Best Daily Boat Diving in Red Sea

Dear all,

I am planning a trip to the Red Sea with my boyfriend and Mum who are both going to get certified (OW) and me, an (non practicing) instructor with a craving for walls and big fish.

Its been about 4 years since I was in Sharm, and I am afraid its been ruined (has it?), so I am looking for other options farther South. I could use some help though! I have been finding some conflicting information...

What we need is great daily boat diving for me, and a good school for my mum and boyfriend.

I don't care much about being in a touristy place, but I DO care if the reefs have been ruined...

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Cheers,
SubQ

If its big fish you want the further south the better. Not sure it'll be great for newly qualified OWs though.

Could always try sharm with some trips to Tiran and Ras Mohammed (which is stunning atm!) where you might get something.

Sharm is fine, yet Safaga is an alternative. You can also think of one of the places north of Marsa Alam (Ghaleb or Nabaa).

Hey red sea Shadow and String, Thanks for your replies.
Any word on the quality of the dive operation at Sharks Bay Umbi Diving Village?

Cheers,
SubQ

I don't have first hand info about them. But one positive point is that they have their jetty.

As Shadow says, you can find excellent diving in Safaga with great walls on Abu Kafan and Panorama plus a few rather cool wrecks if you like that sort of stuff. Hurghada is also good and have really good dive sites for example Gorgonia Garden, Erg Somaya, and Hamda in the Giftun National Park Area plus Gorgeous Abu Ramada North Plateau and Camel Reef south of the Marine Park. IN the north we have Um Gammar and Shabrouhr Um Gammar with really great walls and chance of sharks plus Shaab El Erg with very good chance to see dolphins and Carles reef which is stunning. Have a look at WELCOME TO AZIAB for info on the different areas and what there is to see under water. When it comes to choosing Dive Operator there are plenty of good around but also a many crap ones. Feel free to contact me and ask about any specific operator you're thinking of using.

Hope you get a good trip!
...a...

edit:
Your website on Patagonia is wicked! Now I really have to go there!

SubQ:

Any word on the quality of the dive operation at Sharks Bay Umbi Diving Village?
SubQ

Click to expand...

Excellent value for money. Quite laidback with a "Bedouin" feel akin Dahab, and quality is good. Owner (Umbi) is Bedouin, dive center manager (Alex) is an Irishwoman who was working at Four Seasons before.

Own beach, own house-reef (convenient for training), own jetty (big asset) close to the hotel, no transfer by car needed. Not a big operation (50 rooms, 5 boats including 2 or 3 safari boats). They are very close to Tiran reefs (30'), still beautiful, and often go there ; otherwise the local dive sites where they go (Ras Nasrani, Ras Gamila) are still nice. But they are 2 hours away from Ras Mohammed. So in a 5 days stay you may go only one (full) day to Ras Mohammed National Park, or maybe two days. They have also speedboats to Tiran (from 2 pax) but cost is higher (37 euros per dive per diver) : very flexible formula, eg early morning or sunset dive, or whatever you choose.