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Liveaboard Diving in Egypt
Scuba diving in Egypt's Red Sea invigorates divers as they navigate spectacular reefs, millions of brilliantly-colored fish and corals, or historical wrecks.
Liveaboard diving in the Egyptian Red Sea is spectacular; the land is known for its ancient history - Pharaohs and Pyramids but is also a mecca for scuba divers and snorkelers. Wrecks, colorful corals, and big fish abound, but the off-shore sites such as Daedalus, The Brothers & St. Johns, only reachable by dive liveaboards, can provide the ultimate thrill and the best experience.
Our Red Sea dive liveaboards offer various itineraries to bring you to Egypt's best dive sites. Departing on a Sharm el Sheikh Liveaboard or Hurghada Liveaboard means you can dive into history at the wrecks of the SS Thistlegorm and Abu Nuhas combined with the stunning reefs in the Ras Mohammed Marine Reserve and the Straits of Tiran.
From Hurghada or Port Ghalib, our Red Sea liveaboards bring you to the Brothers Islands to offer amazing dive tours, most famous for their multitude of shark action, brightly colored corals, and anthias. You could spend a week at the Brothers Islands alone, but a 'Simply the Best' route to the Brothers, Daedalus, and Elphinstone provide the opportunity to see Manta rays, Oceanic white tip sharks, and the wonderful Anemone City. Some liveaboard dive safaris also stop at Marsa Alam, where dugongs can be sighted. Explore the Deep South from Port Ghalib (Marsa Ghalib) with a dive safari to Fury Shoals, St Johns reefs, or Rocky and Zabargad. Dive sites vary from steep walls to caverns and wrecks, with plenty of pelagic action to be expected. The best Egypt liveaboards make it possible to dive into these magnificent areas all year round though itineraries offered may vary with the seasons.
Liveaboard Dive Trips in Egypt
LiveAboard.com hosts a wonderful variety of over 60 different liveaboard boats. Most of our boats are MV's motor vehicle yachts ranging from 22 meters to 40 meters in length. Our boats can host anywhere from 10 to 26 divers depending on the liveaboard yacht, with a choice of budget-friendly up to luxury liveaboard. Electricity and internet connections are sometimes available but are subject to additional fees depending on the boat.
Guests usually arrive the day or night before the departure from the port. The boats tend to depart from the ports very early in the morning so that guests can immediately enjoy their first 'check dive' with their dive guides on a shallow, current-free, yet stunningly beautiful reef dive, and can then expect 3-4 dives per day usually. The Red Sea is renowned for its incredible underwater visibility and lush wildlife. It is very rare to be disappointed with any dive site in Egypt.
The check dive will allow the dive guide to gauge the experience and comfort level of the group and individual divers. This information will help the captain and crew to choose the best dive sites suited to the guests and the current weather conditions.
Guests can ask to visit specific dive sites, and most boat captains will do everything they can to oblige. Liveaboard itineraries are subject to various unpredictable changes, including weather conditions. All dives, and especially some wreck dives, are subject to divers experience and weather permitting. Liveaboard itineraries depend on the Egyptian government, coast guard, and/or marine police approval. Every effort is made, but liveaboards cannot guarantee diving at specific dive sites. The final decision lies with the captain and guide. Safety always comes first!
Dive Sites and Areas of Egypt
FURY SHOALS is located in Southern Egypt; this area is best reached by a liveaboard boat from Marsa Alam. This magnificent dive site has some of the most beautiful reefs in the Red Sea.
DAEDALUS is an amazing reef about 90 km southwest of Marsa Alam and is accessible by liveaboard boats. It surrounds a very small island with a lighthouse on it to warn passing boats that the water is very shallow. The reefs there are close to the surface and so offer a huge variety of wildlife in the extra-warm water. Perfect for diving and snorkeling.
ABU NUHAS, or Shaab Abu Nuhas reef, is in the Shadwan Channel, just off the northern coast of Shadwan Island. There are 5 shipwrecks excellent for wreck diving.
