diving in bahrain, can you help?
- Thread starter algego
- Start date
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
hedonist222
Contributor
- Messages
- 1,201
- Reaction score
- 766
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
I hear from a friend in Bahrain that the diving isnt the best because of all the dredging going on. So possibly go further into the sea or contact a dive center.
- Messages
- 592
- Reaction score
- 3
- # of dives
- I'm a Fish!
it's very shallow, very salty, and very poor quality.
BigBirdZ28
Registered
Diving in Bahraini waters is ridiculous. First of all, the waters are very saline and shallow. Local authorities turn every blind eye they have towards legal & illegal dredging, dumping, over fishing & everything else that destroys anything worth diving on.
The only thing worth diving on is a dying reef 2 hours north of the country & even then, you would be better off at home since even this site (Bulthama) is not worth a 4 hour round trip.
Bahrain is a good place for new divers to train & get experience however. Harsh conditions such as extreme heat & humidity during the summer, lack of any reasonable visibility, returning to the few dive sites over & over, unreliable weather forecasts, higher than anticipated waves & currents all mean that by the time your done diving for 2 months, you can handle any situation an open water or advanced open water diver is licensed to encounter (other than extreme cold). And there is no such thing as shore diving.
That being said, the best dive shops I can recommend are Eco Dive Centre (Wahid, 3944 4799 / Salman, 3933 3123) & Aqua Hobbies (Ahmed, 1729 3231). These are the only 2 professional divers I've dived with, although, they cant do anything about the crappy dive sites either.
There are several other dive operators around, but they are all small ticket places that are little more than a man on a boat.
& for the love of all things holly, stay away from the highly advertised Aquatique. With all that your up against diving here, their exorborant prices, bad attitude & their anti-customer customer service are the last thing you need. I made the mistake of diving with these guys, four times.
This of course, doesn't include the Bahrain Yacht Club, which is by far the best dive operator on the island.
All in all, your better off going to the desert for some tranquility & a good bbq than dealing with the tragic hell that is diving in Bahrain.
The only thing worth diving on is a dying reef 2 hours north of the country & even then, you would be better off at home since even this site (Bulthama) is not worth a 4 hour round trip.
Bahrain is a good place for new divers to train & get experience however. Harsh conditions such as extreme heat & humidity during the summer, lack of any reasonable visibility, returning to the few dive sites over & over, unreliable weather forecasts, higher than anticipated waves & currents all mean that by the time your done diving for 2 months, you can handle any situation an open water or advanced open water diver is licensed to encounter (other than extreme cold). And there is no such thing as shore diving.
That being said, the best dive shops I can recommend are Eco Dive Centre (Wahid, 3944 4799 / Salman, 3933 3123) & Aqua Hobbies (Ahmed, 1729 3231). These are the only 2 professional divers I've dived with, although, they cant do anything about the crappy dive sites either.
There are several other dive operators around, but they are all small ticket places that are little more than a man on a boat.
& for the love of all things holly, stay away from the highly advertised Aquatique. With all that your up against diving here, their exorborant prices, bad attitude & their anti-customer customer service are the last thing you need. I made the mistake of diving with these guys, four times.
This of course, doesn't include the Bahrain Yacht Club, which is by far the best dive operator on the island.
All in all, your better off going to the desert for some tranquility & a good bbq than dealing with the tragic hell that is diving in Bahrain.
hedonist222
Contributor
- Messages
- 1,201
- Reaction score
- 766
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
wow bigbird, looks like you had a hell of a time. and by hell I literally mean bad time.
Come on over to the UAE ,
if u like wrecks, we got tons, if u like life we got a ton of that too! Pick a coast, any coast
Come on over to the UAE ,
if u like wrecks, we got tons, if u like life we got a ton of that too! Pick a coast, any coast thanx a lot for your advise, is a shame that me going for a few days over there I won't be able use the site for a few dives. tranqulity on the desert is a good option too. who knows. UEA as an option?
regards
gego
regards
gego
BigBirdZ28
Registered
Having said everything that I've said, since your comming all the way here, you might as well go for a Bulthama dive.
Perhaps I'm extra critical of our seas since I returned from a week's diving in Jeddah to realize I only have "FiFi" to dive on back home.
Give one of the guys a call & see if your still interested to dive.
I heard some good things UAE diving, but I havent tried it yet myself & with my uric acid flaring up, looks like I wount have the chance for a good while yet.
Perhaps I'm extra critical of our seas since I returned from a week's diving in Jeddah to realize I only have "FiFi" to dive on back home.
Give one of the guys a call & see if your still interested to dive.
I heard some good things UAE diving, but I havent tried it yet myself & with my uric acid flaring up, looks like I wount have the chance for a good while yet.
- Messages
- 592
- Reaction score
- 3
- # of dives
- I'm a Fish!
if you are in Bahrain don;t forget to check out the Fort, the burial Mounds, the "Tree Of Life", and other cultural sites. very interesting, and far better then the diving.
BigBirdZ28
Registered
Dont go to the tree of life because it's a national embarassment.
Unless you want a shinning example of environmental negligence. The tree of life has become little LESS than a vandalized garbage dump and a nighttime hangout for druggies.
The other suggestions are fairly pleasant though.
oh & do pay a visit to both the national Museum & the "Bait al-Quran".
Unless you want a shinning example of environmental negligence. The tree of life has become little LESS than a vandalized garbage dump and a nighttime hangout for druggies.
The other suggestions are fairly pleasant though.
oh & do pay a visit to both the national Museum & the "Bait al-Quran".
- Messages
- 592
- Reaction score
- 3
- # of dives
- I'm a Fish!
yeah, haven;t been to the tree in 10yrs, but I heard it was spraypainted and defaced now? sad
the national Museum & the "Bait al-Quran": GOOD SUGGESTIONS!
the national Museum & the "Bait al-Quran": GOOD SUGGESTIONS!
Similar threads
