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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 snorkellers. Wrecks, colourful corals and big fish abound but it's the off-shore sites such as Daedalus, The Brothers & St. Johns, only reachable by dive liveaboards which can provide the ultimate thrill and the best experience.
Our Red Sea dive liveaboards offer a wide variety of itineraries to bring you to the best dive sites Egypt has to offer. 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 coloured 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 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 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 are dependent 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 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 snorkelling.
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 kilometres. 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.
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 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
Average rating | 9.2 |
---|---|
Available liveaboards | 71 |
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 |
Egypt Diving Reviews
- 9.2 Superb
- 503 Verified Reviews
Only great with liveaboard & good dive guides. I traied several dive centers and I didn´t like the diving exp even if it was the same spot. So your experience with diving in Egypt really depends with who u r going to dive.
Diving Egypt in March on the Amelie
Nice but would prefer different time of year as too cold for me end of Feb and wpuld like to spot sharks.
Diving Egypt in February on the Blue Horizon
All the dive sites were top-notch - stunning visibility and great variety of marine life: The current can be unpredictable in some areas and where we found ourselves fighting it it was slightly less enjoyable. Great opportunities for both coral and wreck dives at most sites which I really enjoyed. Don't have expectations of seeing any of the larger guys as this isn't guaranteed at all (only saw couple of sharks and dolphins on my trip). But otherwise you will see an impressive variety of marine life. The dive guides are great and will tailor to your level but I'd recommended for confident divers only - particularly due to currents and for all the wreck dives which were largely deeper or needing to get very enclosed to get the full experience. Less confident divers might struggle. Photographers dream. I understood it could get crowded at high season as many boats take the same route though my experience was around C19 so we were spoiled in that respect.
Diving Egypt in October on the Red Sea Aggressor II
This was my third trip but the first in nearly 10 years. Loved it - though I was hoping to see sharks on the Elphinstone trip. Really amazing corals though you can see some are bleaching, some were turning bright purple at the end of their life. Caves were amazing, reef life amazing, having the place s to ourselves - priceless.
Diving Egypt in November on the Al Farouk II
This was best yet. Thanks Aggressor & Scuba Adventure Fleet!
Diving Egypt in October on the Red Sea Aggressor II
I love to dive in the Red Sea, its so amazing and full of life. It’s heartbreaking to see the bleaching of the corals due to the increasing temperatures and general pollution
Diving Egypt in December on the Blue
Everything is safe! No tracks of corona! Always amazing to be here
Diving Egypt in December on the Enigma
Super convenient, good conditions, less divers, great marine life. Amazing trip.
Diving Egypt in December on the Golden Dolphin II
Excellent - my third trip so far
Diving Egypt in October on the Okeanos Xplorer
I was somewhat disappointed. I had seen pictures of beautiful colorful reefs and on our trip we saw very little of this. I was told the reefs are more to the south. Watch which direction your trip goes. I wished I had den some more research on this and made a better decision for such a long and expensive trip.
Diving Egypt in November on the Blue
As ever, excellent. That was not our first time
Diving Egypt in October on the Blue
Definitely will be back in Egypt again. It is a place for the different types of diving
Diving Egypt in October on the Red Sea Aggressor II
Great. The coral is healthy but not as colourful as Indonesia
Diving Egypt in August on the JP Marine
Very nice, we will strongly recommend it to our family and Friends
Diving Egypt in October on the Sea Serpent Grand
Nice as always. First time in Oktober. No sharks. Seems that the water temp rises and you can see coral bleeches everywhere. Not lots of makrostuff, but always dolphins and other great encounters.
Diving Egypt in October on the JP Marine
Great experience, will go again.
Diving Egypt in October on the Sea Serpent Excellence
Good value for the money but nothing exceptional. Maybe we weren't lucky this time.
Diving Egypt in September on the Golden Dolphin
Perfect with all the Fishes and the nice egyptian people n sceenery: I has a blast even without hot towels because of corona 🤗
Diving Egypt in October on the Red Sea Aggressor II
Great diving experience.
Diving Egypt in September on the Samira Discovery
Amazing.Dive locations,visibility and amazing sea life
Diving Egypt in September on the JP Marine
I had been put off going to egypt due to what I had heard about the number of boats there. However, due to COVID19, the Red Sea is VERY quiet, which means that we didn’t have to share dive sites with other boats!