RAS MOHAMMED MARINE RESERVE is an underwater national park at the southern extreme of the Sinai Peninsula near Sharm el Sheikh. Completely protected from fishing and commercial activity, its reefs are glorious and untouched.
ELPHINSTONE reef is a 400-meter cigar-shaped reef located in the southern Red Sea, close to Marsa Alam. It was named after Admiral George Elphinstone, a 19th-century British naval commander. Elphinstone Reef is about 7 miles from the shore so it's best reached by liveaboard cruise.
ST JOHNS reefs are far removed from the coast of Egypt, not far from the Sudanese border. The St. Johns reefs cover an area of more than 290 square kilometers. This dive area can only be reached by liveaboard but is more than worth the trip.
THE BROTHERS Islands are two small islands in the Red Sea near Egypt. The islands are Big Brother and Small Brother Island. Big Brother has a lighthouse on it, and Small brother is located just under 1 mile to the south. The best way to reach the Brother Islands is by liveaboard cruise.
STRAITS OF TIRAN are located in Northern Egypt at the beginning of the Gulf of Aqaba and is one of the best dive areas in Egypt. Four amazing dive sites, Jackson Reef, Woodhouse Reef, Thomas Reef, and Gordon Reef, make diving here on a liveaboard trip very special.
SALEM EXPRESS was a passenger ferry that was caught in a storm on the 17th of December, 1991. She was in transit from Mecca when the bow was breached, and the vessel sank so quickly that many passengers were unable to escape in time. Those who dive it report feeling moved by the experience of visiting this underwater monument to those who lost their lives that day.
When to go
The best time to dive in Egypt is all year-round. With depths ranging from 5 meters (15 feet) to depths limited to recreational divers to even deeper dives for technical divers and visibility ranging from 15 meters (50 feet) to 70 meters (230 feet), Egypt diving season knows few limits. But be sure to take note of the currents, which could make for nice drift dives when planned properly. The water temperature in Egypt's Red Sea is 21 degrees Celsius (70 Fahrenheit) at its coldest and 30 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) at its warmest, which is like a soak in a bathtub of luxury with great visibility and underwater life.
Tips For Travellers
Minimum logged dives are required by some Red Sea liveaboards or on certain itineraries. Ensure you bring along your dive certification card and proof of dive experience (log books). Check dives are common on liveaboards and are often held on the first day.
The Red Sea is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world, so adjusting your weights to compensate for greater buoyancy will be necessary.
The official language of Egypt is Egyptian Arabic, but English is widely spoken by crew and guides on most liveaboards. The main currency is the Egyptian Pound, but Euros, UK Pound Sterling and US dollars are widely accepted or easily exchanged also.
Electricity voltage runs at 220-240 volts; the standard socket is an EU-style two-pin. Remember to bring plug adaptors for your electrical gadgets. A step-down transformer will be required for appliances that normally operate on 110-120volts (USA/Canada), to avoid serious damage. This will convert 220/240-volt electricity to 110/120 volts.
How to get there & Ports of Departure
Cairo is the main airport city of Egypt. But there are other airports closer to the liveaboard departure points. Marsa Alam airport, Sharm El Sheikh airport, and Hurghada airport are the principal airports for liveaboard departures in Egypt.
There are many direct flights to these locations from all over the world. But many more flights will connect to the Cairo airport before flying to the final destinations.
Upon arrival to Egypt, all guests must pay an entry visa of $25.00 to the Egypt immigration service. Some liveaboards offer free transfers from the airport or hotel as a part of the liveaboard package deal.
However, when transfers are not included in the price, visitors can expect airport transfers to range from $10.00 to $70.00, depending on the airport and departure port.
SAFAGA PORT is a port town in Egypt and often the departure point for liveaboard cruises. Many dive sites are accessible from Safaga like Panorama reef, Salem Express, Gassous Bay and many more. The nearest arrival/departure airport to Safaga is Hurghada International.
