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D I V I N G
Dive into a dazzling underwater dreamworld‌
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In and Around Sinai P.6
From Dahab through Nuweiba to Taba
P.7
Sharm El-Sheikh
P.8
The Ras Mohammed National Park
P.9
Things to See and Do
In and Around Hurghada and Safaga P.12
El Gouna
P.13
Hurghada
P.14
Safaga
P.15
Things to See and Do
South Coast P.18
Al Quseir
P.19
Marsa Alam
P.20-21
The Great South
P.22-23 Practical Information
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Welcome to the most beautiful diving spots in the world… Boasting over a thousand diving sites, including some of the world’s most
famous
spots,
Egypt
is
undoubtedly the dream destination for divers from all over the world.
The Red Sea offers an idyllic setting for exploring underwater landscapes. You’ll
be
entranced
by
the
multifarious flora and fauna, amazed by the abundant tropical coral reefs and enthralled by the impressive array of ancient shipwrecks. The water that ripples throughout this aquatic paradise is clear and warm, which – combined with high saline levels – makes it an ideal environment for over a thousand different types of coral reef, not to mention 300 species of shark. In this fascinating underwater realm, colourful fish will happily swim alongside you as you dive, sharing in the wonders of this silent deep-sea world…
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The small seaside resort of Dahab lies on the west coast of Sinai and hosts a tempting selection of impressive caves. The steep drops and unusual underwater terrains of these very varied sites are certain to seduce any diver. Only those who are extremely experienced can descend to the thrilling depths of the famous ‘Blue Hole’ with its 80m deep cavern. Others can ponder the profusion of alcyonarian coral that thrives on the underwater rock face known as The Canyon.
IN AND AROUND SINAI
DAHAB through NUWEIBA to TABA From
DIVING ABILITY > ALL LEVELS
MARINE LIFE Napoleon fish, turtles, sharks, barracudas, coral reefs and fauna, stingray, sea lions, red snappers. UNMISSABLE DIVES
6
Dahab : The Canyon The Blue Hole (depth 120 m) Taba : Ras Amira Nuweiba : Abu Lou Lou
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With over 40 diving sites stretching from Straits of Tiran to Ras Mohammed, plus a rich marine life and numerous shipwrecks, not to mention stunning coral reefs that are renowned for being the most beautiful in the world, all in all it’s no wonder that Sharm El-Sheikh is the world’s number one diving destination. A myriad of species will dance before your eyes, and the walls
will
be
thronging
with
colourful
alcyonarians (soft corals) and acroporas, some of them up to a metre high. You are certain to be overwhelmed by the majesty of what awaits you under the waves.
IN AND AROUND SINAI
S H A R M E L- S H E I K H DIVING ABILITY > ALL LEVELS
MARINE LIFE Grouper fish, angel fish, clown fish, trumpet fish, butterfly fish. UNMISSABLE DIVES Thomas Reef - a 50m canyon Jackson Reef for shark diving WRECKS Carina Dunraven Kingston Thistlegorm
7
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Some of the best dives in the Red Sea are to be found at Ras Mohammed, famous for the Thistlegorm wreck which Jacques Cousteau discovered in the 1950s. The sheer walls plunge down to depths of over 800m, and here you can mingle with the multicoloured alcyonarians and rich, pelagic fauna which live in harmony amongst the giant red gorgonians.
IN AND AROUND SINAI
THE RAS MOHAMMED NATIONAL PARK DIVING ABILITY > LEVEL 1
MARINE LIFE Possibility of seeing eagle and manta rays, whitetip sharks, hammerhead sharks, leopard sharks, whale sharks, large shoals of batfish, surgeonfish, blue runners and red snappers. UNMISSABLE DIVES
8
Yolanda Reef Anemone City Shark Reef
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From the
waters of the Red Sea to the sands of Sinai
Visit Saint Catherine’s Monastery, witness a sunset over Mount Sinai and be enchanted by the soft desert lights.
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“I was following the manta ray as if it had something to show me. Only then did I realise that we were both being pulled towards the rays of the sun…”
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Also known as “The Little Venice of the Red Sea” , the El Gouna resort rejoices in having 33 diving sites, some of which are still virgin, and others which are renowned for their mysterious wrecks. Whilst exploring the impressive reefs of Abu Nuhas, discover the colourful coral reefs and dense aquatic fauna which populate the underwater world of The Carnatic, The Chrisoula K, The Giannis D and the Rosalie Moller wrecks.
