Need Suggestions For Red Sea

I am looking for suggestions on the best time of year for diving the red sea and recommendations on Liveaboards. Prefer a max of 16-18 divers on liveaboard.
thanks

Where do you want to dive in the Red Sea? Seasons vary according to location, but generally August in one of the best months (if you can tolerate summer's heat)

VIP One holds 14 people and, while being an older liveaboard (launched in 96), it is very well looked after and the crew are great. It operates out of Sharm el Sheikh, so you can do the Straits of Tiran, Ras Mohammed, Thistlegorm and usually Abu Nuhas' wrecks in a week. Do it in end of June/July/beginning of August and you can hit the breeding season on Ras Mo when there are massive shoals of fish everywhere and you can see blacktips, etc.

There are other boats which take less than 20 people, but VIP One is the only one I have personally experienced. All the other boats I've been on have been 20 minimum.

Mark

I have not been there, so I am open to anywhere that has great diving. I have dove many places in Asia, South Pacific, & Caribbean, so I do have high expectations. I want great vis, lots of life & color, & large pelagics if possible. Thanks



I will check out the VIP one, thanks

jkandls:

I have not been there, so I am open to anywhere that has great diving. I have dove many places in Asia, South Pacific, & Caribbean, so I do have high expectations. I want great vis, lots of life & color, & large pelagics if possible.

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Then it's better to go south in summer months.

Could you please tell me the main differences between North & South ? Are there less crowds in down South ? thanks

Crowds are almost the same.

Some itineraries in the south are known for more pelagics and big stuff. The north is known for more wrecks.

Red Sea Shadow:

Crowds are almost the same.

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Er I hate to disagree

I have never seen 20+ boats on any single southern dive site like I have in the north. I am not counting Elphinstone or the bay where near Marsa Alam as those are used at the end of the trips.

On my first live aboard in 1997 I remember surfacing on one of the bigger reefs - Jackson or Woodhouse I there must have been 30+ boats

I have been on Hurricane a couple of times, Grand sea Serpent, Royal Emperor (she has since had a refit) and a couple of older ones. I generally use a company called Tony Backhurst Scuba Travel in the UK (Tony Backhurst Scuba Travel, Specialists in Red Sea Liveaboards) and have had a good experience each time. However Oonas and Emporer have a good reputation as well. There is also a group of boats under the BlueOtwo banner and I understand from reading trip reports most people have had a good experience on these as well.

Personally I wouldn't go in August as it is far too hot for me. I have been in April, June, Sept and over the New year. I would recommend June. I would also recommend what a lot of operators call "simply the best" which are the Brothers, Deadalus and Elphinstone.

Fiona,
30+ boats must be in Jackson not Woodhouse

The majority of these boats (if not all) is daily boats, while the majority of boats in the south (if not all also) is liveaboads. A good captain (and crew) on a liveaboad boat can escape loads of daily boat traffic because he has more flexibility. On the other hand, he can't do a lot if all the other boats are liveaboards.

If you want the best available Red Sea dive trip at the moment inmo, try the Royal Evolutions 14-day trip: Marsa Alam-Port Sudan-Marsa Alam. Might be all booked up for this season by now, but in late march-april-early may it is a hard to beat trip. Fantastic ship and crew.

good luck