Best Time of Year for Resort Diving

[Laurie S.]

A friend and I are planning to return to Egypt in 2023 for a week of diving at a resort, followed by a 12-day cruise down the Nile with Viking Cruises, ending with two days at Petra. What would be the best months for a trip such as this? Our last one was a Bluewater Underwater Photography workshop and land tour, two weeks total, in August. A tad hot, even for this desert dweller.

Also, I would appreciate recommendations for a resort. We are both very experienced divers, and I am an underwater photographer. Our cruise starts in Cairo. Thanks!

 

[Sunn]

Experienced, than I think it should be better to go to Sharm or Safaga : not too far from Cairo by road (if you want to travel by road) and daily flights (if you want to travel by air), nice reefs. Marsa Alam, Galep etc : too long by road...

To give an advice for a resort depends on the budget you want to spend for it...

 

[Laurie S.]

Thanks! We're looking for a place with a good dive shop, a/c, and reasonable places to eat. We're not into really fancy, just clean and pleasant.

 

[Sunn]

Well, there are good dive centers, nice spots nearly everywhere for photographers, pleasant hotels everywhere and reasonable places to eat everywhere...

If you really want to go to Petra, think about how you'll get there. (from Hurghada, it will be minimum 9 hours by air, 10+ hours by road + ferry ; from Sharm el Sheik 5 or 6 hours by road without having delays at israelian border, etc..) I mean your diving location will define a travel time that can be very long.

 

[Laurie S.]

Thanks, I'm thinking that we might stay in Hurghada to make it simpler. After our diving days we have to meet up with the cruiseship group at our designated hotel in Cairo. We have three days there and then we fly to Luxor to start the cruise. Petra is not a problem, that is an add-on excursion after the cruise and is handled by Viking Cruises.