IN AND AROUND HURGHADA AND SAFAGA
EL GOUNA DIVING ABILITY > ALL LEVELS
MARINE LIFE Napoleon fish, turtles, rays, giant moray eels and various species of shark. UNMISSABLE DIVES Sha’ab El Erg for the Poseidon Garden’s coral gardens Sha’ab Abu Nuhas for its wrecks WRECKS
12
Carnatic Chrisoula K Giannis D Kimon M Rosalie Moller Ulysses
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Hurghada is one of Egypt’s most unusual diving sites, a life-size aquarium which is a must for dedicated divers. After threading your way through the swaying
branches
of
giant
red
gorgonians at Police Station and admiring the fabulous alcyonarian coral at Erg Somaya, you’ll find yourself in the magical underwater garden which surrounds the coral reef islands of Shadwan, Giftun and Gubal.
IN AND AROUND HURGHADA AND SAFAGA
H U RG H A DA DIVING ABILITY > ALL LEVELS
MARINE LIFE Butterfly fish, rainbow wrasse, rocklings and moray eels, Napoleon fish, turtles, grouper fish, dolphins, blacktip sharks, schools of surgeonfish. UNMISSABLE DIVES Police Station for its giant gorgonians Small Giftun Islands (depth 100m) Erg Somaya for its alcyonarians WRECKS El Mina Colona IV Excalibur
13
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Safaga has numerous diving sites which are accessible to everyone, thanks to the excellent visibility and generally weak currents which characterise the local waters. Rich and colourful fauna abound in the sumptuous coral gardens, especially at Ras Abu Soma and Sha’ab Tobia. From Tobia Arbaa to the mythical spot at Panorama Reef, passing through the Middle Reef coral gardens and taking in the Salem Express wreck, any diving trip in this peaceful fishing port is sure to leave you with unforgettable memories.
IN AND AROUND HURGHADA AND SAFAGA
S A FA G A DIVING ABILITY > ALL LEVELS
MARINE LIFE Napoleon fish, parrot fish, barracudas, grouper fish, clown fish, rockfish, stingrays, red mullet, multicoloured fish, sharks and turtles. UNMISSABLE DIVES Ras Abu Soma and Sha’ab Tobia for their pelagic fauna Panorama Reef for drops to depths of over 100 m Middle reef for night diving WRECKS
14
Salem Express Al Kahfain M.V. Hatour
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From
El Gouna to Safaga
Visit the ‘aquarium’ and be astounded by the magnificent collection of fish,
before
relaxing
happily on one of the beaches
near
superb sites.
these
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“This was my third ever dive. I think that even if I had been able to speak, I would never have been able to express the emotions I felt on that day…”
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This area offers a wealth of interest for divers, including a variety of reefs featuring diverse underwater rock faces and an abundance of fauna, not to mention coral which is almost polychromal in appearance. In addition to the famous Elphinstone reef, the Borbo reef, the coral gardens of Anee So Reef, the caves and canyons of Abu Dabab and the El Gotaab site, Erg Monica and Sok Bahar boast a fantastic array of reef fauna and are also well worth a visit.
SOUTH COAST
AL QUSEIR DIVING ABILITY > LEVEL 1
MARINE LIFE Red anthias, damselflys, rocklings, grouper fish, hammerhead sharks, bigeye thresher sharks, whitetip sharks, nurse sharks, dolphins. UNMISSABLE DIVES The Brothers Islands: Big Brother for wrecks and Little Brother for the pelagic fauna WRECKS 18
Numidia Aida
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In the Marsa Alam areas, enjoy a dive at Ras Samadai, the ‘dolphin reef of the south’. This section of the Red Sea coastline is dedicated to diving, and is peppered with well-preserved sites in the midst of a fabulous nature reserve. At Elphinstone, you can marvel at the amazing pelagic fauna and explore the hoards of coral reefs which are home to countless species.
SOUTH COAST
M A R SA A L A M DIVING ABILITY > LEVEL 1
MARINE LIFE Anthias, Napoleon fish, large rays, dolphins. UNMISSABLE DIVES Daedalus Reef Elphinstone Reef for shark diving Ras Samadai “Dolphin House”
19
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Whilst strong currents, choppy seas and the fact that night diving is prohibited conspire to make diving sites in the south less popular, these sites do offer a host of new challenges for more adventurous
divers.
