7T1107 24P P01A13 GB 7/05/07 14:45 Page 2
DIVING Dive into a dazzling underwater dreamworld… 7T1107 24P P01A13 GB 7/05/07 14:45 Page 3 7T1107 24P P01A13 GB 7/05/07 14:45 Page 4
In and Around Sinai P.6 From Dahab through Nuweiba to Taba P.7 Sharm El-Sheikh P.8 The Ras Mohammed National Park P.9 Things to See and Do
In and Around Hurghada and Safaga P.12 El Gouna P.13 Hurghada P.14 Safaga P.15 Things to See and Do
South Coast P.18 Al Quseir P.19 Marsa Alam P.20-21 The Great South
P.22-23 Practical Information 7T1107 24P P01A13 GB 7/05/07 14:45 Page 5 7T1107 24P P01A13 GB 7/05/07 14:45 Page 6
Welcome to the most beautiful diving spots in the world…
Boasting over a thousand diving
sites, including some of the world’s
most famous spots, Egypt is
undoubtedly the dream destination
for divers from all over the world.
The Red Sea offers an idyllic setting
for exploring underwater landscapes.
You’ll be entranced by the
multifarious flora and fauna, amazed
by the abundant tropical coral reefs
and enthralled by the impressive
array of ancient shipwrecks. The
water that ripples throughout this
aquatic paradise is clear and warm,
which – combined with high saline
levels – makes it an ideal environment
for over a thousand different types
of coral reef, not to mention 300
species of shark. In this fascinating
underwater realm, colourful fish will
happily swim alongside you as you
dive, sharing in the wonders of this
silent deep-sea world… 7T1107 24P P01A13 GB 7/05/07 14:45 Page 7
The small seaside resort of Dahab lies on the west coast of Sinai and hosts a tempting selection of impressive caves. The steep drops and unusual underwater terrains of these very varied sites are certain to seduce any diver. Only those who are extremely experienced can descend to the thrilling depths of the famous ‘Blue Hole’ with its 80m deep cavern. Others can ponder the profusion of alcyonarian coral that thrives on the underwater rock face known as The Canyon.
IN AND AROUND SINAI
From DAHAB through NUWEIBA to TABA
DIVING ABILITY > ALL LEVELS
MARINE LIFE Napoleon fish, turtles, sharks, barracudas, coral reefs and fauna, stingray, sea lions, red snappers.
UNMISSABLE DIVES Dahab : The Canyon The Blue Hole (depth 120 m) Taba : Ras Amira Nuweiba : 6 Abu Lou Lou 7T1107 24P P01A13 GB 7/05/07 14:45 Page 8
With over 40 diving sites stretching from Straits of Tiran to Ras Mohammed, plus a rich marine life and numerous shipwrecks, not to mention stunning coral reefs that are renowned for being the most beautiful in the world, all in all it’s no wonder that Sharm El-Sheikh is the world’s number one diving destination. A myriad of species will dance before your eyes, and the walls will be thronging with colourful alcyonarians (soft corals) and acroporas, some of them up to a metre high. You are certain to be overwhelmed by the majesty of what awaits you under the waves.
IN AND AROUND SINAI SHARM EL-SHEIKH
DIVING ABILITY > ALL LEVELS
MARINE LIFE Grouper fish, angel fish, clown fish, trumpet fish, butterfly fish.
UNMISSABLE DIVES Thomas Reef - a 50m canyon Jackson Reef for shark diving
WRECKS Carina Dunraven Kingston Thistlegorm 7 7T1107 24P P01A13 GB 7/05/07 14:45 Page 9
Some of the best dives in the Red Sea are to be found at Ras Mohammed, famous for the Thistlegorm wreck which Jacques Cousteau discovered in the 1950s. The sheer walls plunge down to depths of over 800m, and here you can mingle with the multicoloured alcyonarians and rich, pelagic fauna which live in harmony amongst the giant red gorgonians.
IN AND AROUND SINAI THE RAS MOHAMMED NATIONAL PARK
DIVING ABILITY > LEVEL 1
MARINE LIFE Possibility of seeing eagle and manta rays, whitetip sharks, hammerhead sharks, leopard sharks, whale sharks, large shoals of batfish, surgeonfish, blue runners and red snappers.
UNMISSABLE DIVES Yolanda Reef Anemone City 8 Shark Reef 7T1107 24P P01A13 GB 7/05/07 14:45 Page 10
From the waters of the Red Sea
to the sands Visit Saint Catherine’s Monastery, witness a of Sinai sunset over Mount Sinai and be enchanted by the soft desert lights. 7T1107 24P P01A13 GB 7/05/07 14:45 Page 11
“I was following the manta ray as if it had something to show me. Only then did I realise that we were both being pulled towards the rays of the sun…” 7T1107 24P P01A13 GB 7/05/07 14:45 Page 12 7T1107 24P P01A13 GB 7/05/07 14:45 Page 13
Also known as “The Little Venice of the Red Sea” , the El Gouna resort rejoices in having 33 diving sites, some of which are still virgin, and others which are renowned for their mysterious wrecks. Whilst exploring the impressive reefs of Abu Nuhas, discover the colourful coral reefs and dense aquatic fauna which populate the underwater world of The Carnatic, The Chrisoula K, The Giannis D and the Rosalie Moller wrecks.
