Scuba Diving Sharm El Sheikh
Dive into the vibrant Red Sea, exploring historic wrecks and stunning coral gardens teeming with marine life. An unforgettable underwater adventure aw...
Highlights
Must-see attractions
Social
From TikTok & Reddit
Best Time
Warm waters, great visibility
Scuba Diving Sharm El Sheikh
Best Time
Warm waters, great visibility
Highlights
Must-see attractions
Dive into the vibrant Red Sea, exploring historic wrecks and stunning coral gardens teeming with marine life. An unforgettable underwater adventure awaits!
"The best dive center in Sharm, no doubt it. Truly a five-star experience!"
Choose Reputable Dive Centers
Look for centers with professional staff, well-maintained gear, and good reviews for safety and experience.
Consider Advanced Courses
PADI Advanced Open Water courses enhance skills and allow access to deeper, more exciting dive sites.
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences
Thistlegorm Wreck
Straits of Gubal
Explore a legendary WWII shipwreck teeming with history and marine life. An absolute must-do for wreck enthusiasts!
Ras Mohammed National Park
Southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula
Dive vibrant coral reefs and encounter diverse marine species in this protected marine park. Expect abundant fish life!
Shark Reef & Yolanda Reef
Straits of Tiran
Experience thrilling drift dives with strong currents, surrounded by schools of fish and potential shark sightings.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Planning Your Visit
Book Dive Trips in Advance
Avoid Overcrowded Dive Sites
Best Times
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Sharm el Sheikh diving
Choose Reputable Dive Centers
Look for centers with professional staff, well-maintained gear, and good reviews for safety and experience.
Consider Advanced Courses
PADI Advanced Open Water courses enhance skills and allow access to deeper, more exciting dive sites.
Going to Egypt, tips for a novice diver
Sharm El Sheikh - advice/recommendations
Night Dives are Magical
Experience a different world after dark; many sites offer incredible nocturnal marine life encounters.
Don't Miss the Thistlegorm
This WWII wreck is a highlight for many divers, offering a unique historical and underwater adventure.
Recommendations for dive sites in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt.
Tips
from all over the internet
Choose Reputable Dive Centers
Look for centers with professional staff, well-maintained gear, and good reviews for safety and experience.
Consider Advanced Courses
PADI Advanced Open Water courses enhance skills and allow access to deeper, more exciting dive sites.
Night Dives are Magical
Experience a different world after dark; many sites offer incredible nocturnal marine life encounters.
Don't Miss the Thistlegorm
This WWII wreck is a highlight for many divers, offering a unique historical and underwater adventure.
Pack Reef-Safe Sunscreen
Protect the delicate coral ecosystems by using sunscreens that don't harm marine life. :sunwithface:
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Visitors consistently praise Sharm El Sheikh's incredible marine life, vibrant coral reefs, and world-class dive sites like the Thistlegorm wreck. Dive centers are frequently lauded for their professional, friendly, and safety-conscious staff, excellent boat facilities, and high-quality equipment. The Red Sea's clear waters and abundant biodiversity make for unforgettable diving experiences for all levels. Some minor dislikes include occasional overcrowding at very accessible sites.
"Awesome 4 days of diving with Seamax and instructor Badr!
-Easy and timely response when booking
-Great “Ibiza” boat with professional and friendly crew with good food.
-high quality dive equipment
-office staff super friendly as well
-dive sites were awesome with healthy corals and sea life
I also did my AOW cert and nitrox with Badr and couldn’t have asked for a better instructor! 🤙🏼
We also did a night dive and Thistlegorm which was insane and can’t be missed!
Hope to be diving with these guys again soon 👌🏼👌🏼"
Tyler Latham
"We've been doing the PADI Advanced Course with this dive center. Our experience could not have been better. 100% the best dive center in Sharm, no doubt it.
We had a perfect communication with Max, the owner of the dive center, since we booked in advance from Spain.
Once we arrived in Sharm, Ehab set everything up in order to have everything ready for the course (transfers, equipment, important information, welcoming, everything).
The day before we started the course they invited us to visit the center and to try all the equipment. Moreover they offered us a tremendous delicious natural mango juice and a couple of bottle of water, which we really appreciated it. The Ukrainian girl in the front desk was so kind with us too. Lets mention they have a really clean and brand new dive center, and all the equipment is really clean and really good.
Then we started the Advanced course the next two days. We did it in the Ibiza boat, which gave us everything we needed, so spacious, new, clean, good lunch and very comfortable.
Our instructor, ISLAM, was really attentive to us, giving us the right explanations for everything. He showed us a really big sense of accountability. Not only he has been taking a good care of us but he always put safety first. Besides, he respects everything and we can definitely say he has been the best instructor we ever had since we started diving 5 years ago. We were a small group of 4 people which made everything easier for everybody.
Thanks to Islam, we decided to do the Thistlegorm dives and a night dive too. We felt there wasn’t better chance to do the Thistlegorm with anybody better than him, so the experience both in the shipwreck and in the night dive has been the best experiences we ever had not only in this trip but also in all the dives in the past (and we have been diving in Komodo and some other good spots in Indonesia). No need for explanations about Thistlegorm, it is simply awesome, everything inside and outside of the shipwreck is impressive, everybody who comes to Red Sea must do this yes or yes.
Thanks for everything Islam, you are not only an awesome instructor but a really good and friendly person.
We made the Thistlegorm shipwreck in a boat called Alfredo. Very luxurious, equipped with two powerful engines that made us being alone in the Thistlegorm due to the speed of the boat to get there. It was very comfortable and also the food and the crew were amazing too. And then, the icing on the cake, a final third dive in Shark Reef, what an awesome spot full of fishes, big barracudas, turtles, crocodile fish, scorpion fish, trigger fish, moray fishes, spotted rays, and many other big fishes, a must in your list if you dive in the Red Sea!
