The only reason you have to pay for a guide in Egypt is because you have to pay for a guide...
No - that was too cynical! My dive centre does allow people to dive independently but we do require a check dive of some sort (this might just be a fun dive with a buoyancy check), then preferably a day's diving with a guide and then - for the experienced diver, they can dive independently at certain locations. For the diver with extensive local experience, they can pretty much do what they like. Yes, of course, this process is about covering one's legal posterior, but then I could wander into any shop in the world and say "I have money, give me this", and the shopkeeper will say "show me the money"
Hmmm maybe using money as a metaphor was misguided but if I'm going to let you dive independently with my shop's gear, I'd like to check that you can actually do this, sorry!
Don't be put off by Dahab as a destination because you might have to go through this process, but for sure once you show you can do it, there are centres which will allow you dive without a guide - but then you also kinda need them to ferry you to the dive sites. You can of course, walk - or take a camel - to the Blue Hole, carrying all your equipment but hmmmm ... there is no "road" as such, and you technically need police permission to enter.
In America, you have to tip the bell boy 10 bucks for doing nothing. In Egypt you have to tip the police (and generate an inordinate amount of paperwork whilst doing so) to go to certain places.
Welcome to Egypt, have a nice day!
C.
Edit - PS - I got outed - malesh - please understand that I am here for me, not for them, and what I say does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the organisation I work for. Except the good things, of course!
My arse is sufficiently covered, thanks for listening, although I feel I am losing my air as an international man of mystery...