HI!!
I am planning a trip to Egypt and Jordan next year around Sept/Oct. I am going on a tour that starts in Egypt but ends up in Jordan. I have then about a week or so to dive. I don't know if I should dive the Red Sea in Jordan at Aqaba or fly back to Egypt and dive the Red Sea at Sharm/Hurghada. I know that they will go to different sites etc, but as for more 'bang for my buck', is there any advise out there on which one is more preferred out of these two locations?
I am also contemplating a live aboard when I am there. Can anyone recommend any? Or should I just stick to day trips?
And just one more thing, I will be traveling by myself – SWF! So safety is very paramount to me in my decision. So I need to go to a place where single, female travelers are treated respectively and where they can feel safe.
Any help/advise would be much appreciated!
cancun mark
September 4th, 2007, 12:15 AM
The Jordanian coastline is pretty short compared to the Egyptian one, however it is easy to get from Aqaba to Dahab or Sharm in a few hours. I would head for Dahab or look into livaboards from Sharm.
As a SWF I think you would feel far more comfortable in Dahab than Aqaba.
Jai Bar
September 4th, 2007, 02:17 AM
Aqaba has nice dive sites and you'll love diving there, but I think Sinai offers better diving.
Either in Dahab, Sharm or the straits of Tiran- all of them are not really comparable to Aqaba (and in my opinion nicer than sites in Hurghada's neighborhood :) ).
Bubble Junky
September 4th, 2007, 03:29 AM
Have you looked into Taba too ? http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=198790
Christian
September 4th, 2007, 03:40 AM
A liveaboard out of Sharm will give you most "bang for the buck". I don't have any specific boat to reccomend, but you can't go wrong with one of the following operators: Sinai Divers, Emperor Divers, Tony Backhurst...
/christian
MarkUK
September 4th, 2007, 07:01 AM
I agree with Christian - you could go for something like Whirlwind, a Tornado Marine Fleet boat, or VIP One, run by Red Sea Diving College. You get to dive the Tiran reefs and Ras Mohammed, as well as the Thistlegorm wreck, etc.
Diving in Aqaba is good, but it can't hold a candle to Ras Mo, etc. It is totally different diving. Mostly from shore, lots of marine life and coral, but no real walls, no currents, and thus no chance of pelagics, etc.
Go for a liveaboard from Sharm, and then if you have an land-days either side of the liveaboard, there is plenty to do in Na'ama Bay.
Mark
Scared Silly
September 4th, 2007, 10:12 AM
I would agree with most everyone and dive out of the Sinai rather than Jordon.
As for being a SWF, I traveled with a gal from Canada for a few days who was traveling alone throughout the Middle East. She had just come from Syria and Jordon when we meet up in Egypt. She noted that she had no problems but dressed conservatively - no she did not wear a burka but kept herself covered and was assertive when approached by men. Not so much a problem around the Sinai and the resort areas but in less traveled areas.
Red Sea Shadow
September 4th, 2007, 10:49 AM
If it's your first time in Egypt, I would recommend diving Sinai and also enjoying other activities like desert safaris. You can have a mix of boat diving, shore diving, camel dive safaris, Jeep dive safaris, and some desert trekking (if you like). Being a SWF is no problem.
Jai Bar
September 6th, 2007, 03:18 AM
Mostly from shore, lots of marine life and coral, but no real walls, no currents, and thus no chance of pelagics, etc.
Actually there are some nice walls in Aqaba, like in the Saudi border and the power station. As for pelagics it is true, but I know of a friend who happened to see four mantas in Aqaba (Lucky $#!@X* ;) ). There are several Napoleons here and there (I think the biggest in the Saudi Border) and chances to meet turtles, eagle rays etc.
True, It is not RasMo. But if looking for "most bang for the buck" combined with diving easyness (just an easy stroll from the beach), Aqaba is the place.
Less crowded dive sites too. By far less crowded...
If I was ending my tour in Aqaba (and flying from there home), and have only one week left for diving, I would chose to do the dives in Jordan instead of taking the long trip back and forth to Sharm.
Of course, one can fly but then there is the no-flying-after-diving, and I don't know how frequent there are flights Sinai/Jordan.
MarkUK
September 6th, 2007, 05:02 AM
Actually there are some nice walls in Aqaba, like in the Saudi border and the power station.
