Had a great week diving with my significant other at Tondoba Bay, Marsa Alam, Egypt with Deep South Divers.
Egypt off-season is highly recommended- we were the only people on the house reef most of the time, and the bay had about 12 divers total at the busiest.
Bus from Hurghada - Golden Horse - 25 LE per person, 4 hours, toilet stinks, locals smoke on bus.
Taxi is lots more, 400-600 LE with gas, same time.
The desert camp in Tondoba- all the divecenters in Tondoba have the same camp! you live in basically the same stone huts with palm leafs for roof. Days hot, but shade and palm leefs- lots of wind, works great.
Scorpions in shower.
Food ok, fresh, nothing special. hut - 50 euro for 2 per night, food 3 times a day. Make sure your drinking water is included.
Tondoba bay has a spectacular house reef with lots of fish, healthy coral, some whitetips.
Enjoyed our time on it immensely, best accessed by boat - 1 min from shore.
Shore dive requires either some navigation in the reef to get to the better part, or a 1 hour 30 minute dive, as the first 30 mins of the dive from shore the visibility is poor and the reef is damaged.
If you can hold your air, after a while you hit the most beautiful reef. You might have accessed it with the boat as well, as 2 boat dives per day are included.
This is a military interest area and the last dive is at 4 pm. Night dive permit costs 5 to 10 euro depending on your bargaining skills and how much your divecenter likes you. Just spend the extra money to dive at 6 pm and dusk! You need several days for your diving permits to go through, so yes, book your trip in advance, but a week is ok.
The divecenter also drives you out to other sites,
Abou Dabab - saw guitar "shark" and turtles.
Did not chase the dugong, I feel for the poor beast being modded by tourists.
Snorkelers are a pain in the ass, flipper sharks are the real danger of the red sea. Some ass kept coming in to take a picture next to us," look, I can dive as deep as divers", I had to hold my reg with one hand and finally just had to push him off. The local snorkeling guide there kept sticking his snorkel into a very large and very tired looking moray. She was old and in the "I dont care anymore" stage. Still, poor fish. We emailed a complaint to their hotel there, but I guess that is what the tourists want so they will give it to them, wildlife be damned.
Nice wreck, great shore dives, etc. Very happy, lots of life. Pregnant bluespoted stingray, lots of territorial/ pair behaviour by stingrays, parrots, masked puffers. Interesting variety of lionfish.
We had our own divemaster with us from Hurghada, anyone wants his info PM me.
Your own guide is worth his weight in gold, as you are saved the agony of price bargaining for everything.
The locals away from large tourist resorts have real class, dont bother tourists and are chill. You get to experience the real Egyptian hospitality.
The last day spent in Hurghada, Triton empire - 20 to 30 euro for 2 per room per night. Taxi - 40 LE egyptian pounds to airport, including 5 LE airport taxi fee. Do not pay more than 14-20 LE for taxi rides in Hurghada, you are still giving 40 percent more than locals.
Souvenirs- just go to the set price store, we paid 10 LE for a stuffed camel and map.
Nile Pharaous Co -El Arosa Square, Sheraton Road, tel 06r 344 64885
Do not talk to any streethustlers, you will not get better prices than Nile Pharaous, and they try to pressure you to buy.
We will be going back again in winter! I love the feeling of being alone on the reef.
More updates to this to come when I have time. If you are thinking about diving in Marsa Alam, now is a great time!
Egypt off-season is highly recommended- we were the only people on the house reef most of the time, and the bay had about 12 divers total at the busiest.
Bus from Hurghada - Golden Horse - 25 LE per person, 4 hours, toilet stinks, locals smoke on bus.
Taxi is lots more, 400-600 LE with gas, same time.
The desert camp in Tondoba- all the divecenters in Tondoba have the same camp! you live in basically the same stone huts with palm leafs for roof. Days hot, but shade and palm leefs- lots of wind, works great.
Scorpions in shower.
Food ok, fresh, nothing special. hut - 50 euro for 2 per night, food 3 times a day. Make sure your drinking water is included.
Tondoba bay has a spectacular house reef with lots of fish, healthy coral, some whitetips.
Enjoyed our time on it immensely, best accessed by boat - 1 min from shore.
Shore dive requires either some navigation in the reef to get to the better part, or a 1 hour 30 minute dive, as the first 30 mins of the dive from shore the visibility is poor and the reef is damaged.
If you can hold your air, after a while you hit the most beautiful reef. You might have accessed it with the boat as well, as 2 boat dives per day are included.
This is a military interest area and the last dive is at 4 pm. Night dive permit costs 5 to 10 euro depending on your bargaining skills and how much your divecenter likes you. Just spend the extra money to dive at 6 pm and dusk! You need several days for your diving permits to go through, so yes, book your trip in advance, but a week is ok.
The divecenter also drives you out to other sites,
Abou Dabab - saw guitar "shark" and turtles.
Did not chase the dugong, I feel for the poor beast being modded by tourists.
Snorkelers are a pain in the ass, flipper sharks are the real danger of the red sea. Some ass kept coming in to take a picture next to us," look, I can dive as deep as divers", I had to hold my reg with one hand and finally just had to push him off. The local snorkeling guide there kept sticking his snorkel into a very large and very tired looking moray. She was old and in the "I dont care anymore" stage. Still, poor fish. We emailed a complaint to their hotel there, but I guess that is what the tourists want so they will give it to them, wildlife be damned.
Nice wreck, great shore dives, etc. Very happy, lots of life. Pregnant bluespoted stingray, lots of territorial/ pair behaviour by stingrays, parrots, masked puffers. Interesting variety of lionfish.
We had our own divemaster with us from Hurghada, anyone wants his info PM me.
Your own guide is worth his weight in gold, as you are saved the agony of price bargaining for everything.
The locals away from large tourist resorts have real class, dont bother tourists and are chill. You get to experience the real Egyptian hospitality.
The last day spent in Hurghada, Triton empire - 20 to 30 euro for 2 per room per night. Taxi - 40 LE egyptian pounds to airport, including 5 LE airport taxi fee. Do not pay more than 14-20 LE for taxi rides in Hurghada, you are still giving 40 percent more than locals.
Souvenirs- just go to the set price store, we paid 10 LE for a stuffed camel and map.
Nile Pharaous Co -El Arosa Square, Sheraton Road, tel 06r 344 64885
Do not talk to any streethustlers, you will not get better prices than Nile Pharaous, and they try to pressure you to buy.
We will be going back again in winter! I love the feeling of being alone on the reef.
More updates to this to come when I have time. If you are thinking about diving in Marsa Alam, now is a great time!
