Shore Diving
Whether you fancy an early start or want to dive at your own pace, when its suits you, diving our House reef from the shore is just for you.
After a guided dive to orientate you to the layout of the various highlights of the dive site, it’s a case of grab a tank and buddy, and off you go!
This site is one of the most underrated and overlooked in Sharm. With regular sightings of so many different fish and coral varieties it’s a beautiful site, which is guaranteed to be open and accessible in all conditions. You name it, chances are you’ll see it – eagle rays, moray eels, octopus, napoleon wrasse, barracuda, the list is endless!
Local Dive Sites
Stretching all along the coast of Sharm el Sheikh, all the local dive sites are along the coast, all benefiting from the extensive fringing reef plate so common in the Red Sea. The majority of sites are sheltered from currents and waves, so are ideal for easy stress free diving. Their proximity to the jetty, means that you can enjoy half day (either am or pm) diving in this area.
Straights of Tiran
Located between the coastal area of Nabq and Tiran island, are the straights of Tiran, within which are 4 large pinnacles rising from the sea bed to within a metre of the surface. Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas and Gordon are their names, named after the cartographers who first mapped them. With a mixture of mooring and drift dives, whichever dives you do will amaze you, the sheer abundance of underwater life partly due to the currents that are sometimes present here. Most reefs are walls, a few of which plateau out at around 30m or shallower
Ras Mohammed National Park*
Created in 1984 in an effort to protect the reefs around the southern area of Sharm, the the Ras Mohammed National Park is a beautiful area to dive in. Diving in the National Park carries with it certain environmental concerns and you must abide by the National Park Guidelines. With no mooring lines, all dives are drift dives, and almost without exception the dives are wall dives conducted whichever way the current is drifting. The abundance of fish and coral life in the area is testament to the strong current that can occur, water movement from the Gulf attracting the smallest of creatures, which in turn attracts a long food chain which, in summer, ends with the appearance of some of the largest underwater attractions – sharks!
Fancy something different
Thistlegorm*
This British built ship was bombed and subsequently sank overnight on 6th Oct 1941. She came to rest on the sea bed at a depth of 30m. Discovered by Jacques Cousteau in 1955 and then lost again, she was finally rediscovered in 1974, and when the site co-ordinates were made public in 1992, divers started to visit her on a regular basis. By this point, GPS made trips more hit than miss! Stacked with supplies for the army who were positioned in Cyprus, she had to go in via the Suez due to the occupation of the Mediterranean. A small hold up in the Suez Canal meant SS Thistlegorm waited on a safe anchorage point and prepared to continue her journey the next morning. It was never to be. One of the best wrecks in the world, its one you shouldn’t miss if you are in Sharm. With two dives on Thistlegorm (one orientation and one penetrating the wreck) and an optional third dive, this is one memorable dive day.
Dunraven*
A 19th Century ship carrying cotton and spice, she sank as the result of a navigation error, which resulted in the Dunraven hitting the reef and sinking against the reef, making a dive on this vessel very easy. Laying in an upside down position, the stern marks the deepest part of the dive at 29m. On entry, you will see all the original struts and wiring as you swim through schools of glass and lion fish, and it is also possible to swim either side of the boilers that are still in situ. The dive is continued against the reef where the hard corals make an ideal hiding place for the many stone fish in this area.
Dahab
Some compare it to Sharm 10 years ago – Dahab is a great way to combining some world famous diving with a day chilling out with the mountainous backdrop and the laid-back atmosphere. The Blue Hole, with its vast coral walls and unusual bowl formation, is a classic dive (depth limit 30m unless you are technically trained and kitted). The Canyon is just that, one of the only true canyons accessible by recreational divers.
Early starts
Miss all the day boats by getting a head start with the Early start boats. Including a third dive, this day ensures you get the best out of Sharms dive sites while setting a relaxing pace for the day.
Night dives
Ever wondered if fish sleep? How do lion fish hunt in the dark? Want to see the eye of an urchin? Either from the shore or a boat, a night dive is a completely different experience!
* If you want to go diving in Ras Mohamed, Dunraven or Thistlegorm, you are required to have a full Egyptian visa(15$).