Located
in
southern
territorial waters in the centre of the Red Sea, the most desirable diving spots are clustered around Zabargad Island, Rocky Island and Saint John’s Reef. However, when atmospheric conditions are favourable, you will be treated to the sight of spectacular coral reefs, some of them still virgin, plus the most extraordinary marine fauna – though this rare experience is only for the most able divers.
SOUTH COAST
T H E G R E AT S O U T H DIVING ABILITY > EXPERIENCED DIVERS – MUST HAVE COMPLETED A MINIMUM OF 50 DIVES.
MARINE LIFE Many species of shark: bigeye thresher sharks, whitetip sharks, hammerhead sharks, grey reef sharks and pelagic fish. UNMISSABLE DIVES
20
St John’s Reef for the black coral Zabargad Island Rocky Island
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DAHAB-Reefs 1 Red Tooth Trigger Bay 2 Salah's Place 3 Ras Abu Galum 4 Blue Hole / Bells 5 Rick's Reef 6 Coral Garden 7 Canyon / Fish Bowl 8 Abu Helal / Abu Talha 9 Shoe Stump 10 Eel Garden 11 Lighthouse 12 Bannerfish Bay 13 Mashraba 14 Islands / Seven Pinnacles 15 Lionfish Rock 16 Golden Blocks 17 Moray Garden 18 Three Pools / South Oasis 19 Umm Sid 20 Caves 21 El Shugurat 22 Gabr el Bint
Sinai
Nuweiba
Za’farana
Dahab
Gu
Beni Suef
Page 9
Taba
SINAI
Ain Sukhna
Al Fayoum
14:46
z ue fS lf o
Nile
El Tur
Sharm El-Sheikh
El Minya
Ea
D
es
Asyut
st
er
e r El Gouna n
t
Hurghada Safaga
R
Sohag
e
NORTH COAST
d
Qena
Al Quseir
e
Luxor Isna
Marsa Alam
Nil e
Edfu
Monasteries
Kom Ombo
Temples
Aswan
Berenice
Mastaba Beaches Oases
Lake Nasser
Sinai MOUNT MOSES
Thistlegorm Carina 35 Kingston
Dive sites Shipwrecks
Gubal Barge / Bluff Point
Ulysses Sha'ab Umm Godor
Big Gubal Island Rosalie Moller
Sha'ab Umm Usk Sha'ab Abu Nuhas :
Siyul Kebira Blind Reef
El Gouna
Shadwan Island
Siyul Saghira
Excalibur
Naama Bay 25 27 26 Sharm El-Sheikh 29 28 30 31 32 33 34 Dunraven The Ras Mohammed National Park
El Gouna
SOUTH COAST
Numidia Aïda
The Brothers Islands (Big brother & Little Brother)
El Qadim Woodvalley Reef Yellowfish Reef Carnatic Chrisoula K Giannis D Kimon M
Sha'ab El Erg
Sha'ab El Fanadir
Hurghada
NORTH COAST
19 20
23 24
SOUTH COAST
Sharm El-Sheikh
1 2 3 Dahab 5 4 7 9 6 11 10 8 13 12 15 14 17 16 18
21 22
Golf
SINAI
Ras Burka Devil’s Head Maagana The Sinker Abu Lou Lou MFO Pipeline
Nuweiba
SHARM EL-SHEIKH-Reefs 23 Jackson Reef 24 Thomas Reef 25 Ras Nasrani 26 Ras Bob 27 Far/Middle/Near Gardens 28 Tower 29 Ras Katy 30 Ras Ghazlani 31 Jackfish Alley 32 Anemone City 33 Shark Reef / Jolanda 34 Small Passage 35 Shag Rock
a
Pyramids
Ras Amira / Topaz Pharaoh’s Island Fjord Sun Pool Marsa El Muqabila Napoleon Reef
S
Main roads International Airports
Taba
Gulf of Aqa ba
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Gulf o f Aqaba
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Sha'abrur Umm Gamar Colona IV Careless Reef
Al Quseir Mangrove Bay Beit Goha El Kaf Sharm El Bahair Sheikh Malek Elphinstone Reef Abu Dabab Marsa Alam
Big Giftun Island Sha'ab Sabina Small Giftun Island El Mina Erg Somaya Police Station Abu Ramada
Gota Abu Ramada SAFAGA-Reefs Sharm El Naga 1 Ras Abu Soma Sha'ab Saiman 2 Tubya Kibeer Ras Umm Hesiwa 3 Tubya Shiwayya Abu Dishet 4 Gamul Shiwayya 5 Gamul Kibeer 1 Abu Hashish 6 Tubya Hamra/The Tobias 2 Panorama Reef 7 7 Arba Erg 6 3 8 Arpha Bank 4 Umm Hal Hal 5 9 Fellow Rocks 8 Safaga Middle Reef M.V. Hatour 9 Abu Kafan Al Kahfain Sha'ab Sheer Sha'ab Claude Sha'ab Bagul Salem Express Sha'ab Hamdulillah
Sha'ab Marsa Alam Ras Samadaî (Dolphin House) Daedelus Reef
