Egypt is the Mecca of world diving. It can be added that due to the relatively short distance, for Polish divers Egypt is also the primary destination for diving expeditions. From our point of view, Egypt is a close, familiar place, often treated on the basis of “After all, it’s only Egypt.”
You only have to talk to divers from Australia, Malaysia or the US to notice with what a dreamy tone they mention Egypt. On the information that YOU dived in Egypt they ask dozens of questions and you can see that for them it is EGYPT. Because you have to, either visit the whole world or look from distant places to find out that Egypt is the best diving destination. Egypt has the best reef, the clearest water, easy logistics, very good diving organization. Well, and all this quite cheaply. The price of diving in Egypt is relatively low. That is, we get the best product at a moderate price. What more could you want.
All these advantages are provided to Egypt by the Red Sea. Because when we talk about diving in Egypt we actually think about diving in the Red Sea. Egypt is also located on the Mediterranean Sea but it is difficult to meet a diver who has dived on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. Simply put, the class of the Red Sea trumps everything.
Red Sea
Compared to other popular diving areas of the world, the Red Sea is small and much less diverse in terms of climate and underwater conditions. Good weather, weaker currents notwithstanding, limited wave action. Geographically, it is the closest tropical dive site for people from Europe and the Middle East, making the Red Sea very popular with divers from those areas. At the same time, the advantages of the Red Sea make it a destination for diving expeditions for those who have far to go.
The Red Sea lies between Africa and Asia, having Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the western side and Saudi Arabia and Yemen on the eastern side. Through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea connects the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. Also Jordan and Israel are located on the Red Sea specifically on the Gulf of Aqaba.
Egypt, Jordan and Israel, and for some time Saudi Arabia, are the main Red Sea destinations visited by divers. However, of all these countries, for reasons of logistics, price and overall beauty of the underwater world, Egypt is the most visited destination.
Diving conditions
Surrounded by deserts, the Red Sea has one basic characteristic – it is about 20 percent more saline than other seas. This means that when diving here, we need more ballast. In most of the Red Sea area, the surface water temperature ranges from 24ºC to 27ºC, and the air temperature from 20ºC to a strong 50ºC. Light current diving is common due to currents caused by constant winds and the impact of seemingly weak tides. The Gulf of Aqaba has a milder climate with surprisingly cool water temperatures ranging from 18ºC to 26ºC. The average air temperature ranges from 17ºC to 32ºC. In the Gulf, the currents are not so strong. Most diving in the Red Sea takes place on offshore coral reefs. Barrier reefs have not formed in this area due to the rapidly sinking bottom. The Red Sea is actually a massive tectonic fracture between Africa and Asia which in Dahab means places where a stone thrown from the shore will stop at the bottom at a depth of 300 meters.
Coral reefs are particularly abundant in the southern part of Egypt however, both the Dahab area as well as Sharm, Hurghada and MarsaAlam have their own iconic reefs, walls and canyons.
People and culture
The areas surrounding the Red Sea are dominated by Arabs. The exception is Israel, a Jewish state, but even there there is a large Arab population. The Middle East has been and continues to be an area of national and cultural conflict, but this does not discourage divers. This is because the dive sites visited are most often far from conflict areas. Cultural traits have little impact on diving, although the style of politics and resulting government regulations have an impact on the organization and logistics of diving. Countries in the region intervene in the organization of tourism including diving more than in many other areas of the world. Divers visiting Egypt should pay attention to the necessary visas, permits and other requirements, although diving with dive bases solves most problems.
Where is the best place to dive in Egypt
Diving trips to Egypt usually begin with a charter flight to Egypt’s major tourist cities. Large airports are located in the Sharm area, Hurghada, Marsaalam.
These cities are often destinations but can also be stops on the way to other places. Sharm is typically where divers transfer from to the iconic Dahab.
From Hurghada to Safaga, known for the SalemExpress shipwreck. Marsaalam airport is where divers get transfers from to dozens of hotels in a 200-kilometer strip in the southern Red Sea below the border with Sudan.
All of these resorts are also places from where Dive Safari, or week-long diving cruises, begin.
Diving training
Egypt is a beautiful place for divers but also a great place for training. Diving course Egypt – this is one of the basic phrases typed into search engines.
Dive centers along the Red Sea coast are great places to start or after training at Deeepspot sites to continue your education and explore the underwater world of the reefs. On the level of training in Egypt there are often bad opinions circulating, but they mainly arose during periods when Polish tourists necessarily chose the cheapest offers. If you search for something well below a reasonable price level then don’t expect the highest level of service. However, not only the more expensive ones but just average Egyptian training offers are completely fine. In addition, in Egypt there are a lot of Polish diving instructors about whom you can always find a lot of good reviews. And it’s also easy to find relevant reviews about some black sheep and know who to avoid.
Snorkeling
For those who are still reluctant to go scuba diving with a cylinder, Egypt is an amazing place to explore the reef and observe myriads of colorful fish on snorkeling excursions.
Snorkeling is usually a boat trip to an area with blue water, a beautiful reef or white sand. In between swimming with fins, mask and snorkel we will get lunch, fruit and cold drinks, and beautiful views while swimming.
Many divers started their diving experience with snorkeling and even after becoming divers, they often spend the last day before leaving on a plane (a mandatory break from diving) snorkeling.