HURGHADA is located on the Egyptian mainland at the mouth of the Gulf of Suez. It is the main gateway for liveaboard trips to both the northern and southern sections of Egypt's Red Sea. Hurghada has its own International airport for liveaboard departures from this area.
SHARM EL SHEIKH is located on the Sinai Peninsula and overlooks the Straits of Tiran at the southernmost tip. Renowned for its beautiful reefs and vibrant nightlife, it is a major tourist destination, liveaboard launch point and has its own International airport.
MARSA ALAM (Port Ghalib/Marsa Ghalib) is a town in south-eastern Egypt renowned for its beautiful sandy beaches. Sea turtles are extremely common near Marsa Alam so if you love diving with turtles, this is the place to visit. Flights are available directly to Marsa Alam International airport for liveaboard departures from this area.
Considerations
There are also various marine park fees per person per day to consider. Some liveaboard boats will include these fees in the package while others will require guests to pay onboard. These fees are paid onboard the boat and may be paid by Visa, Mastercard, cash or travelers checks if they are not already included in the package deal (Please check what option is best for your chosen liveaboard).
Extra Marine Park Fees may be payable onboard for some liveaboard trips.
When travelling abroad most countries will require you to have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after entering the country and also a return ticket to leave. Please ensure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the date you intend to enter. It's recommended that you check well in advance to arrange any necessary visa requirements for the country you intend to visit. See www.mfa.gov.eg for further information.
Please contact your doctor around 8 weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations or other preventative measures. Make sure you arrange comprehensive travel/medical insurance before you travel.
Good to know
Available liveaboards | 71 |
---|---|
Average № of dives / day | 3 to 4 |
Price range (per day) | US$ 72 - US$ 195 1 |
Best time to visit | All year round |
Average water temperature | 21°C (min.) - 30°C (max.) |
Main airports near diving destinations | Marsa Alam airport, Sharm El Sheikh airport and Hurghada airport |
1 Based on starting price for regular trips of 8 days, may vary due to different factors (availability, exchange rate, etc.). For indicative purposes only, no rights can or may be derived from this information. |
Egypt Diving Reviews
- 9.1 Superb
- 1063 Verified Reviews
not bed but diving in Indonesia or Philippines much better
Diving Egypt in January on the Blue Melody
It was my first time and all the connections from Cairo to Port Ghalib went perfectly and I loved the Egyptian hospitality !
Diving Egypt in February on the Turquoise
I would say average at best. I would not dive the Red Sea again due to the cost and travel time for the United States.
Diving Egypt in May on the Emperor Elite
I was under impressed. Each dive site was crowed with 6 to 8 other boats.
Diving Egypt in May on the Sea Dragon
Too many boats, too many divers. No more sharks. I dived here in 1994,2000, and 2008. Red Sea was really too damaged now
Diving Egypt in May on the Discovery II
Too much beauty to describe in words, needs to be seen with your own eyes
Diving Egypt in June on the Sea Serpent Excellence
Reefs are wonderful, marine interactions limited due to paucity of marine life
Diving Egypt in June on the Emperor Elite
It was okay. I would definitely go see Thistlegorn again. The reefs were okay, but not spectacular enough for a revisit.
Diving Egypt in July on the Snefro Pearl
The locations that we dove at there were not very many fish. where I live in Thailand we have a lots and lots of sea life. However, the coral was absolutely beautiful and the water was extremely clear visibility 30 m plus.
Diving Egypt in October on the Hammerhead I
Overall the diving was great. Some sites had less than great visibility but overall great
Diving Egypt in October on the Nouran
Great as far as conditions and viz but other locations have healthier reefs and pelagics as well
Diving Egypt in October on the JP Marine
It could have been rewarding if there had been any large animals present during the first week in November, but there were not.
Diving Egypt in October on the Blue Horizon
Good but the coral seems to be stressed
Diving Egypt in November on the Seawolf Dominator
We loved it. Consistently great visibility. Very healthy reefs. Very nice people. Definite bucket list area!
