EGYPT - RED SEA
diving guides
The Red Sea is a dream destination for scuba divers worldwide. With its world-class visibility, vibrant coral reefs, dramatic walls, and thrilling encounters with pelagics, Egypt’s coastline is one of the most accessible and diverse dive regions on Earth. Whether you’re a beginner looking for shallow shore dives or an advanced diver chasing hammerheads in the deep south, Egypt offers something for everyone.
In this guide, we’ll explore the main diving regions, how to get there, what to expect underwater, seasonal conditions, and practical travel info like visas and park fees.
Getting there and around
Accessibility: Airports & Transportation
Getting to Egypt’s Red Sea dive regions is straightforward, with several international airports close to popular sites.
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Airport
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Code
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Closest Dive Regions
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Travel Time
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Transport Options
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Sharm El Sheikh Intl Airport
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SSH
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Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab
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Sharm: 15 min, Dahab: 1.5–2 hours
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Taxi, shuttle, private transfer
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Hurghada Intl Airport
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HRG
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Hurghada, Marsa Alam
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Hurghada: 20 min, Marsa: 3–4 hours
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Taxi, bus, rental car
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Marsa Alam Intl Airport
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RMF
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Marsa Alam, Deep South
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Near main dive resorts
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Hotel shuttle, taxi
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Visas, Entry Fees & National Parks
Tourist Visa: Most nationalities can get a visa on arrival for approx. $25 USD, or apply online via Egypt e-Visa portal.
National Park Fees: Sites like Ras Mohammed, Elphinstone, or St. John’s may have conservation or entry fees (typically $10–20). These are often included in dive trip costs—check with your operator.
Currency & Payments: The local currency is Egyptian Pound (EGP). Credit cards are accepted in hotels and resorts, but always carry some cash for tips and small shops.
Year-Round Weather & Water Conditions
Egypt’s Red Sea coast has a warm, dry climate with diveable conditions all year. Visibility ranges between 15 and 40 meters, with spring and autumn being the clearest months.
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Season
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Air Temperature (°C)
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Water Temperature (°C)
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General info
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|---|---|---|---|
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Winter (Dec–Feb)
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20–25
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22–24
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Cooler air, ideal with 5mm wetsuit
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Spring (Mar–May)
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25–30
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23–26
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Great visibility, moderate weather
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Summer (Jun–Aug)
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30–38
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27–29
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Hot, but calm seas and warm water
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Autumn (Sep–Nov)
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27–33
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25–28
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Excellent overall dive conditions
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Monthly temperature average
Ready to Dive the Red Sea?
From historic wrecks to remote shark dives and stunning shore entries, Egypt’s Red Sea offers a lifetime of underwater adventures. Whether you’re planning a dive holiday, a liveaboard trip, or your next certification, it’s one of the best-value dive destinations in the world.
Diving Regions of the Egyptian Red Sea
Egypt’s Red Sea coast can be roughly divided into four main diving regions:
Sharm El Sheikh
Dahab
Hurghada & Marsa Alam
Deep South (St. John’s, Brothers, Daedalus, Zabargad)
We’ll break down each one below.
Dive sites of Egyptian Red Sea
Sharm El Sheikh
Located at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula, Sharm El Sheikh offers easy access to iconic dive sites such as Ras Mohammed National Park and Tiran Island. It’s one of the most developed dive hubs in Egypt, with dive centers, resorts, and daily boat trips.
Type of diving: Drift, wall, wreck, coral gardens
Access: Mostly by boat; some shore dives available
Visibility: 20–40m
Best Dive Sites in Sharm:
SS Thistlegorm: The world-famous WWII wreck packed with motorcycles, trucks, and history.
Shark & Yolanda Reef: Thrilling drift dives with abundant marine life.
Ras Za’atar & Ras Ghozlani: Pristine coral gardens and schooling fish.
Dahab
Laid-back and loved by backpackers and technical divers alike, Dahab is known for easy logistics and iconic shore dives. It’s also a major training center, with ideal conditions for beginners.
Type of diving: Shore, deep walls, tech diving
Access: Almost all dives from shore
Visibility: 20–30m
Best Dive Sites in Dahab:
Blue Hole: Egypt’s most famous and controversial deep wall dive.
Canyon: Unique lava-formed structures and deep slots.
Lighthouse: An easy site for beginners, night dives, and courses.
Hurghada & Marsa Alam
Hurghada is a bustling resort town great for first-time Red Sea divers, while Marsa Alam further south offers more remote sites and pelagic encounters. The reefs here are healthy, colorful, and full of life. If you want to avoid approx. 3 hours bus/car transfer from Hurghada to Marsa Alam, try to get flight directly to Marsa Alam.
Type of diving: Boat dives, reefs, occasional shore dives
Access: Mostly by daily boats
Visibility: 20–30m
Best Dive Sites:
Elphinstone Reef: A legendary reef for spotting oceanic whitetips and hammerheads.
Abu Dabbab: Easy diving with chances to see dugongs and turtles.
Sha’ab Samadai (Dolphin House): Known for spinner dolphins.
Our choice
Elphinstone reef
- Steep walls and plateaus adorned with soft corals, gorgonians, and sponges
- Frequent encounters with oceanic whitetip, hammerhead, and grey reef sharks
- Open water action with schools of barracuda, trevally, and tuna
- Resident reef life includes Napoleon wrasses, moray eels, and small critters like nudibranchs and pipefish
- A vibrant mix of big pelagics and macro life in a stunning coral-covered landscape
Deep South (Liveaboard Territory)
Never been to a liveaboard trip before? Read what it’s like in our blog – Liveaboard diving holiday
Remote and wild, the southernmost dive sites require liveaboard access and are ideal for experienced divers. Some dive sites are without any mobile signal coverage, so be prepared to go completely off-line for some time. This region includes dramatic drop-offs, shark sightings, and some of the Red Sea’s most pristine reefs. Strong, suddenly changing currents can be present and condition can change quickly.
Type of diving: Wall, drift, deep blue, pelagics
Access: Liveaboard only
Visibility: 25–40m
Best Dive Sites in the Deep South:
Daedalus Reef: Remote offshore reef known for hammerhead schools.
Big Brother: Famous for thrilling current-swept walls and the Numidia wreck.
Little Brother: Packed with soft corals, sharks, and pelagic life.
Our choice
THE BROTHER ISLANDS
Dramatic reef walls and vibrant coral gardens teeming with reef fish like anthias, angelfish, and butterflyfish
Regular sightings of sharks, including oceanic whitetip, hammerhead, grey reef, and thresher sharks
Open waters attract pelagic species such as tuna, barracuda, jacks, and trevally
Home to larger reef dwellers like Napoleon wrasse, groupers, moray eels, and occasional sea turtles
A thrilling mix of colorful reef life and big predators makes this a must-dive Red Sea destination