I would also like to mention Mina Thabet, the photographer we hired for the Thistlegorm. What a photos he takes!!!! Unbelievable! (Check his instagram out : @mina.a.thabet )And as a person, I had the chance to share some good moments with him and he is such a really good guy! I recommend 100% to hire this guy because he makes possible to have you a photos you will never forget in your life.
And last but not least, thanks to all the people from the dive center, the drivers who came to the hotel everyday and the crew from both boats who made our dream come true ❤️
We will recommend everyone to come to the Red Sea in Sharm and of course to visit SeaMax Dive Center to enjoy the best dive experience they can ever imagine.
We will see you again when we come back to Sharm for sure! We will definitely repeat with you."
Ai Tor Gur
"We had amazing time with sea max sharm diving Center! We did in total 3 days of diving. The boats are big and comfortable with very nice lunch, drinks and good space for tanning (+ shadow) and sleeping haha! Our guide Khaled was the best, super professional, nice and funny - we had a blast! I am not super experienced diver myself and he made sure to help with everything and also made sure I didnt give up even though had some problems first with ears, which I was very happy about :) Also other staff members were lovely and helpful and made sure we had the best experience. And the DIVES were amazing: we saw turtles, eagle ray, clown fishes, morenas, lion fish and many more.. Big recommendation to this center!"
Jasmin Niininen
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
🚇 🗺️ Getting There
Sharm El Sheikh International Airport (SSH) is well-connected with flights from many major cities. From the airport, taxis or pre-booked transfers are readily available to take you to your accommodation and dive centers.
Most dive centers offer hotel pick-up and drop-off services, which is very convenient. For exploring the town or other areas, taxis are plentiful, but agree on the fare beforehand.
Many nationalities can get a free Sinai-only entry stamp upon arrival, valid for 15 days, which covers Sharm El Sheikh. For wider travel in Egypt, a full visa is required. Check current regulations before your trip.
The Egyptian Pound (EGP) is the official currency. US Dollars and Euros are also widely accepted in tourist areas, but it's good to have some local currency for smaller purchases. :moneybag:
Sharm El Sheikh is generally considered a safe tourist destination, with a strong focus on security in resort areas and dive centers. Always exercise standard travel precautions.
🎫 🎫 Tickets & Entry
Yes, there is an entrance fee for Ras Mohammed National Park. Dive centers usually include this in their trip costs, but it's good to confirm when booking.
Costs vary depending on the dive center and the number of dives. Expect to pay around $50-70 USD per day for two dives, with PADI courses ranging from $300-500 USD.
While possible, booking in advance is highly recommended, especially for popular dive sites like the Thistlegorm or during peak season, to secure your spot.
Dive centers typically operate from early morning until late afternoon. Boat trips usually depart between 8-9 AM and return by 4-5 PM. Confirm specific timings with your chosen center.
Many dive centers offer discounts for booking multiple days of diving or for larger groups. Inquire directly with the dive center about package deals.
🎫 🤿 Onsite Experience
Sharm El Sheikh boasts incredible biodiversity, including colorful coral reefs, moray eels, turtles, barracudas, lionfish, and various reef fish. Sharks are also sighted, particularly in areas like Shark Reef.
Absolutely! Sharm offers excellent conditions for beginners, with calm waters, good visibility, and many dive centers offering Discover Scuba Diving programs and PADI Open Water courses.
Top sites include the Thistlegorm wreck, Ras Mohammed National Park (Shark Reef, Yolanda Reef), and the dive sites around the Straits of Tiran.
For recreational dives, a PADI Open Water certification or equivalent is required. Beginners can try a Discover Scuba Diving experience without certification.
Bring your dive certification card, swimwear, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and a reusable water bottle. A dry bag for electronics is also useful. :beachwithumbrella:
📸 📸 Photography
Yes, the vibrant coral, diverse marine life, and excellent visibility make Sharm El Sheikh a fantastic destination for underwater photography.
Some dive centers offer professional underwater photography services, or you can hire freelance photographers like Mina Thabet, who is highly recommended for capturing memorable shots.
Ras Mohammed, especially Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef, offers abundant marine life and colorful corals. The Thistlegorm wreck also provides unique photographic opportunities.
A good underwater camera setup, including a wide-angle lens for reefs and wrecks, and a macro lens for smaller critters, is ideal. Ensure your camera is properly housed and waterproofed. :camerawithflash:
Get close to your subjects, use natural light when possible, and consider using strobes for vibrant colors. Patience is key to capturing great shots of marine life.
For Different Travelers
Tailored advice for your travel style
👨👩👧 Families with Kids
Beyond the intro dives, families can enjoy boat trips to beautiful locations like Ras Mohammed, where kids can snorkel or simply enjoy the sun and sea.
💰 Budget Travelers
To save money, opt for local eateries away from the main tourist strips for meals.
💑 Couples & Honeymooners
After a day of diving, unwind at your resort, enjoy couples' spa treatments, or take a leisurely stroll along the beach.
Deep Dives
In-depth insights and expert knowledge
Choosing Your Dive Center
When researching, pay attention to reviews that mention the quality of the boats, the friendliness of the crew, and the expertise of the dive guides.
Iconic Dive Sites
The Straits of Tiran also present incredible diving opportunities, with four coral islands offering diverse underwater topography and the chance to see sharks, barracudas, and other large marine species.
Marine Life Encounters
Beyond the larger marine animals, the coral reefs themselves are a spectacle of color and form, providing habitats for countless smaller creatures. Divers often spot triggerfish, scorpionfish, and various types of rays.
Social
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit