Red Sea Tourist Information

Things to do on your Egypt Diving Holiday

Looking for some information to make your Red Sea dive trip to the run smoothly?

This section contains tourist information for your visit to the following locations:

• Hurghada
Happening Red Sea dive resort town on the Egyptian mainland ...

• Marsa Alam
On the edge of the desert, a peaceful gateway to the southern Red Sea ...

• Sharm El Sheikh
Located on the Sinai Peninsula, this is the Red Sea's most popular dive destination ...

Where ocean meets desert, that's where the Red Sea lies. The region is well known to adherents of the great monotheistic religions as the sea that God was said to have parted with his own hand so that Moses could lead his brethren across to Sinai. With fascinating natural seascape environments it is one of earth's most exotic locations.

The Red Sea stretches from Egypt's beautiful and renowned Sinai Peninsula in the north to the Sudanese border and the pristine reefs of St. John's in the south. The seabed is on average 500m deep, however it reaches down as deep as 2.5 km at its deepest point. 7 desert countries touch this narrow strip of water and it covers an area of about 438,000 km², which is 2,250 km in length and 355 km wide at its widest point.

The Red Sea is a glittering example of what environmental cooperation and commitment can achieve. Despite the convenience of getting to the Red Sea from Europe and its consequent popularity amongst the diving community, the Red Sea boasts some of the best preserved marine environments on the planet, thanks to local authorities and dive operators protecting their tourism resources.

Undoubtedly the Red Sea is as interesting as it is unique. Essentially a cul-de-sac, a large portion of the Red Sea's marine life is indigenous, making the Red Sea a wondrous diving destination.

• View a map of Egypt

The rest of this page contains information about the Red Sea:

• Security and Safety
• How to Get There
• General Information
• Codes of Behaviour

Got a question?
Have a look through our Frequently asked questions

Tourist Security and Safety

Much has been said about tourist safety of Egypt, but we consider the Red Sea a safe place for tourists to travel to. Considering the risks, you are likely to deduce that it is no more dangerous than most destinations in the world.

Yes, there is significant threat from terrorism in Egypt, but like similar places where tourism is a vital lifeline, heavily armed security troops are highly visible at airports and major tourist sites. Counter-terrorist operations are persistent on the Sinai Peninsula to prevent fundamentalists from disrupting one of Egypt's key revenue sources.

Most tourists will not find any anti-Western sentiments amongst locals, but it always pays to stay vigilant and avoid political and public gatherings.

How to Get There

Most visitors will arrive in Egypt via the Cairo International Airport. It is well serviced by over 70 international airlines from Europe, the US, Africa and Asia.

Popular resort towns are reachable via the domestic services of Egypt Air, or direct via a selected few international centres. Refer to the Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh sections for specific details on the best way reach each town.

If you require accommodation in Egypt you can get the best value rooms with Agoda, our affiliated resort reservation specialists:

If you live in the UK or Ireland and wish to purchase international flights to Egypt you can visit Cheapflights Ltd. They have over 150 travel partners including Expedia, Virgin and British Airways, which they use to search for the best up-to-date online flight prices.

For more information on the airport, visit the Cairo International Airport website and find out more about the airport facilities and services.

General Information

This section contains information about:

• Climate
• History
• The Local People
• Health
• Tourist Visa
• Time Zones
• Business Hours
• Electricity
• Photographic Facilities
• Communications

Climate

The weather in Egypt is typical of the country's desert climate. Days are commonly warm or hot, and nights are cool. Rainy days are few and far between and nearly unknown in upper Egypt.

There are only 2 seasons in Egypt, a mild winter (20-29°C from December through May) and a hot summer (24-42°C from June to November), although the heat is less taxing than you may imagine, due to the low humidity. For most part, the weather is ideal and sunny, but at night there can be a noticeable drop in temperature, making it wise to pack both lightweight and warm clothing.

The Red Sea is a year-round diving destination, with water temperatures ranging between 22-30°C. The overall average water temperature is 22°C. April to May or September to November would be the best time to come to enjoy the warm days sans the midday heat of high summer and the crush of fellow tourists.

History

Geologists believe that the Red Sea formed less than 45 million years ago as a result of the same tectonic forces that created the Rift Valley in East Africa. As a result of constant movement in the earth's crust during subsequent geological periods, the gulf became separated from its parent sea, the Mediterranean.

Because of this, the Red Sea increased in both depth and extent, thus forming a separate basin. The sea is still undergoing natural processes that have resulted in volcanic features in the deeper parts and some gain in width.

The Local People

With 78,000,000 inhabitants, Egypt represents a quarter of the population of the Arab world. The city of Cairo itself houses 17,000,000 people.

The Egyptian population is composed of peoples from various origins. Eastern Hamitic stock are by far the largest ethnic group in Egypt (Egyptians, Bedouins and Berbers) at 99% of the total population. Nubians, Greeks, Armenians and other Europeans represent the remainder. The majority live near the banks of the Nile River where the only arable land is found. Close to half of the Egyptian people today are urban; most of the rest are fellahin (peasants) living in rural towns and villages.

About 90% of the population follows Islam; the majority of the rest is Christian. All types of Christianity are represented, especially the Coptic Christian Church. There is also a small Jewish minority. You are advised to keep your religion to yourself - proselytising is illegal here.

Health

You should be aware that there are potential health hazards when travelling in Egypt. Bird flu was found in poultry in Egypt in 2006 and human fatalities occurred. Although now the risk is low for travellers, all close contact with caged, domestic and wild birds should be avoided, and all poultry and egg dishes well cooked as a precaution. However, it is fair to say that the vast majority of tourists suffer nothing worse than a bout of diarrhoea and is often brought on by overindulgence of rich food and a little dehydration.

