Dubai in late October, 2020

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

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

dberry

Hydrophilic
ScubaBoard Supporter
Messages
1,129
Reaction score
667
Location
Philadelphia
# of dives
200 - 499
My wife has a conference in Dubai next year, and I'm trying to decide if it's worth tagging along to dive. Her conference is only 4 days / 3 nights, but we could extend it to up to 6 nights. She doesn't dive.

There is an Emirates non-stop flight from Newark that looks reasonable (12 hours, ~$800US as of now).

I've done some deco training, but would stick to single tank / rec limits for this trip.

What would folks advise for a short trip like this? Let's assume the restrictions around Fujairah will still be in effect. Does it make sense to be based in Dubai and return there every evening, or would a few nights in another city be better?

Many thanks for your input.
-Don
 
hi @dberry

Going back and forward each day is a PITA, I occasionally do it but it gets tiring.

There are several options as not all dive centers are open on a daily basis especially from Fujairah City, but they are further north and one option Al Boom will provide transport between their shop in Dubai and their operation at Al Aqah on the east coast at Le Meridian hotel.

Other options are Divers Down at the Miramar Hotel, and The Dive Centre at Sandy Beach

Bear in mind that the weekend here is Fri/Sat and that's when most of us dive, but all three of the above centers operate on a daily basis as far as I know.
 
I've read that directly off of Dubai the diving is mainly wrecks... would that be worth a 1-2 of days diving, or better to just sight-see while in Dubai, then head east for 2-3 nights before returning to the US? Also, if "commuting" to the east side, how long would the day be? For example, leave Dubai at XX AM, return at YY PM.
 
I'm not sure anyone dives off Dubai these days except the BSAC clubs, the vis is sh!t anyway.

You're looking at 2 hrs each way for Fujairah dive ops if traveling by car, and the Al Boom bus will take slightly longer I suspect.

I normally leave around 6:30 for Fujairah city (Barracuda Divers) and we are on site and splashing before 09:00 and generally back on terra firma around 12:00 to 12:30, have lunch, head home and back in Dubai by 16:00

IMHO go for a couple of nights and don't bother commuting.
 
I agree that the vis in Dubai is crap but the wrecks are great. The bad part is, no dive centers do trips there. I also suggest a two or three day stay in Fujairah and suggest Divers Down as the op to dive with. Good people and close to all the main dive sites.
 
Stay over a weekend. Go Dive the Musandam. It eclipses the Fujairah sites
 

Back
Top Bottom