IN AND AROUND HURGHADA AND SAFAGA EL GOUNA
DIVING ABILITY > ALL LEVELS
MARINE LIFE Napoleon fish, turtles, rays, giant moray eels and various species of shark.
UNMISSABLE DIVES Sha’ab El Erg for the Poseidon Garden’s coral gardens Sha’ab Abu Nuhas for its wrecks
WRECKS Carnatic Chrisoula K Giannis D Kimon M Rosalie Moller 12 Ulysses 7T1107 24P P01A13 GB 7/05/07 14:45 Page 14
Hurghada is one of Egypt’s most unusual diving sites, a life-size aquarium which is a must for dedicated divers. After threading your way through the swaying branches of giant red gorgonians at Police Station and admiring the fabulous alcyonarian coral at Erg Somaya, you’ll find yourself in the magical underwater garden which surrounds the coral reef islands of Shadwan, Giftun and Gubal.
IN AND AROUND HURGHADA AND SAFAGA HURGHADA
DIVING ABILITY > ALL LEVELS
MARINE LIFE Butterfly fish, rainbow wrasse, rocklings and moray eels, Napoleon fish, turtles, grouper fish, dolphins, blacktip sharks, schools of surgeonfish.
UNMISSABLE DIVES Police Station for its giant gorgonians Small Giftun Islands (depth 100m) Erg Somaya for its alcyonarians
WRECKS El Mina Colona IV Excalibur 13 7T1107 24P P14A24 GB 7/05/07 14:46 Page 1
Safaga has numerous diving sites which are accessible to everyone, thanks to the excellent visibility and generally weak currents which characterise the local waters. Rich and colourful fauna abound in the sumptuous coral gardens, especially at Ras Abu Soma and Sha’ab Tobia. From Tobia Arbaa to the mythical spot at Panorama Reef, passing through the Middle Reef coral gardens and taking in the Salem Express wreck, any diving trip in this peaceful fishing port is sure to leave you with unforgettable memories.
IN AND AROUND HURGHADA AND SAFAGA SAFAGA
DIVING ABILITY > ALL LEVELS
MARINE LIFE Napoleon fish, parrot fish, barracudas, grouper fish, clown fish, rockfish, stingrays, red mullet, multicoloured fish, sharks and turtles.
UNMISSABLE DIVES Ras Abu Soma and Sha’ab Tobia for their pelagic fauna Panorama Reef for drops to depths of over 100 m Middle reef for night diving
WRECKS Salem Express Al Kahfain 14 M.V. Hatour 7T1107 24P P14A24 GB 7/05/07 14:46 Page 2
From El Gouna
Visit the ‘aquarium’ and to Safaga be astounded by the magnificent collection of fish, before relaxing happily on one of the beaches near these superb sites. 7T1107 24P P14A24 GB 7/05/07 14:46 Page 3 7T1107 24P P14A24 GB 7/05/07 14:46 Page 4
“This was my third ever dive. I think that even if I had been able to speak, I would never have been able to express the emotions I felt on that day…” 7T1107 24P P14A24 GB 7/05/07 14:46 Page 5
This area offers a wealth of interest for divers, including a variety of reefs featuring diverse underwater rock faces and an abundance of fauna, not to mention coral which is almost polychromal in appearance. In addition to the famous Elphinstone reef, the Borbo reef, the coral gardens of Anee So Reef, the caves and canyons of Abu Dabab and the El Gotaab site, Erg Monica and Sok Bahar boast a fantastic array of reef fauna and are also well worth a visit.
SOUTH COAST AL QUSEIR
DIVING ABILITY > LEVEL 1
MARINE LIFE Red anthias, damselflys, rocklings, grouper fish, hammerhead sharks, bigeye thresher sharks, whitetip sharks, nurse sharks, dolphins. UNMISSABLE DIVES The Brothers Islands: Big Brother for wrecks and Little Brother for the pelagic fauna
WRECKS Numidia 18 Aida 7T1107 24P P14A24 GB 7/05/07 14:46 Page 6
In the Marsa Alam areas, enjoy a dive at Ras Samadai, the ‘dolphin reef of the south’. This section of the Red Sea coastline is dedicated to diving, and is peppered with well-preserved sites in the midst of a fabulous nature reserve. At Elphinstone, you can marvel at the amazing pelagic fauna and explore the hoards of coral reefs which are home to countless species.
