SHARM EL SHEIKH
GETTING THERE
Sharm El Sheikh can be reached by direct flights from a variety of European and Middle Eastern cities. Direct buses from the capital Cairo take around eight hours. All the best dive sites around Sharm El Sheikh can be accessed by boat and via day trips. There are also plenty of liveaboard options operating out of Sharm El Sheikh.
Sharm El Sheikh is the most popular diving destination in Egypt, and for good reason. It houses a wealth of the country’s Red Sea dive resorts as well as some of the top dive sites in the region. Everything from wreck diving to drift diving is available here, making it a one-stop wonder for divers looking for variety.
RAS MOHAMMAD NATIONAL PARK
The national park of Ras Mohammad is one of the best diving areas in the region. With approximately 200 species of coral and around 1,200 species of assorted fish, elasmobranchs, invertebrates, and the occasional turtle living within its boundaries, it is one of the most abundant dive spots in the world.
DIVE EXPERIENCE All levels, from beginner upwards
BEST TIME TO DIVE March to May, September to November
WATER TEMPERATURE 21°C to 29°C
VISIBILITY 15 to 30 metres
DEPTH 5 to 40 metres
STRAITS OF TIRAN
Home to four reef systems and several wrecks, the Straits of Tiran attract sharks and divers alike. The straits offer fast drift dives along vast walls of coral, attracting hordes of advanced divers every year. The site features strong currents and deeper sites than found elsewhere around the Sinai Peninsula. Hammerhead sharks and tiger sharks are a common sight.
SHARK AND YOLANDA REEFS
Though they are separate dive sites, Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are typically dived as one, and both are equally spectacular. Shark Reef is a vertical wall dropping to 700 metres, covered with amazing soft corals, silky sharks, and schools of barracuda, snapper and batfish.
As you join Yolanda Reef, it changes to a sandy plateau and you are greeted by the sight of hundreds of toilets, sinks and bathtubs – the unusual cargo of the Yolanda wreck.
“The straits offer fast drift dives along vast walls of coral, attracting hordes of advanced divers every year”