Saudi Border and Power Station dives are nice walls of a sort, but I did say 'real walls', and for me that is the likes of Ras Mo and the Tiran Reefs.
Aqaba diving is fine, it is quieter and the Cedar Pride is a cracking wreck, but for me Sharm offers more diversity.
Mark
Leisure Pro Brett
September 6th, 2007, 11:56 AM
Bubblegirl,
You will have a blast! I had the privilege of being able to go to Egypt for 10 days and do some diving in Sharm. I cannot speak for diving in Jordan, but the diving in Sharm was very nice (I was there beginning of November). There was plenty to see both large and small, a vast number of dive sites and I did fine in a 3mm full suit. There was also lots to do on the land side of the trip. I was there with a blond girl who stuck out like a sore thumb and we didn't any troubles at all, though we had an excellent Egyptian host. Safety seemed to be a big concern for the Egyptians as well, looking under the car every time you pull into a parking lot and x-raying your bags every time you enter the hotel etc. We were treated respectfully every step of the way, and at no time did I feel unsafe. Hope this helps in your decision.
JRenee
September 8th, 2007, 01:03 PM
I am a SWF traveling around!
maybe we can meet up, and travel together for a bit!
Joni
bubblegirl1976
September 8th, 2007, 11:51 PM
Thanks for everyone's reply! This certinally does help me in choosing where I should go.I just want to make sure that I do it correctly the first time because being from Canada, who knows when or if I will ever go back.
As for gear rentals, did anyone have a problem getting gear, and/or getting well maintained gear? Since I will be backpacking, I really don't want to lug any gear around with me. I MAY have room for my reg. but that's about it. I travel reallllllly light...
Any tips?
Red Sea Shadow
September 9th, 2007, 03:19 AM
Gear is available here in Egypt in good condition.
DutchDown
September 9th, 2007, 05:37 AM
Red Sea Shadow is right, all the rental gear I've seen and used was in good shape. I am sure, regardless of where you dive in the Red Sea, you will enjoy yourself tremendously.
Phil
ash7636
September 9th, 2007, 08:37 AM
skip aqaba and go to eilat instead.
MarkUK
September 10th, 2007, 04:31 AM
skip aqaba and go to eilat instead.
You have got to be kidding. While I recommended the diving out of Sharm for having more to offer in terms of different dives, the reefs and marine life off Aqaba are far superior to that in Eilat. Eilat may have been the birthplace of Red Sea package diving back in the day, but most of the reefs are pretty knackered now - if you want pristine corals, stick with Aqaba. And the Cedar Pride is a fab wreck, too.
Mark
Leisure Pro Brett
September 10th, 2007, 11:24 AM
Gear is available here in Egypt in good condition.
I second that, the gear I used was in good condition and waiting for me on the boat. The only thing I took with me was my 3mm wetsuit. You couldn't ask for an easier way to dive, I just walked on the boat and went diving. The divemaster and crew all spoke excelent english as well.
ciprian.raglean
September 11th, 2007, 03:15 AM
Any ide if a 3.5 mm wet suit would be enough for diving Dahab during winter (february)? thanks
Red Sea Shadow
September 11th, 2007, 03:19 AM
Any ide if a 3.5 mm wet suit would be enough for diving Dahab during winter (february)? thanks
No it's not enough.
Tigerman
September 11th, 2007, 03:33 AM
Just out of curiosity (and actually because Im considering the red sea as my next trip) what are the water temps like there?
Its about as close to the equator as Mexico, which would suggest to me similar tempratures?
Christian
September 11th, 2007, 04:05 AM
Just out of curiosity (and actually because Im considering the red sea as my next trip) what are the water temps like there?
Its about as close to the equator as Mexico, which would suggest to me similar tempratures?
The water temperature varies from a chilly 18 to more than 30 Celcius in the Red Sea. Local DM:s where drysuits during winter time in Sinai and you can dive in swimming trunks or a lycra skin in Sudan during late spring-summer and early fall. It all depends on where and when.
/christian
Tigerman
September 11th, 2007, 04:09 AM
Bigger span than in mexico then in other words.
However 18 celcius is not what id define as "chilly" myself. Not even close infact...
Christian
September 12th, 2007, 06:30 AM
Bigger span than in mexico then in other words.
However 18 celcius is not what id define as "chilly" myself. Not even close infact...
Ah, you got balmy waters in Norway. You should come to the Baltic Sea :)
