Isn’t Sharm El-Sheikh just for resorts and beaches? Well, yes and no. Sharm El-Sheikh is world-renowned for its all-inclusive resorts, but that is not to say that there is nothing else in Sharm. In fact, Sharm El-Sheikh is one of the best destinations in the world for scuba diving.
In this article, we will do a deep dive – quite literally – into the Sharm El-Sheikh diving scene, touching upon the best dive centers of the city, reputable dive shops, dive sites you cannot miss and hotels made for divers. In short, this article provides all the information you need for your first scuba diving trip to Sharm El-Sheikh.
Key Takeaways
- Sharm El-Sheikh is a top diving spot with easy access to famous sites like Ras Mohamed and the SS Thistlegorm wreck, offering vibrant coral reefs and diverse marine life.
- Getting to Sharm is simple with direct flights from major cities abroad and good local transport options, including buses and taxis.
- You can find dive centers for all skill levels, offering professional courses and equipment rentals, plus hotels and hostels suited for divers on any budget.
- Beyond diving, Sharm offers beautiful beaches, resorts, and nearby dive sites, making it a perfect place to relax and explore underwater wonders on your own schedule.
Table of Contents
The Best Hotels in Sharm El-Sheikh for Divers
Sharm El-Sheikh is one of the leading destinations in the world for scuba diving. And it just so happens to be a leading destination for hotels as well. Combine the two on your trip to Sharm El-Sheikh – at a price that suits your budget.
These are four hotels for divers in Sharm El-Sheikh at four drastically different price points:
Budget | Herrmes Hostel | starting from $ 10 per night | |
Dive Center | Camel Dive Club | starting from $ 89 per night | |
Comfort | Naama Bay Suites & SPA | starting from $ 360 per night | |
Luxury | Reef Oasis Blue Bay Resort | starting from $ 373 per night |
How to Get to Sharm El-Sheikh
For anyone headed to Sharm El-Sheikh from aboard, getting there is pretty straightforward. After all, the city has its own airport, the Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport. If you are entering Egypt through another airport or travelling the country already, this advice is for you.
This is how to get to Sharm El-Sheikh from other places around Egypt:
- Cairo: To get to Sharm El-Sheikh from Cairo you can either book a short domestic flight, book an overnight bus or hire a private transfer. The carrier AirCairo operates daily flight from Cairo International Airport (CAI) to Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport (SSH) from just $ 75 (or 65 €). For the overnight bus, we recommend travelling with GoBus. Ticket prices start from just 460 EGP.
- Dahab: Looking for a change of scenery after exploring all of Dahab’s iconic sites? Simply travel to Sharm El-Sheikh by bus. There are several bus companies doing daily routes in between the two, among them GoBus, Blue Bus and East Delta Bus, with ticket starting from just 270 EGP. Also, you can hire a direct transfer to your accommodation on a shared mini bus for around 800 EGP.
- Nuweiba: For those departing from a Bedouin Camp in Nuweiba, there are sporadic bus connections to Sharm El-Sheikh. For instance, a GoBus leaves from Nuweiba daily at 5 p.m. Tickets are priced at 290 EGP. For a more flexible transfer consider booking a private taxi. This option is more costly though. Expect to pay around 2,000 EGP for a taxi to Sharm El-Sheikh from Nuweiba.
- Taba: If you are travelling to Sharm El-Sheikh all the way from Taba, you can catch the same daily bus that also stops in Nuweiba and Dahab along the way. This GoBus connection departs from Taba Heights at 4 p.m. and costs 280 EGP in total. Yes, somehow it’s cheaper than booking from Nuweiba. For a private taxi from Taba to Sharm El-Sheikh you will pay more than 2,500 EGP.
Planning to leave Sharm El-Sheikh soon? Find out how to get from Sharm El-Sheikh to Dhaka four different ways in our detailed Sharm El-Sheikh Dahab transfer guide.
The Best Dive Centers in Sharm El-Sheikh for Padi Diving Courses
If you are planning to do any scuba diving in Sharm El-Sheikh, of course, you will want to find a reliable dive center to book courses, rent equipment and possible stay with. We went through the pains of finding the best dive centres in Sharm El-Sheikh already, so…
Here are the three best dive centers in Sharm El-Sheikh:
- Seamax Sharm Dive Center: Located in Naama Bay, the Seamax Sharm Dive Center really blows it out of the park when it comes to garnering positive reviews not only on Google, but also throughout Facebook groups. This dive center is best-known for its high-quality courses, boat diving trips and international instructors. Plus, currently you can ave 25% on your PADI Open Water there.
- Cinderella Eldawley Dive Center: Located close to Ampohoras Reef in Sharm’s Hadaba district, the Cinderella Eldawley Dive Center offers fast access to Sharm’s central dive sites, scores with small Cours groups and seems to be a little cheaper than the aforementioned Seamax Sharm Dive Center, with the PADI Open Water coming in at just $ 415 (or 360 €).
