Diving in Sharm el Sheikh

Sharm el Sheikh was the original diving destination for tourists and today, it is still the most popular place in Egypt for all levels of divers. Large numbers of boats depart daily from the ports in Na’ama Bay and Travco Marina taking divers to local reefs, Ras Mohammed and Tiran. In addition, some liveaboards also operate out of Sharm el Sheikh.

Non divers are also welcome on boats and trips to the local sites and Tiran usually offer good snorkeling opportunities whilst the boat is moored at the dive site. Ras Mohammed is not recommended for non divers wanted to snorkel as the dives are all drift dives and the boats are not moored.

Shore Diving

The shore diving facility in Sharm el Sheikh is in an area just to the north of Na’ama Bay called Sharks Bay. It takes around 10 minutes to get there from Na’ama Bay by minibus and offers good facilities at the beach including tables, chairs, sunbeds, toilets, shops and a bar serving drinks and a lunch menu.

An area has been set up specifically for divers to ‘kit up’ and there is a choice of entry points to the water; wading in or a giant stride off the little jetty.

Once in the water, the local reef offers a surprisingly good variety of marine life and there are also plenty of sandy bottom areas suitable to conduct courses.

Local Dive Sites

There are a number of excellent local dive sites to the north and south of Sharm el Sheikh. Offering something for divers of all levels the local dives sites can offer as much to the diver in terms of marine life as the more sought after destinations in Ras Mohammed and Tiran. In July 2008 off Middle Garden (near the Savoy Hotel), four whalesharks spent the day attacked a baitball of fish in the one of the most spectacular days diving in Sharm el Sheikh that most people could remember.

Straits of Tiran

The Straits of Tiran are a popular destination for day divers. Located between the mainland to the north of Sharm and Tiran Island, you will find four reefs in the middle of the shipping channel. The western channel is for southbound shipping and is called the Enterprise Channel. Northbound shipping uses the Grafton Channel. From west to east, the four main reefs are Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse and Jackson and take their names from the British cartographers who were tasked with mapping the area.

Generally, diving takes place on the south side of the reefs due to conditions but in the summer months, the north side of Jackson is a popular place for divers to go looking for Hammerhead Sharks. If conditions prevent diving on the north side of Jackson, divers can still explore the beautiful coral gardens and at around 27m, there is a bright red anemone.

Ras Mohammed

The Ras Mohammed National Park lies to the south of Sharm el Sheikh and boasts a number of excellent dive sites along the coast with the most popular being Shark & Yolanda at the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula. It is the meeting point for the two currents from the Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba and has given us an excellent dive site that is rich in marine life.

Dives in Ras Mohammed are almost exclusively drift dives along a reef wall where you can look closely amongst the abundant coral for scorpion fish, moray eels, clown fish, pipe fish and much more. Don’t forget to look out ‘into the blue’ as whale sharks, mantas, dolphins, marlin, tuna and other large marine predators can often be seen.

Please note, a full Egyptian visa is required for entrance to the Ras Mohammed National Park and there is also a small additional entrance charge payable locally.

Booking your diving in advance will save you money on resort rates. To discuss your diving requirements, call 0208 816 8789 or send us an email via the 'Contact Us' page and we'll get right back to you.