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 Sha'ab Maksour Tienstin Wreck 3 Sha'ab Claudia Abu Galawa Small 4 Abu Galawa Kebir 5 Dolphin Reef/Sha'ab Sataya Malahi Fury Shoal Garden Berenice Zabargad Umhalhala Sernara Island Orabi Habili St John's Wood St John's Wood Little Reef St John's Reef The Nursery
Rocky Island
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PRACTICAL INFORMATION Diving centres: Professionals manage most of the centres, and the necessary equipment is available for use. You will find diving centres in nearly all of the seaside resorts. Please note that these centres are privately owned.
General advice and some but not all safety recommendations: • Always make your choice on the basis of safety rather than price • Visit several different centres before deciding • Choose a diving instructor who speaks your language • If your last dive was over three months ago, do a few adaptation dives to reacclimatize yourself • Check that the equipment is clean, and that is has been maintained and stored correctly (not in the sun, for example) • Check that the tubes, mouthpieces and valves have no leaks • Check that the diving suits are in good condition • Make sure that there is oxygen on the boat (in case of an accident)
Diving lessons: Certificates and diplomas from the following bodies are offered by the diving centres: PADI, NAUI, SSI and CMAS. The clubs offer initiation dives and lessons for beginners, during which learner divers can get to grips with the correct reflexes and automatisms. Many clubs also offer courses for experienced divers.
Gear: The clubs rent out equipment and wetsuits at competitive prices, but it is of course possible to use your own equipment. Wetsuits are required in summer and in winter.
Protection of the coral reefs: In order to preserve the natural beauty of the coral reefs, you will be asked not to wear gloves and not to touch the flora and fauna. Anyone caught disregarding these rules or damaging the natural environment runs the risk of being fined.
Temperatures Jan
Feb March April
20
22
23
26
30
31
33
33
Water Temperature °C 22
21
22
23
25
26
27
28
Air Temperature °C
May June July August Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
31
29
25
22
27
27
25
24
All information contained herein is correct at the time of production. Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of this brochure, Egyptian Tourist Authority cannot be held liable for any inaccuracy, omission or alteration that may occur.
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Egyptian Tourist Authority Offices Worldwide
Head Office Cairo (+202) 685 8105 Austria & Hungary (+43) 158 766 33 Belgium, Luxembourg & Netherlands (+32) 264 738 07 Canada (+1) 514 861 4420 China (+86) 108 447 5181 France (+33) 1 45 62 94 42 Germany (+49) 692 523 19 India (+91) 22 2218 95 43 Italy (+39) 064 874 219 Japan (+81) 335 89 06 53 Poland, Czech Republic & Slovakia (+48) 223 227 002 Russia & Ukraine (+7) 4951 344 083 Spain & Portugal (+34) 915 592 121 Sweden, Denmark, Finland & Norway (+46) 810 2548 Switzerland (+41) 313 112 210 Turkey & Greece (+90) 212 231 67 21 United Kingdom & Ireland (+44) 207 493 5283 USA (+1) 212 332 2570
DDB Travel & Tourism - 443 247 168 RCS Paris © D.Hammond/Corbis – A.Strack/Corbis – T. Bernhard/Corbis - Sea world of California/Corbis - Dex Stock – C.Lusardi/Diaporama – K. Amsler/Diaporama – D.Brandlet/Diaporama - Digital Vision – D.Torckler/Gettyimages – P.Sutherland/Gettyimages – T.Bernhard/Gettyimages – G.Douwna/Gettyimages – J.Rotman/Gettyimages - A.Chicurel/Hemis.fr - Iconotec - Masterfile - Photodisc images – www.linternaute.com/Martine Quéhen
F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N