Diving Egypt in September on the JP Marine
Alright - not my favourite, since marine life was (compared to places I've been) a bit scarce, but the corals were beautiful.
Diving Egypt in September on the Blue Pearl
It was the second time for us in Egypt and we enjoyed it a lot. We were there during corona which didn't affect us negatively at all as there were not a lot of other tourists around. But we defenitely hope that the situation will soon get a lot better, so Egypt can welcome a lot more guests again. We will defenitely come again!
Diving Egypt in August on the Sea Legend
Enjoyable, scenic, and relaxing
Diving Egypt in August on the Red Sea Aggressor II
amazing
Diving Egypt in March on the Amelie
Red Sea is always good choice. However cold wind this February made diving demanding. Especially when heating system was broken.
Diving Egypt in February on the Firebird
Great experience! Beautiful colorfull coral and complementary diving sites. Night dives were also very cool to do. We could even spot some dolphins and blue spotted rays. I recommend to all marine-lovers!
Diving Egypt in March on the Amelie
It was as expected really nice coral, beware of the season if you want to see big sharks and other big fishes.
Diving Egypt in March on the Samira Discovery
he north tour was really great. I really enjoyed the wrecks. Unfortunately, the fish abundance in Egypt is somehow becoming scarcer and the view is deteriorating more and more. in part we only had 10 meters of visibility
Diving Egypt in February on the JP Marine
Had a great time. Crew was fantastic.
Diving Egypt in March on the Red Sea Aggressor II
Lots too see but too early in year for some big stuff
Diving Egypt in March on the JP Marine
Brilliant
Diving Egypt in March on the Seawolf Felo
Diving in Egypt is great every time.
Diving Egypt in March on the Blue Horizon
Very good
Diving Egypt in March on the JP Marine
Egypt is a great place for diving, we saw a loot of different fish and the nature is quite intact. Sometimes it can be crowded on the dive spots.
Diving Egypt in March on the Amelie
as always very good dive sites
Diving Egypt in March on the Red Sea Aggressor II
Wonderful
Diving Egypt in March on the Red Sea Aggressor II
Beautiful... stunning... many fish and corals.. topography to die for 10/10
Diving Egypt in March on the JP Marine
Excellent.
Diving Egypt in February on the Samira Discovery
North is amazing but no big fish or sharks, for them go souther!!
Diving Egypt in February on the JP Marine
Great pleasure again.
Diving Egypt in February on the JP Marine
one of the best diving country
Diving Egypt in February on the Emperor Asmaa
Dives got better as the trip progressed.. water was cool.. timer of year was late February so to be expected... it is tough to complain about the diving but I was spoiled by the last trip to Raja Ampat... Still very good value for the trip. Egyptian crew were all hard working and friendly.
Diving Egypt in February on the Samira Discovery
Amazing wrecks, very colorful, abundance of marine life, especially small fishes
Diving Egypt in February on the Snefro Love
Great as usual
Diving Egypt in February on the Blue Horizon
Great, as expected
Diving Egypt in February on the Amelie
I loved diving in the Crystal Clear waters of the Red Sea.
Diving Egypt in January on the Amelie
Great!
Diving Egypt in December on the Blue Seas
Much more expensive than most places but very beautiful
Diving Egypt in January on the Amelie
Excellent
Diving Egypt in December on the Red Sea Aggressor II
We enjoyed diving and learning how to dive in this wonderful environment ( beautiful corals, fish, dolphins, Spanish dancer,..)
Diving Egypt in December on the Amelie
Was a real adventure and marine life is still great
Diving Egypt in December on the Grand Sea Serpent
I was really happy with the visibility, the clarity and all the colors and sea life.
Diving Egypt in December on the Red Sea Blue Force 3
Great, would definitely return on another occasion
Diving Egypt in December on the Red Sea Aggressor II
Great
Diving Egypt in December on the JP Marine
Fantastic
Diving Egypt in December on the JP Marine
Loved the wrecks, but marine life was a bit better in the south.
Diving Egypt in December on the Red Sea Aggressor II
Good. But a little bit cold during new year. And not big chance to see the hammerhead sharks.
Diving Egypt in December on the Blue
I have been diving Egypt this past year and it has been really wonderful. The experience and the variety of marine life I have encountered has been really spectacular.
Diving Egypt in December on the Emperor Echo
Excellent in terms of sites, reefs, wracks, nature, life under water
Diving Egypt in December on the JP Marine
Any words of advice is to go for the 5mm wetsuit. It gets cold.
