Sharm El Sheikh - Diving Holiday Destination

Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt)

Egypt's Red Sea is a Mecca for sunworshipping tourists with year round sun. Diving is big business here with varied resorts accommodating for all tastes, including shore based, day boat and liveaboard diving. Highlights include; July:Barracuda shoaling, Turtles mating; Aug/Sept: Manta & Whale sharks; Sep/Oct: Oceanic White tip sharks; Nove/Dec: Grey reef sharks mating in Ras Mohammed Marine Park.

Originally Sharm el Sheikh was an small fishing village, but since the 1980s has become a major diving centre. The now well-developed beach resort stretches over a long strip of Egypt’s Red Sea coast. Naama Bay is at the heart of this 40 km run of sandy bays and well-appointed beach resorts. Based at Naama Bay you can expect some of the most impressive and diverse dive sites in the world. There are many wrecks along this stretch of the Red Sea, and from Naama Bay the excellent Ras Mohammed Marine Park is within easy reach. Boat dives are popular, and many beaches in the Sharm vicinity have dive jetties for easy access to the submerged marine life. There are no shortage of dive schools in the Naama Bay area. For nightlife, Naama Bay has many bars and the larger hotels often host Egyptian themed nights featuring local folk music and belly dancing.

Climate

The country experiences a desert climate, which is hot and dry most of the year, especially in the summer months with highs of 35 degrees Celsius (June to August). Winter is from December to February with average temperatures of 20°C to 26°C.

Dive Facts

Water Temperature: 19-27 degrees Celsius. In summer: 3mm wetsuit. In winter: 7mm semi dry.

Dive Attractions

See more detail on Sharm El Sheikh Scuba Diving Sites in our Dive Site Directory, and search for Sharm El Sheikh Scuba Diving Clubs in our Dive Club Directory.

Sharm boasts excellent diving facilities with vibrant coral and fish life. Courses are available from beginners to the most advanced technical diving. Sharm has Ras Mohammed Marine Park nearby. Sharks are sometimes spotted. Many varied reef systems to explore from dayboats. Dayboats available out to the impressive Thistlegorm wreck.

Other Excellent Dive Sites include Shark and Yolanda reefs: These two reefs are connected by a sandy plateau where you'll find the shipwrecked 'Yolanda'. You can drift along the natural currents provided by the Red Sea, explore the Yolanda wreck, or gaze at the colourful coral along the reef. At shark reef you can expect to find large fish and of course sharks. You'll also encounter rays, turtles, large eels, and large schools of fish swimming by. It's a magnificent site, and one that divers never forget.

Other

Language: arabic, with most major foreign languages spoken (English, German, Russian).
Currency: Egyptian pound, Euro widely accepted in hotels, restaurants. Cash machines plentiful in major resorts. Haggling expected on most purchases, with baksheesh (tipping) expected for all services.

No comments yet.