SOUTH COAST MARSA ALAM
DIVING ABILITY > LEVEL 1
MARINE LIFE Anthias, Napoleon fish, large rays, dolphins.
UNMISSABLE DIVES Daedalus Reef Elphinstone Reef for shark diving Ras Samadai “Dolphin House” 19 7T1107 24P P14A24 GB 7/05/07 14:46 Page 7
Whilst strong currents, choppy seas and the fact that night diving is prohibited conspire to make diving sites in the south less popular, these sites do offer a host of new challenges for more adventurous divers. Located in southern territorial waters in the centre of the Red Sea, the most desirable diving spots are clustered around Zabargad Island, Rocky Island and Saint John’s Reef. However, when atmospheric conditions are favourable, you will be treated to the sight of spectacular coral reefs, some of them still virgin, plus the most extraordinary marine fauna – though this rare experience is only for the most able divers.
SOUTH COAST THE GREAT SOUTH
DIVING ABILITY > EXPERIENCED DIVERS – MUST HAVE COMPLETED A MINIMUM OF 50 DIVES.
MARINE LIFE Many species of shark: bigeye thresher sharks, whitetip sharks, hammerhead sharks, grey reef sharks and pelagic fish.
UNMISSABLE DIVES St John’s Reef for the black coral Zabargad Island 20 Rocky Island 7T1107 24P P14A24 GB 7/05/07 14:46 Page 8 7T1107 24P P14A24 GB 7/05/07 14:46 Page 9
DAHAB-Reefs SINAI Taba Ain Sinai 1 Red Tooth Trigger Bay Taba Sukhna 2 Salah's Place Al Fayoum Nuweiba Ras Amira / Topaz Za’farana a 3 Ras Abu Galum Pharaoh’s Island b a 4 Blue Hole / Bells q Fjord Beni Suef Gul Dahab A 5 Rick's Reef f f
N Sun Pool o o 6 Coral Garden il f Sue f Marsa El Muqabila e El Tur l u 7 Canyon / Fish Bowl Napoleon Reef G z Sharm 8 Abu Helal / Abu Talha El-Sheikh 9 Shoe Stump El Minya 10 Eel Garden E Ras Burka a 11 Lighthouse Devil’s Head s 12 Bannerfish Bay D te Maagana e r n El Gouna 13 Mashraba Nuweiba se 14 Islands / Seven Pinnacles The Sinker Asyut r t Abu Lou Lou Hurghada 15 Lionfish Rock 16 Golden Blocks MFO Pipeline 17 Moray Garden Safaga R Sinai a 18 Three Pools / South Oasis 1 NORTH COAST e 19 Umm Sid 2 ab Sohag 20 Caves Qena d 21 El Shugurat Dahab 5 3 q 7 4 Al Quseir 22 Gabr el Bint 9 6 A S 11 108 of 13 12 e Main roads 15 14 lf
SHARM EL-SHEIKH-Reefs 17 u Luxor a MOUNT 16
18 G International Isna 23 Jackson Reef MOSES Airports Ni Marsa Alam le 24 Thomas Reef 19 Edfu 25 Ras Nasrani 20 Pyramids 26 Ras Bob 21 Kom Ombo 27 Far/Middle/Near Gardens Monasteries 28 Tower 22 29 Ras Katy Temples Aswan Berenice 30 Ras Ghazlani 23 31 Jackfish Alley 24 Mastaba 32 Anemone City Beaches 33 Shark Reef / Jolanda Naama Bay 25 34 Small Passage Sharm 27 35 Shag Rock 26 Lake Thistlegorm El-Sheikh 29 Oases Nasser SOUTH COAST 28 Carina 31 30 Golf 32 35 34 33 Dive sites Kingston Dunraven The Ras Mohammed Shipwrecks National Park SINAI El Gouna
NORTH COAST SOUTH COAST Sharm Numidia Gubal Barge / Bluff Point Aïda The Brothers Islands El-Sheikh (Big brother & Little Brother) El Qadim Ulysses Woodvalley Reef Sha'ab Umm Godor Al Quseir Big Gubal Island Yellowfish Reef Sha'ab Umm Usk Carnatic Rosalie Moller Mangrove Bay Sha'ab Abu Nuhas : Chrisoula K Siyul Kebira Giannis D Beit Goha Shadwan Island Kimon M Blind Reef El Kaf El Gouna Sharm El Bahair Siyul Saghira Sha'ab El Erg Sheikh Malek
Elphinstone Reef Sha'abrur Umm Gamar Abu Dabab Sha'ab El Fanadir Colona IV Marsa Alam Careless Reef Sha'ab Marsa Alam Excalibur Big Giftun Island Sha'ab Sabina Ras Samadaî (Dolphin House) Hurghada Small Giftun Island Daedelus Reef El Mina Erg Somaya Police Station Abu Ramada
