We have tenatively planned a trip to Eilat in May 2010, but am not sure now that Eilat diving is very good. I have read some comments on north Red Sea Eilat, Dahab and Jordan and am trying to find the best diving of these areas-any on par with Belize (Turneffe Atoll) or Cozumel?
planning trip to Red Sea
- Thread starter baskin
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
- Messages
- 2,580
- Reaction score
- 87
Can't comment on Eilat or Jordan but if you'd like to have more info about Dahab dive sites, visit SCUBA diving holidays in Dahab, South Sinai, Red Sea, Egypt
It depends on what you are looking for in diving.. If you want quiet uncrowded diving in a relaxed laid back environment.. then Jordan is the place to come to.. No mass market diving here.. and GREAT for those superb uw macro shots... For more info check out Seastar Watersports. They can also sort your accommodation as their partners are Above and Below Adventures an incoming tour agency and Save Car Rental, so you can Fly Drive adn DIVE! Everything you need with only one e-mail
Alan Mayfield
Guest
I havn't dived Eilot, but I did dive aqaba a few years ago and it was OK at best. It was beach diving and there wasn't as much to see as I had experienced in Sharm. Sharm is my favorite dive site that I have ever visited. I have been diving for over 40 years and just returned from my third trip to Sharm and I am ready to go back tomorrow. If you haven't finalized your plans, consider Sharm and I HIGHLY recommend Red Sea Diving College and their live-aboard the VIP One. Good luck with whatever you choose.
Normally I would say that the further south you get in the Red Sea the better it gets. Do not take this as gospel though. Obviously there are exceptions and Iäm sure some of our friends here on SB will disagree. Anyway, take some time and consider other options like Hamata... Have a look at my website WELCOME TO AZIAB for more Red Sea information.
...a...
...a...
It all depends what you are looking for..
I know nothing about Cozumel or Belize, but I can guess that Eilat (which I do know rather well) is not comparable to any of them.
However, if you prefer diving with your buddy without a compulsory guide, Eilat is the place for you.
Diving in Eilat is easy, and although the corals are by far less rich than Aqaba or Sinai you may still find lots of nice findings and it is quite a good place for photography. Fish variety is really good even though it lacks big animals- best chances of something big are usually eagle rays, stingrays and with some luck- a turtle.
You can have a look at photos from "Epson Red Sea" photography competitions 2008 Competition
I know nothing about Cozumel or Belize, but I can guess that Eilat (which I do know rather well) is not comparable to any of them.
However, if you prefer diving with your buddy without a compulsory guide, Eilat is the place for you.
Diving in Eilat is easy, and although the corals are by far less rich than Aqaba or Sinai you may still find lots of nice findings and it is quite a good place for photography. Fish variety is really good even though it lacks big animals- best chances of something big are usually eagle rays, stingrays and with some luck- a turtle.
You can have a look at photos from "Epson Red Sea" photography competitions 2008 Competition
Of course, I was not implying on geographical problems. I was sure that in Egypt it is mandatory to dive with a guide. For that matter- Jordan too. At least that's the claim.
Of course, I have seen lots of clubs in both countries which don't really mind if one pays for the guide and goes diving without him...
Anyway, when you say the "anywhere along the Egyptian coast line" does it include Sinai, or only the mainland?
There is not a rule that every diver has to be guided anywhere in Egypt, Sinai or mainland. Some operators let guests go without guide and some don't. You can, as a guest, dive without direct supervision of a guide (of course with a buddy). Different dive operators have different rules who they allow to go without a guide but normally they want you to have AOW or CMAS¤¤ or equivelent, minimum 30 logged dives and your one computer per diver aome also demand you have one SMB/buddy team.
Cool runnings
Anders
Cool runnings
Anders
hypersonic
Contributor
Went to Coz twice last year, did the Peter Hughes Belize boat in May and in July spent a week diving in Sharm with the Red Sea Shadow.
Of the three, the Red Sea tops my list by a wide margin. Certainly more color (fish and coral) underwater, I suspect thanks to the full sun which is an everyday occurrence.
And the good thing for us less experienced divers is the best diving is between 12 and 35 ft. And if you are not going deep, you will extend your down time.
I remember once on a wall near Tiran Island we went deep hoping to see hammerheads. Didn't see any of the big guys and to this day, regret not staying above 30 ft because the reef was just incredible.
While we did not snorkel, the tops of some of the reefs we visited were less then 10 ft and just full of sea life.
Of the three, the Red Sea tops my list by a wide margin. Certainly more color (fish and coral) underwater, I suspect thanks to the full sun which is an everyday occurrence.
And the good thing for us less experienced divers is the best diving is between 12 and 35 ft. And if you are not going deep, you will extend your down time.
I remember once on a wall near Tiran Island we went deep hoping to see hammerheads. Didn't see any of the big guys and to this day, regret not staying above 30 ft because the reef was just incredible.
While we did not snorkel, the tops of some of the reefs we visited were less then 10 ft and just full of sea life.
Similar threads
