The Best Dive Sites in Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh

There are plenty of outstanding diving destinations around the world, with Mauritius, Cuba and Australia all being highly popular choices. But for scuba divers looking to make their next big trip abroad, there are few places in the world that can match Egypt. It is renowned as being one of the very best places to dive in the world, with dozens of outstanding dive sites along the coast. Tropical fish, coral reefs and ancient wrecks are all to be found beneath the Red Sea and the numerous high quality dive schools make it easy for those who wish to learn to scuba dive on their holidays to Egypt.

Hurghada

A few years ago, it was a simple fishing village, hardly visited at all by outsiders. Now Hurghada is one of the principal resorts for holidays to Egypt, attracting a large number of visitors each year to its outstanding hotels and splendid beaches.

Off the coast, a treasure trove of great dive sites are waiting to be found beneath the waves. The Careless Reef is justly one of the more popular dive sites in Hurghada, with its many coral forests and a dense population of fish (including the occasional hammerhead shark.)

One of the best sites is Abu Rimata, nicknamed 'The Aquarium', which is famous for the teeming schools of tropical fish that are to be found there. Another must-see is Shaab Abu Nahas. Weather conditions need to be good to visit this exposed site, but the five shipwrecks that are found here make it well worth the wait. If you like shipwrecks, the Wreck of the El Minya is also well worth visiting.

Sharm el Sheikh

In contrast to Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh has been a major Egyptian city and sea port for many years and is one of the most popular places to go on holidays to Egypt. The city itself continues to be a major attraction in the area, but most visitors stay at one of the coastal hotels nearby to take advantage of the outstanding beaches and the great opportunities for diving that are to be found all along the coast.

It's hard to choose from the many excellent dive sites around Sharm el Sheikh, but one of the top runners has to be Ras Ghazlani. Its stunning coral reefs (closed to divers for many years) and high numbers of fish and manta rays make it an essential place to visit. Ras Mohammed is another local highlight, regarded as one of the best dive sites in the world and home to a unique and diverse ecosystem.

For a really unforgettable dive, head over to Shark and Yolanda reefs. Barracudas, silky sharks, coral forests and the wreck of the Yolanda to finish up with - this truly is a dive site that has it all!

Whatever you want to see whilst scuba diving, and whatever your level of experience, you are sure to find a dive site in Egypt that is perfect for your needs!

Claire Bryant is an Egypt holiday specialist for key2holidays, an online tour operator offering holidays to Egypt as well as holidays to the Indian Ocean, the Far East, Cuba and the Caribbean, Southern Africa, Italy & the Mediterranean, Canada, Australia and the Pacific. key2holidays has a dedicated team of experienced travel consultants to share their knowledge and help you to plan and book your ideal holiday.

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