SAFAGA-Reefs Gota Abu Ramada 1 2 1 Ras Abu Soma Sharm El Naga Tienstin Wreck Sha'ab Maksour 2 Tubya Kibeer Sha'ab Saiman 1 Abu Galawa Small 3 Sha'ab Claudia Ras Umm Hesiwa 4 3 Tubya Shiwayya 2 Abu Galawa Kebir Dolphin Reef/Sha'ab Sataya 4 Gamul Shiwayya Abu Dishet 3 Malahi 5 5 Gamul Kibeer 1 Abu Hashish 4 Fury Shoal Garden Berenice 6 Tubya Hamra/The Tobias 5 Umhalhala Zabargad 7 2 Panorama Reef 7 Arba Erg 6 3 8 Arpha Bank 4 Sernara Island 9 Fellow Rocks 5 Umm Hal Hal Safaga 8 Orabi Rocky Island M.V. Hatour 9 Middle Reef Habili St John's Wood Abu Kafan St John's Wood Al Kahfain Little Reef Sha'ab Sheer St John's Reef Sha'ab Claude The Nursery Sha'ab Bagul Salem Express Sha'ab Hamdulillah 7T1107 24P P14A24 GB 7/05/07 14:46 Page 10
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Diving centres: Professionals manage most of the centres, and the necessary equipment is available for use. You will find diving centres in nearly all of the seaside resorts. Please note that these centres are privately owned.
General advice and some but not all safety recommendations: • Always make your choice on the basis of safety rather than price • Visit several different centres before deciding • Choose a diving instructor who speaks your language • If your last dive was over three months ago, do a few adaptation dives to reacclimatize yourself • Check that the equipment is clean, and that is has been maintained and stored correctly (not in the sun, for example) • Check that the tubes, mouthpieces and valves have no leaks • Check that the diving suits are in good condition • Make sure that there is oxygen on the boat (in case of an accident)
Diving lessons: Certificates and diplomas from the following bodies are offered by the diving centres: PADI, NAUI, SSI and CMAS. The clubs offer initiation dives and lessons for beginners, during which learner divers can get to grips with the correct reflexes and automatisms. Many clubs also offer courses for experienced divers.
Gear: The clubs rent out equipment and wetsuits at competitive prices, but it is of course possible to use your own equipment. Wetsuits are required in summer and in winter.
Protection of the coral reefs: In order to preserve the natural beauty of the coral reefs, you will be asked not to wear gloves and not to touch the flora and fauna. Anyone caught disregarding these rules or damaging the natural environment runs the risk of being fined.
Temperatures
Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec Air Temperature °C 20 22 23 26 30 31 33 33 31 29 25 22 Water Temperature °C 22 21 22 23 25 26 27 28 27 27 25 24
All information contained herein is correct at the time of production. Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of this brochure, Egyptian Tourist Authority cannot be held liable for any inaccuracy, omission or alteration that may occur. 7T1107 24P P14A24 GB 7/05/07 14:46 Page 11
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Egyptian Tourist Authority Offices Worldwide
Head Office Cairo – es – P.Sutherland/Gettyimages (+202) 685 8105
Austria & Hungary (+43) 158 766 33
Belgium, Luxembourg & Netherlands (+32) 264 738 07
Canada (+1) 514 861 4420
China (+86) 108 447 5181
France (+33) 1 45 62 94 42
Germany (+49) 692 523 19
India (+91) 22 2218 95 43
Italy (+39) 064 874 219
Japan (+81) 335 89 06 53
Poland, Czech Republic & Slovakia (+48) 223 227 002
Russia & Ukraine images – www.linternaute.com/Martine Quéhen a/Corbis - Dex Stock – C.Lusardi/Diaporama K. Amsler/Diaporama D.Brandlet/Diaporama Digital Vision D.Torckler/Gettyimag (+7) 4951 344 083
Spain & Portugal (+34) 915 592 121
Sweden, Denmark, Finland & Norway (+46) 810 2548
Switzerland (+41) 313 112 210
Turkey & Greece (+90) 212 231 67 21
United Kingdom & Ireland (+44) 207 493 5283
USA (+1) 212 332 2570 T.Bernhard/Gettyimages – G.Douwna/Gettyimages J.Rotman/Gettyimages - A.Chicurel/Hemis.fr Iconotec Masterfile Photodisc T.Bernhard/Gettyimages DDB Travel & Tourism - 443 247 168 RCS Paris © D.Hammond/Corbis – A.Strack/Corbis – T. Bernhard/Corbis - Sea world of Californi - 443 247 168 RCS Paris © D.Hammond/Corbis – A.Strack/Corbis T. DDB Travel & Tourism