- The Wave Diving Center: Even further south in El Maya Bay, The Wave Diving Center is located the closest the Ras Mohamed and the SS Thistlegorm out of all dive centers here. The centre itself is a bit calmer than the other ones, helping it to score on group size for PADI courses, instruction quality and their professionalism in organising diving trips.
Where to Find Scuba Diving Equipment in Sharm El-Sheikh
Whether you are simply looking for snorkelling equipment for looking to replace part of your scuba diving equipment, you don’t have to worry about having something shipped in from abroad in Sharm El-Sheikh, if you know where to look.
These are three dive shops in Sharm El-Sheikh selling high-quality equipment at fair prices:
- Beyond Limits Egypt: In Naama Bay, Beyond Limits Egypt has long claimed the top spot as the best dive shop in the area, if not all of Sharm El-Sheikh. The store boasts a broad inventory of diving equipment from things as simple as goggles and fins to wet suits, dry suits and dive computers. Whatever you are looking for, the staff at this shop will know how to best help you.
- Scuba Zone Diving Shop: Located in the Old Market area, Scuba Zone Diving Shop might not be as famous as Beyond Limits yet, but it can sure hold its own when its comes to quality, service and prices. The store owner Ahmed pays lots of attention to service and the prices for scuba diving equipment regularly beat US and European pricing.
- Legend Dive Shop: Not too far from Scuba Zone, Legend Dive Shop has also made quite a name for itself. This shop also hosts a good variety of snorkelling and scuba diving equipment as well as simple accessories. Legend Dive Shop is a licensed dealer of Scubapro equipment and pays a lot of attention to consultations for in-store visitors.
The Best Local Dive Sites from Ras Mohamed to the SS Thistlegorm
In Sharm El-Sheikh there are three main areas for scuba diving: Sharm El-Sheikh proper, the Straits of Tiran and Ras Mohamed. Within each area, there are plenty of coral reefs and even wrecks to explore.
Without overcomplicating things these are the best diving destinations in and around Sharm El-Sheikh:
- Jackson Reef: If you can only do one dive in the Straits of Tiran, it would have to be the Jackson Reef. A fast drift diving site, this reef hosts just about any kind of fish you could wish to spot: hammerhead sharks, barracuda, tuna, jacks, you name it.
- Woodhouse Reef: The Woodhouse Reef is a popular drift dive in the Straits of Tiran that is known for its vibrant coral reefs, marine life and its high chances of spotting reef sharks, eagle rays and even turtles. Plus, it features the wreck of the Louilla, a ship that ran aground on the reef in 1981.
- Ras Umm Sid: Ras Umm Sid just off El Fanar Beach might just be the most easily accessible yet well-preserved reef dive site in Sharm El-Sheikh. Simply enter the reef via the jetty on the beach and start exploring its schools of fish morays, turtles and Gorgonian fans.
- Far Garden: Located right in front of the Reef Oasis Blue Bay Resort, the Far Garden is a shore dive that is easily accessible via a jetty. This garden reef is great for a leisurely snorkel sessions but also holds some potential for proper scuba diving.
- Shark Reef & Yolanda: Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are considered part of the Top 10 best dive sites in the world, for good reason. This drift dive for advanced divers offers the chance of spotting tons of fish in a dramatic scenery, all while combining it with the Yolanda ship wreck.
- SS Thistlegorm: Without a doubt, the SS Thistlegorm offer the best wreck dive around Sharm El-Sheikh. The ship was sunk in the course of World War II with all its military equipment and later rediscovered. Today, it serves as an amazing display of military history in the Red Sea.
Where to Stay in Sharm El-Sheikh as a Diver
Water sports aside for a second, let’s discuss where to stay during your diving trip in Sharm El-Sheikh. One might be tempted to stay at one of the all-inclusive resorts, and while that is an option, it is not the only one.
These are the best stay in Sharm El-Sheikh for divers:
- Dive Centers: For those looking to connect with fellow divers, a dive center in Sharm El-Sheikh might just be what they were looking for. In Sharm El-Sheikh there are several hotels with in-house dive centers at different price points, some of them being Camel Dive Club, Umbi Sharks Bay Diving Village and Oonas Dive Club.
- Hostels: While the name Sharm El-Sheikh doesn’t exactly scream ‘hostel’, you can still find some affordable hostel options dotted throughout the city. For instance, you can stay at Herrmes Hostel in El Hadaba from just $ 10 (or 9 €) per night, saving you lots of money you could spend n diving excursions instead.
- Hotels: For more comfort, you can also choose to stay in a hotel. While Sharm El-Sheikh is pretty resort-heavy, you can find some regular hotels, too. The Naama Bay Suites & SPA, for instance, is not only a great boutique-style hotel, but also offers a direct beach access in Naama Bay. Effectively, you are just a few steps away from the underwater world just off the coast.