Diving Egypt in December on the Snefro Love
Usually very good, it was a bit windy and cold in December though.
Diving Egypt in December on the Blue
This was the third time diving in Egypt - love it every time!
Diving Egypt in December on the Grand Sea Serpent
Good. Decent diving, good food, friendly staff.
Diving Egypt in December on the Blue Seas
as expected. good
Diving Egypt in December on the King Snefro 5
Many dives, professional and friendly crew, well organized alltogher.
Diving Egypt in December on the Snefro Love
The coral was in good condition, as one can expect from marine parks.
Diving Egypt in December on the Sea Friend
Excellent, will be back to try the southern route!
Diving Egypt in December on the Red Sea Aggressor II
Mi 2ndo viaje a Egipto y ya apunto a un 3er regreso a finales de 2020, sencillamente excepcional, relación calidad-precio y cercanía en vuelos lo hace un destino principal muy recomendable
Diving Egypt in December on the Amelie
always love it
Diving Egypt in December on the Amelie
great, I will repeat
Diving Egypt in December on the Vita Xplorer
It was beyond awesome!
Diving Egypt in December on the Red Sea Blue Force 3
One word, AMAZING!
Diving Egypt in December on the Red Sea Aggressor II
Really enjoyed; would love to come back for a more southern itinerary
Diving Egypt in November on the Emperor Superior
Overall the diving was great. Much healthier reef with more life than other places I have been.
Diving Egypt in November on the Red Sea Blue Force 3
Wonderful - would definitely recommend.
Diving Egypt in November on the JP Marine
Enjoyed the mixture of the north and the south with shark experience and wreck diving wonderful trip
Diving Egypt in November on the Firebird
Overall the experience was positive and I will go back to see the southern Red Sea again for sure.
Diving Egypt in November on the Emperor Superior
Since we were in Egypt for the last time in 2014, the livaboards improved especially in conservation and the safety while diving with Longimanus.
Diving Egypt in November on the Blue Pearl
Best diving I’ve ever done. Pretty much guaranteed big animals! In addition, the corals and smaller animals of the reefs could have justified the trip on their own. Will be back soon!
Diving Egypt in July on the JP Marine
Perfect place to do a liveaboard.
Diving Egypt in November on the Emperor Elite
This was a perfect mix of reef and wreck diving. The health of corals in the red sea is quite heartening and so is coral marine life. Larger fish is not very common though
Diving Egypt in November on the Red Sea Aggressor II
Egypt is always nice and the people are very freindly.
Diving Egypt in November on the Sea Serpent
Do a dive trip in the red sea! You won't regret it.
Diving Egypt in October on the Vita Xplorer
8/10 - would've liked more encounters with bigger fish, but seeing the vibrance of the Red Sea reefs was a treat
Diving Egypt in November on the Red Sea Blue Force 3
Will probably return at some point and I basically never return, it was that good!
Diving Egypt in November on the Al Farouk II
Can’t wait to visit again
Diving Egypt in October on the South Moon
I go to Egypt regularly, great diving :-)
Diving Egypt in October on the Freedom III
Love the place...that's why I keep coming back.
Diving Egypt in October on the Al Farouk II
Excellent
Diving Egypt in October on the Red Sea Adventurer
Best water, good views, Sometimes destroyed spots,
Diving Egypt in September on the Emperor Superior
Food could have been better, but dive sites are world class
Diving Egypt in September on the Golden Dolphin III
Very enjoyable
Diving Egypt in October on the Emperor Elite
Probably my best diving experience out of five in Egypt over the years.
Diving Egypt in September on the MY Odyssey Liveaboard
What a beautiful part of the ocean to dive in. Full of life and color
Diving Egypt in September on the Emperor Superior
Reliable conditions and reefs are in great shape
Diving Egypt in September on the Orion
We just came here for the liverboat. But we got to know very nice people, that told us a bit of the culture.
Diving Egypt in September on the Tillis
Good visibility and nice temperature
Diving Egypt in September on the King Snefro 5
In general very positive. The general impression of everyone on the tour (that have been there before) was that the numbers of the larger fish types has reduced in the previous years.
Diving Egypt in September on the Amelia Discovery
Good, lots of coral although not very colorful. Not as much fish as expected but overall nice dives.
Diving Egypt in September on the King Snefro 5