This real paradise is located on the coast of the wonderful Red Sea, and it is famous for its unique exotic beauty. This cozy earthly corner is suitable for relaxing both with children and with friends. There are many first-class hotels, parks, restaurants, casinos and other entertainment for tourists. Diving centers deserve special attention.
Diving is very popular and well developed in Sharm El Sheikh due to the presence of a large number of isolated reefs in the sea. Hundreds of tour operators in this resort town specialize in organizing exciting trips for diving enthusiasts. The duration of such trips can last from 1 to 7 days.
Before we move on to a more detailed description of diving in Sharm El Sheikh, a brief introduction to the resort itself.
Sharm El Sheikh
This is the real name of the city, but it is often mistakenly referred to as Sharm el-Sheikh. He was called Ophira until 1982. The Egyptian resort city is located on the southern outskirts of the Sinai Peninsula. This is one ofdistrict centers of South Sinai (governorate).
The city has been known since the times of the Ottoman Empire, and during the years of the presence of the Israelis here (from 1967 to 1982) it was called Ofira. Being a small village back in the 1970s, thanks to the wonderful climate and convenient location, the richness of the natural world and the active development of the area, the city began to gain more and more popularity. It should be noted that Sharm el-Sheikh is very different from typical Egyptian resorts. It most likely resembles European holiday destinations in the Mediterranean.
Cairo is 500 km by road and 385 km by plane.
Diving in Egypt
Sharm El Sheikh is a resort area created for scuba diving. There are many interesting places that can impress even experienced divers.
Most popular underwater exploration sites:
- The territory of Ras Mohammed (National Park). Life in the sea depths of this area is incredibly beautiful. There are many coral reefs of extraordinary beauty and marine life. You can see the mountains of petrified sand, and underwater caves. Here the most daring can dive even with sharks.
- Strait and Tiran Island. This is one of the favorite places for divers. Here you can see the most unusual sights: long sunken ships and boats, sea arches, an amphitheater with sharks. There is the opportunity to swim with unusual clown fish and explore some of the scenic plateaus.
- Places with sunken shipsDunraven and Thistlegorm.
Submarines and other adventures
Diving in Sharm el-Sheikh is not only diving among fantastically beautiful reefs, but also exploring long-sunk ships.
- The Dunraven is a seagoing vessel that was wrecked in 1876 and remained at a depth of 18-28 meters. Its wreckage shows the history of that time, and the nearby coral reefs add a special aesthetic to underwater travel.
- The Thistlegorm is a warship that sank during World War II. Although quite a long time has passed since that tragedy, there are still motorcycles, cars and other equipment, cargo that did not reach their destination. It is important to note that such dives are dangerous. In order to see this unique underwater museum, you need to hone your diving skills at other, easier sites.
Diving in Sharm el Sheikh allows you to make exciting and exciting dives in Pharaoh Island, Turtle Bay and Shark Bay.
The cost of such sea voyages depends on the territory of development and duration. On average, prices for one dive range from $ 30 to $ 50 (1,970 - 3,300 rubles), but there is also a system of discounts. A little less price for children - about $ 20-25 (1,300 - 1,650 rubles). In some centers, the price of the dive includes either equipment, or the services of a guide and instructor, as well as meals and a yacht.
Diving centers Sharm El Sheikh
BThe city has many centers providing services for diving enthusiasts. Many of them have international certifications and multilingual instructors.
PADI (Russian center)
This is a favorite diving center for Slavic tourists. This is not only a club, but also a professional school. With the help of an instructor, you can make your first dive and learn basic scuba diving skills.
The program, costing $45 (2,970 rubles), includes the following services:
- instructor services;
- yacht trip;
- equipment;
- dive;
- drinks and lunch.
Red Sea Scuba Diving
The club offers programs designed for a variety of skill levels. In addition, there is the opportunity to dive in the Red Sea rivers, on the house reef and in coastal areas.
Camel Dive Club & Hotel
This is a mini town (hotels, bars, restaurants, shops and dive centers). And this club offers a variety of diving training services. The cost is 40 euros (3,000 rubles) for the first half of the day, then there is a system of discounts. However, equipment, instructor services, meals and other additional services are not included in this amount.
Tips
As noted above, diving in Sharm el-Sheikh is also available for beginners. Reviews of tourists in most cases enthusiastic.
According to diving enthusiasts, it is enough to make 3-4diving with the help of an instructor to reach the required level. To do this, you should use the services of the centers presented above, in which a diver certificate is issued, which allows not only to significantly expand the possibilities for studying the sea depths of other seas, but also gives you the right to receive a wide range of discounts.