Although vaccinations are no longer necessary or required to enter Egypt, evidence of Yellow Fever and Cholera immunizations is required from persons who have been in a Yellow Fever endemic area within 6 days prior to arrival. It is strongly recommended that you are vaccinated for Typhoid, Tetanus, Diphtheria and Hepatitis A. However, we advise you seek medical advice about immunisations at least 6 weeks before you travel. Discuss this and all your health requirements with your doctor.

Most common health problems can be avoided by drinking bottled water and lots of it (at least 3 litres per day)! Bottled water is available everywhere but be sure the seal on the bottle is unbroken before you buy it. Avoid tap water and fountain drinks, as well as milk, fruit drinks and ice cubes outside of good hotels. Never eat food from a market or street vendor. You should only eat thoroughly cooked food and fruits that you have washed and peeled yourself.

Mosquitoes are not usually malarial but they can be a nuisance. Use repellent creams to stop them from having you as a snack. The worst time for getting bitten is after dusk.

One or more hospitals are available in the main tourist cities. Most of the hotels have a doctor available on call who can treat you on the spot and will know where to direct you in case you need hospital services. Pharmacists in the major Red Sea towns are very knowledgeable and, in most cases, are familiar with common ailments. We suggest you carry a travel medical and first aid kit with you (including medication against sunburns, insect bites, seasickness and stomach disorders).

Tourist Visas

All visitors to Egypt (except those from Malta and Arab countries) must obtain a tourist visa, have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months, sufficient funds for expenses during their stay, and an onward / return ticket.

A 30-day single entry visa is available from your local Egyptian Consulate, but airport visas may be available for citizens of the UK, EU, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States (may delay you somewhat upon arrival). The cost varies and must be paid in US Dollars or British Pounds Sterling.

Whenever possible it is advisable to obtain visas in advance. Your airline may not allow you to board without a visa and visa requirements may vary from time to time. Please check with your local Egyptian Consulate for information on entry requirements.

If you are a citizen of a country that Egypt requires all tourists to apply for a visa beforehand, it can be very difficult to obtain a visa, so allow plenty of extra time for these applications.

Time Zones

Egypt is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), but there is an adjustment for daylight savings time, during which Egypt is GMT +3. Daylight savings is in effect from the last Friday in April to last Thursday in September.

Business Hours

Most government offices work from 9 am to 2 pm and banks from 8:30 am to 2 pm, Sunday to Thursday. Shops are usually open from 10 am to 10 pm (9 am to 2:30 pm in winter), Monday to Saturday. Weekends fall on Friday and Saturday.

Electricity

Most areas in Egypt use 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. The rural parts are not as developed as the urban parts, so in these parts 110-380 volts AC are still used.

Wall sockets are the round 2 pin European type. Adapter plugs are easily found in city stores but bring a transformer if you need one, as these are difficult to obtain in Egypt.

Photographic Facilities

If you are a photographer, we suggest that you bring your own film (if you still use film), batteries and any other equipment you need with you as you may have difficulty finding these locally.

Communications

Keeping pace with international standards, Egypt Post's mailing services are now on an equal footing with those of world leading companies. The progress has extended to all postal services like letter delivery, express mail service (EMS) and others.

Egypt has modern telephone systems and all cities are accessible via direct dial. For international direct dialling, use 00 + country code + area code + phone number. There are high surcharges on international calls from hotels though. Cheaper long-distance calls can be made from the 24-hour Post, Telephone and Telegraph (PTT) offices that are available in the major cities. For international directory phone enquiries dial 120.

The local mobile phone operators use GSM 900 networks. They have roaming agreements with all major operators and operate efficiently in most areas of Egypt. The networks cover most cities and beach resorts. A prepaid SIM card for Egypt is a practical option while you're in the country. However, the Egypt SIM Card will require a SIM-unlocked GSM cell phone that supports the 900 frequency. For calls within Egypt, use 02 + phone number.

Internet cafes are available in main tourist areas. Since February 2008, the highest theoretical speed available is through 8 MiB ADSL lines. An increasing number of coffee shops, restaurants, hotel lobbies and other locations now provide free wireless internet access.

Codes of Behaviour

Most travelers are often apprehensive when visiting Egypt. Their views of Egyptians and Arabs, fomented by unkind and untrue media stories, often bear no relation to reality. Travellers are often surprised by their friendly, hospitable reception and take home with them good feelings about Egypt and its population.

Most Egyptians in general are cheerful, friendly people who will welcome you to their country and will go out of their way to help you and respond to any questions you have.

Tipping and bargaining

Baksheesh is what tipping is known as in Egypt and is something expected by anyone who renders you a service or assistance. Plenty of small notes are handy for baksheesh as hotel bellmen, doormen and tour guides all expect hand outs.

For other services, baksheesh will be a percentage of the bill. You will find a 7% tax and 12% service charge on most restaurant and hotel bills, but a 5-10% tip for good service can be given directly to the waiter. Taxi drivers are usually tipped around 10% of the metered fare, but not if the price was negotiated in advance.

Haggling is the Egyptian way of life and is something that should be embraced. Once you've honed your haggling skills, half or 2/3s off the first asking price is not uncommon. Avoid coming across too interested, always keep it friendly and be prepared to walk away. You'll often be called back to buy at the price of your lowest offer. But heed this: do not make an offer if you don't intend to put down the cash for it.

Interested?

If you're keen to discover the Red Sea diving and travel mecca, then click below to check your options for:

• Red Sea dive sites
• Red Sea liveaboards
• Red Sea Resort Diving Day Tours

Be sure to book in plenty of time to avoid limited choice! The best Egypt scuba diving vacations are booked by repeat customers who book well in advance to ensure their reservation!

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