Diving Egypt in November on the Emperor Elite
Unique location because of all the wrecks.
Diving Egypt in November on the Ghazala Explorer
唯一的遗憾就是水温太高了 没有看到传说中的锤头鲨风暴……
Diving Egypt in September on the JP Marine
Not as good as it could be. Shark season starts later on the year and making this itinerary on early March measn that your chances for shark encounters are extremely low. I´m sure that if you go on May or later in the year diving and shark encounters will be fantastic
Diving Egypt in March on the Alia
Good visibility, amazing colours and abundance of life, I expected to see more sharks and turtles but maybe that's only a bit of bad luck.
Diving Egypt in March on the Freedom III
Amazing, coral reef still very healthy, with a lot reef fishes everywhere, we also saw thresher shark, hamerheads, longuimanus, manta, and many Dolphins.
Diving Egypt in March on the JP Marine
The Red Sea is amazing, but in the south of Egypt people are not as amazing and friendly
Diving Egypt in March on the Blue Seas
I enjoyed the variety of reefs, marine life, and the wrecks. For the 'bigger things' (Mantas, Sharks, etc.) do the South itinerary in September - November.
Diving Egypt in April on the Discovery II
Overall, Sharm has little to offer on the shore that feels unique and good value for money; but our time at sea was a clear contrast —- pleasurable, exciting, safe, comfortable and very beautiful.
Diving Egypt in April on the Snefro Pearl
Very good diving, particularly the night dives.
Diving Egypt in April on the Discovery I
Love the Red Sea, the fish life in the Maldives may be more spectacular but the coral, sort & hard are a sight to behold.
Diving Egypt in April on the Alia
Wonderful and easy!
Diving Egypt in April on the Emperor Elite
Good dive sites, a lot of wrecks, sharks, dolphins
Diving Egypt in April on the Thunderbird
No wonder it is one of the best ( if not the best) diving places in the world
Diving Egypt in April on the Snefro Pearl
Fantastic visibility, exciting drift dives and I can't wait to go back!
Diving Egypt in April on the Ghazala Explorer
Very good. Warm water. Good Visibility, easy dives sites, excellent refresher after a while since diving
Diving Egypt in April on the Amelie
Very pleased. The reefs are incredible and there are many exciting wrecks in the north. A bit colder than expected, definitely bring proper exposure!
Diving Egypt in April on the Ghazala Explorer
Great experience. The water temperature still cold in april/may. I would came back soon , but in July/August, when the water gets warmer.
Diving Egypt in April on the Snefro Pearl
Love it! I'm there 4 times a year already. People, climate, cost and diving experience itself is nothing short of superb
Diving Egypt in April on the Amelie
Wrecks were the highlight, esp. SS Thistlegorm. The coral life is very good, but not very interesting marine life.
Diving Egypt in April on the Red Sea Aggressor II
good visibility
Diving Egypt in May on the Ghazala Explorer
Superb, great visibility and sealife
Diving Egypt in May on the Amelie
With cheap good food and busy streets, you can get a taste of Egypt before and after your liveaboard, I will be back!
Diving Egypt in May on the Tillis
I loved it and I will surely repeat in the future. The only drawback is the security controls at the airport when we leave, which are redundant and extremely annoying.
Diving Egypt in May on the Tillis
The Red Sea is an amazing place to dive. Especially for Europeans, it is the best you can get in relatively short travelling distance. Though I didn't really liked the city of Sharm El-Seikh (really commercial, only resorts and quite artificial), the Red Sea is amazing and the real highlight.
Diving Egypt in May on the Snefro Love
Fantastic diving, spoilt for the reefs, even without seeing the big stuff you will have a great experience. Some of the best diving.
Diving Egypt in May on the Discovery II
Very good, great marine life but no sharks. Very busy overall.
