Eygpt crash

[BDSC]

That said the red sea is off my list. I went last year and it was nice but not fantastic -

Has never been that high on my list. I've read mixed reviews and I may do it at some point in the future but I just have so many places on my list I'd rather do first. Going to Palau in January and still need to get to the Solomon Islands as well as many areas of Indonesia

 

[scubadada]

D Dubai, where do you go that's better than the Red Sea?

I'd like to know also

 

[Diving Dubai]

@simcoediver @scubadada Fair question. Before I give you the answer, I'll give you the reasons as eveyone's experience is relative

I attained my OW in El Gouna Egypt (30km North of Hurghada) in 2007, and was in wonder and amazement. However this was my first experience underwater so of course it would be.

My local diving is a place called the Mussandam Pennisular in Oman

I have nothing to do with this video - it give you some idea of the area, but we see a lot more sea life than on here

As you can see we get Mola Mola, and whale sharks. The former is rare the latter I see most months. What we don't get is great vis

It takes 15 hrs to get from Dubai to Hurghada indeed it would take the same time and less money to go via the UK. Last year we took a live-aboard. No complaints. We had some lovely dives which were pretty, but the majority were mediocre. The main reason was for the most part the corals were bleached or very beige and the sea life was lacking. yes we saw a tom of juvenile fish but schooling fish - even parrot fish were missing. We went south from Port Ghalib.

The same year we visited the Philippines - Cebu and Malaspacu again on a live aboard, again not wonderful - mostly muck diving but that might be because we needed to stay close to shore as the boats compressor had packed up

Thailand also not wonderful and very sparse life in the Similans and Surins compared to what we are used to at "home"

My top spots.

The Maldives were great - lots of coral bleaching but a tom of life. the vis wasn't as I had imagined (my fault) but loved it and would go back. Of course it's only a 4 hr trip from here.

Top destination by a mile is Misool in Southern Raja Ampat. We visited in feb this year.More oceanic than muck. So much life and the coral is beautiful - it was worth every penny and more as well as the long travel time. Can't wait to save up and go back

Next off to Komodo for Mantas, then Bali and somewhere else my wife hasn't revealed for 25 days of diving in July. Friends whom I dive with all rave about it so high expectations (although it can't beat Misool)

So short answer Indonesia - but then as I say it's all relative. I'd love to dive the Cocos islands but its around 80 hrs travel time from here. Likewise the Galapagos.

As @BDSC states there are much better places than the Red sea, but again that all depends upon what your previous experience has been, your expectations, travel distance and money to spend..

 

[BDSC]

Folks add the Socorrs to your list if you haven't been. To date it is my #1 trip followed closely by Cocos and Fiji. Got to try Misool though. I've heard over the top things about it and Diving Dubia just confirmed that. I do have Palau coming up in January and folks tell me that will be my new #1.

 

[gkrane]

I had to cancel a trip that was supposed to be in June on the M/V Tala. Wife just wouldnt go and I don't blame her. I am now glad we didnt go, things are just so unstable. Our airfare was expensive, and went through Istanbul which now is getting very unstable itself. Taking the Red Sea off my list regardless of how cheap they discount it.

 

[scubadada]

I had to cancel a trip that was supposed to be in June on the M/V Tala. Wife just wouldnt go and I don't blame her. I am now glad we didnt go, things are just so unstable. Our airfare was expensive, and went through Istanbul which now is getting very unstable itself. Taking the Red Sea off my list regardless of how cheap they discount it.

Sad, my two week trip end of April, beginning of May was fabulous on the Red Sea Aggressor out of Port Ghalib (Marsa Alam). My wife and I did 2 weeks in Cairo, the Nile between Luxor and Aswan, in February. It was one of the best, most educational vacations we've ever had. Risk aversion is individual. In many ways, no better time to visit Egypt, few tourists and good prices.

 

[Dogbowl]

My trip to Cairo and Red Sea diving is not cancelled but the earlier flightj to Turkey to vist my friend who lives in Istanbul and then to tour around Turkey's highlights had come off the table. I'm sad but my government's against it and travel medical insurance won't cover me. Now I'm trying to figure out best flight direct (ish) to Cairo.

chillyinCanada, I'm considering going to Egypt and Red Sea as well, but just wondering why your trip to Cairo is not cancelled but Turkey is. My understanding is that Global Affairs Canada has advised against non-essential travel to both places, although they've excepted Red Sea, Hurghada and Sharm, and Luxor to Aswan. Practically speaking, don't you have to land in Cairo to get to the other places anyway??? Absolutely nothing political in this post - just concerned about insurance coverage as well.

"Global Affairs Canada advises against non-essential travel to Egypt due to the unpredictable security situation. This advisory does not apply to the Red Sea coastal resorts of Hurghada (and its surroundings) and Sharm el-Sheikh, nor to the area from Luxor to Aswan along the upper Nile, where you should exercise a high degree of caution."

 

[scubadada]

chillyinCanada, I'm considering going to Egypt and Red Sea as well, but just wondering why your trip to Cairo is not cancelled but Turkey is. My understanding is that Global Affairs Canada has advised against non-essential travel to both places, although they've excepted Red Sea, Hurghada and Sharm, and Luxor to Aswan. Practically speaking, don't you have to land in Cairo to get to the other places anyway??? Absolutely nothing political in this post - just concerned about insurance coverage as well.

"Global Affairs Canada advises against non-essential travel to Egypt due to the unpredictable security situation. This advisory does not apply to the Red Sea coastal resorts of Hurghada (and its surroundings) and Sharm el-Sheikh, nor to the area from Luxor to Aswan along the upper Nile, where you should exercise a high degree of caution."

Our trip in February included a flight from London to Cairo, we flew from Cairo to Luxor and back. My Red Sea trip in April/May was a direct flight from Zurich to Hurghada. I took a car from Hurghada to Port Ghalib/Marsa Alam. Both felt perfectly safe.

 

[Freewillow]

@chillyinCanada. I can only talk about personal experiences. A lot of people that are travelling to the red sea from Europe are flying directly to Hurgada and try to avoid Cairo. First because Cairo is not the safest place in the world and connections are sometimes a little complicated. I personnally go to Hurgada either using a charter Brussels to Hurgada ( or Marsa allam ) or a flight with turkish airlines through Istambul. I know that there has been a terrorist attack at the Istambul airport but I believe that if you stay in "transit" you will run a very smal risk. To go in Istambul is a different matter: ISIS/KURDES/AND THE last military coup

 

[Colliam7]

*****MOD POST*****

The discussion in the thread was drifting away from the original topic. A number of posts have been relocated to a thread in The Pub. Please keep subsequent posts in THIS thread relevant to the topic - EgyptAir 804 crash and its potential influence on diving and dive travel.

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