Any recommendations for Makadi Bay dive sites?

[LizSpinks]

We've booked a trip to Hurghada for a week in mid-November. As dive buddies since certification, we're going to hit our 50th dive on this trip and would like it to be a bit special.

This will be our first time in the Red Sea. So, I've been reading this forum and got lots of good info (esp. appreciate the Egypt tips).

We're probably going to dive with iDive, and I've made initial enquiries. They have good reviews at TripAdvisor and elsewhere. I hope they're not so popular that the dive boats are packed. We normally like boutique or small groups, but everything else about them sounds really good.

We'll be doing shore and boat dives and if available perhaps a special day trip (We're tempted to do the Dolphin House snorkel trip, as that sounds special, although that will mean two less dives). We hoping for a night dive and some drift dives (which we love). Also not big fans of wrecks. We love healthy coral and lots of interesting fishes. Bigger stuff is great too!

Anyone had an amazing dive near Makadi Bay they would suggest for our diving milestone?

Thanks!

 

[dbulmer]

Most of the diving in Makadi bay is dead easy - very little current by the way. I'm off to Egypt in about 2 hours so my post will be brief.

A trip worth doing if you can is Panorama reef - that is a drift dive and is usually combined with a wreck dive on the Salem. It's a full day ! I'm not a great fan of wrecks but it is a decent dive and Panorama reef is great fun

Boats are rarely full so you'll have no worries on that score. Another excellent dive operator is Pro Divers Corner in Sahl Hasheesh - you might want to compare their prices with what Idive are quoting (hint!)

I don't think the dolphin trips are worth doing in all honesty and my reason for saying that is the sites are often full of people who have no idea about interacting with each other never mind with sea life - been there, done it and wished I hadn't.

Hope you have a good time!

 

[LizSpinks]

Thanks for the reply dbulmer! I will ask about Panorama Reef / Salem. That sounds great.

I've looked up Pro Divers and will remember them if and when we return to the area. A big appeal of iDive for this trip is the walk-up-the-beach commute to start each dive day!

I've been on snorkel excursions before, so I definitely take your point, and thank you for that reminder.

Hope you have a good trip too.

 

[xmass-Eve]

When I was staying in Makadi Bay (diving with Orca Divers. I didn't think they were good), we almost always drove up to Safaga and dove from there. So yes, try to do the Salem. The weather must be good for it though. It's a 2h trip from Safaga. The time I was staying in Safaga itself, we dove with Nemo. I liked them lots.

 

[LizSpinks]

Thanks Eve. I'll mention it to the dive shop early so we have a few days to try. Thx for the comments on shops too!
p.s. great dive site name.

 

[xmass-Eve]

Thanks Eve. I'll mention it to the dive shop early so we have a few days to try. Thx for the comments on shops too!
p.s. great dive site name.

Thx I must say first time I saw the word 'dive bar' I thought it meant 'a bar where divers go for an apres-dive drink'. I didn't understand why there were so many everywhere.... When English isn't your first language, there is lots of slang to learn.