Diving Egypt in May on the Snefro Pearl
Very good, reef conditions are great! However, no sharks...
Diving Egypt in May on the Snefro Pearl
As expected, world-class underwater fauna and flora. Wonderful experience on the boat and underwater is strongly contrasted by the corrupt and sketchy situations happening on land.
Diving Egypt in May on the Discovery I
Diving in Red sea is always nice. And for the Europeans, it is the best price-reward ratio.
Diving Egypt in May on the JP Marine
Nice reefs and fish. But dive sites are incredibly crowded. I will return but only for the wrecks.
Diving Egypt in May on the Discovery II
Loved our diving experience in Egypt, wonderful clear waters and much to see and explore
Diving Egypt in May on the Freedom III
If you do not mind having many other divers at the same dive site Red Sea diving is very rewarding - especially for the healthy corals (soft, hard) which are very colorful. If you want to see pelagic you need to go to the far south of the Red Sea.
Diving Egypt in May on the Snefro Pearl
The diving was good, just getting out of the country was a nightmare and airport staff so rude and ignorant! Completely opposite to the boat crew who could not do enough for you.
Diving Egypt in May on the Emperor Superior
Very hot but amazing in the water
Diving Egypt in June on the Red Sea Blue Force 2
Excellent visibility and healthy reefs
Diving Egypt in June on the Ghazala Explorer
The reefs are beautiful, every site we visited was amazing. Warm water in June (min temp 26C I didn't wear a suit although others did)
Diving Egypt in June on the Amelie
4th time diving in Egypt is as allways, very good.
Diving Egypt in June on the Amelie
Great viz, warm waters, stunning wrecks and loads of marine life.
Diving Egypt in June on the Red Sea Aggressor II
Very Healthy Corals overall
Diving Egypt in June on the Sea Dragon
Great experience, friendly people
Diving Egypt in June on the Discovery I
Starting from airport to boat and then back to airport at the end of the trip, all went well without any problems! The weather and sea temperature was amazing. Sea temperature was around 28C between 10-17 June.
Diving Egypt in June on the Tillis
Decreasing over the 9 years I have been going there.
Diving Egypt in June on the Amelie
Overall good, plenty of small marine life but missing big marine life.
Diving Egypt in June on the Snefro Pearl
Coral was beautiful but would have been nice to get out the shallows.
Diving Egypt in July on the Sea Dragon
It was great! We didn't see as many sharks as we were hoping for, but there was plenty of other life to see.
Diving Egypt in July on the Discovery II
warm clear waters, healthy coral and marine life
Diving Egypt in July on the Sea Serpent Contessa
Fantastic. The corals and wrecks and sea life were all new to us and wonderful to see.
Diving Egypt in July on the Red Sea Aggressor II
Lovely dives, no current but visibility wasn’t that great but I was July 29-August 5th, water 30 degrees
Diving Egypt in July on the Dolce Vita
I loved it
Diving Egypt in August on the Tala
Recommend it to anybody, the Red Sea is very rich in biodiversity
Diving Egypt in August on the Discovery II
Rode Zee is mooi om te duiken. Vele duikstekken,de ene wat moeilijker dan de andere... Mooie koralen,minder groot leven
Diving Egypt in August on the JP Marine
Love the place, people are great, weather is great and it's on our doorstep from the UK
Diving Egypt in August on the Discovery I
So far the best liveaboard !
Diving Egypt in August on the Discovery I
Excepcional. Repetiré sin duda. Muy aconsejable. Diversión y aventura garantizados.
Diving Egypt in August on the Blue Seas
Most of the reefs were very healthy and full of life
Diving Egypt in August on the Discovery II
Diving great, but airports and flights chaotic
Diving Egypt in August on the Alia
The strong winds prevented us from diving on some wrecks but the crew did put us onto other dives in challenging conditions which added to the satisfaction
Diving Egypt in August on the Ghazala Explorer
Warm water and relatively good visibility but not as many fish and coral bleached but the formations were very different and interesting
Diving Egypt in August on the Discovery I
Very good
Diving Egypt in August on the Snefro Pearl
Very good
Diving Egypt in September on the Discovery II
Nice easy diving - warm water, manageable current.
