents: Gentle - strong
Surface conditions: Calm, can be choppy in some places
Water temperature: 22°C - 30°C
Experience level: Beginner - advanced
Number of dive sites: >200
Access: Daytrips and liveaboards
Recommended length of stay: 1 - 2 weeks

Read about the Red Sea

More detailed information on Red Sea dive sites:

Northern Red Sea

Southern Red Sea

• Red Sea tourist information

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• Egypt

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