Diving Egypt in September on the SS Serena Dreams
Lots of fish but sadly many corals are dying due to high water temperature
Diving Egypt in September on the Blue Seas
challenging, even for an experienced diver (over 400 dives), but fascinating
Diving Egypt in September on the JP Marine
Wonderful with consistent water temperature of 30 C, reasonable good visibility and lots of healthy coral. Nice experience.
Diving Egypt in September on the Tillis
Overall I was really happy with the diving. I definitely recommend liveaboard diving as the reefs closer to land looked more damaged. The reefs further out looked healthy and teeming with life. I will definitely be back.
Diving Egypt in September on the Blue Seas
Rarely big fish, but plenty of beautiful things
Diving Egypt in September on the JP Marine
Really enjoyed the Egyptian people and the diving. Will explore more of Egypt in the future.
Diving Egypt in October on the Blue Storm
We were happy with our first liveaboard in egypt.
Diving Egypt in October on the Sea Dragon
Good as always. The reefs are in good shape, very colorful with a large variation of corals. The chances to encounter shark makes it always interesting.
Diving Egypt in October on the Tillis
Very nice reefs and a lot of fishes
Diving Egypt in October on the JP Marine
Much less chaotic than I'd imagined. In fact, everything went very smoothly. Our hotel was good. The transfers were all on time. And we didn't experience any unpleasantness.
Diving Egypt in October on the Tillis
Some of the best diving I’ve done. Full of life, the corals are super healthy and there’s fish everywhere at all times
Diving Egypt in October on the Sunshine
The coral was very good on the whole in the sites we visited, but some areas were bleached and damaged.
Diving Egypt in October on the Sea Dragon
Great, nice waters, lot of fishes
Diving Egypt in October on the Sea Dragon
Very bad. Too many liveaboards at the dive spots. Never more.
Diving Egypt in October on the JP Marine
Generally, the amount of divers are increasing every year - especially at Elphinestone and Daedalus. Due to the warm water no hammerhead schools. Often limited visibility in the water. Egypt is still a good price/adventure ratio, with luck, everything can be met in the Red Sea.
Diving Egypt in October on the Sunshine
I loved the diversity of colors of the corals. Diving is easy and fun
Diving Egypt in October on the Ghazala Explorer
Excellent, water temperatures were comfortable. Visibility was very good and good variety of marine life and reefs to look at.
Diving Egypt in November on the Tillis
Very good experience, reefs especially in the south are very healthy
Diving Egypt in November on the Discovery I
Extremely enjoyable, diving top class & made to feel very welcome. Very calm & organized.
Diving Egypt in November on the Red Sea Blue Force 2
Nice weather, clear and warm water, unpredictable nice dive spot at the end of trip close to port ghalib with huge turtles.
Diving Egypt in November on the Sea Serpent Excellence
Egypt continues to be excellent value for money diving (when travelling from the UK) with lovely reeds and people. Sadly this bit (probably everything North of Hurghada?) is now lacking a lot of the megafauna and reef fish that you could have seen 10-15 years ago. South and into the centre (Brothers etc) is still good but obviously more challenging and more expensive.
Diving Egypt in November on the Sea Dragon
SS Thisltegorm amazing, rest of the dives were good but lacking marine life, specially bigger stuff
Diving Egypt in November on the Snefro Pearl
Really good as mentioned, but if you like big staff then choose southern route
Diving Egypt in November on the Snefro Pearl
Egypt is a lovely place to dive! Not as much fish and large things as in other places, but the corals are very nice.
Diving Egypt in November on the Seven Seas
I had a great time - really enjoyed it, saw many eels, rays and dolphins with a plethora of other nudibranchs and fish!
Diving Egypt in November on the Sea Dragon