- Resorts: If Sharm El-Sheikh is known for one more things apart from diving, it is its bustling resort scene, of course. Luckily for you, you can combine both very well. In fact, some resort hotels in Sharm El-Sheikh have exquisite coral reefs just off their private beaches, such as Far Garden right in front of the Reef Oasis Blue Bay Resort.
Dive Center | Camel Dive Club | starting from $ 89 per night | |
Hostel | Herrmes Hostel | starting from $ 10 per night | |
Hotel | Naama Bay Suites & SPA | starting from $ 360 per night | |
Resort | Reef Oasis Blue Bay Resort | starting from $ 373 per night |
Done Already? More Dive Sites in the Red Sea to Check Out
Have you ticked off all of the local sites or at least all of the ones you were interested in? Well, luckily for you, there is much more to be discovered in Egypt’s Red Sea.
If you are done in Sharm El-Sheikh, check out one of these dive sites on the Sinai Peninsula:
Blue Hole
If the Shark and Yolanda Reefs are the most famous dive sites of the Sinai Peninsula, the Blue Hole in Dahab is the most infamous one. This natural underwater sinkhole is located some 90 kilometres north of Sharm El-Sheikh right off the Red Sea coast.
The Blue Hole is renowned for its steep drop of about 100 meters and its underwater arch at around 55 meters that has become some kind of inofficial holy grail for underwater exploration. Explored by countless scuba divers and free divers, the Blue Hole has claimed many lives throughtout the years, but remains a highly popular and mostly safe diving destination.
Are you considering visiting the Blue Hole in Dahab? It’s easier than you think. In this article, you will find all the information you need to visit the Blue Hole from Sharm El-Sheikh.
Islands Dive Site
Our personal favourite dive site on the Sinai Peninsula is the so-called Islands Dive Site. The name is a reference to the dive site’s underwater ‘islands’ of corals rather than actual islands and the dive site is located just outside of Dahab, South Sinai.
The Islands Dive Site is a shore dive site that is easily accessible from the beach and both fit for snorkelling and scuba diving. Between the islands of corals that rise up from the sea floor seemingly endlessly, you may also be lucky to spot turtles and even dolphins.
The Islands Dive Site is not the only great snorkelling site in Dahab. Check out this article with all of Dahab’s best snorkelling sites to gather more inspiration.
Ras Abu Galoum
If you have made the trip to the Blue Hole in Dahab already, it might be worth it to go just a little more north. There, you will find Ras Abu Galoum. Ras Abu Galoum is a protected marine reserve north of Dahab that therefore offers pristine corals and marine life, among it eagle rays, barracuda and turtles.
To visit Ras Abu Galoum, you can take a boat directly from Dahab to the dive site. If you are looking t Mae away trip out of it, you might also want to consider making a stop at the Blue Lagoon, a serene lagoon north of Ras Abu Galoum that offers excellent windsurfing conditions.
Did we spark your interest? Find out how to visit Ras Abu Galoum and the Blue Lagoon without a tour.
The Bottom Line
Without wanting to flood you with too much new information around diving in Sharm El-Sheikh, we will leave you to it now.
With the introduction to Sharm El-Sheikh’s diving scene, you have all the tools you need to begin planning your diving trip to Sharm, no matter whether you are a beginner or an advanced diver. Now, you know where to book diving courses, where to buy equipment, where to dive and where to stay. What else are you waiting for then?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sharm El Sheikh good for diving?
Yes, Sharm El-Sheikh ist a great diving destination. In fact, Sharm El-Sheikh is one of the best diving destinations in the world offering access to serval leading dive site, among them the Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef in Ras Mohamed National Part.
What is the 120 rule in diving?
The 120 rule is one of the golden rules win scuba diving. According to this rule of thumb, your maximum depth and time spent at that depth should not surpass 120. If they do, you will have to make decompression stops on the way back up. Important: In this equation, the depth is measured in feet, not meters.
Is diving better in Sharm or Dahab?
When choosing between Sharm El-Sheikh and Dahab for diving, it really depends on the style of scuba diving you are looking for. Sharm El-Sheikh diving is great for boat dives, while Dahab is almost exclusively shore diving. In Sharm, you will get the Shark and Yolanda Reef, while in Dahab you will get the Blue Hole.
When can you dive in Sharm el Sheikh?
Generally, you can dive in Sharm El-Sheikh all year. Temperatures and visibility remain favourable year round, only requiring to make some changes to your equipment. The best seasons for diving in the Red Sea are spring and autumn, offering not only great conditions, but also increased marine life activity.
Hey! We are glad you are curious about travelling the Middle East.
We are Nancy & Elias.
Over four years of backpacking and digital nomading made us fall in love with the Middle East. We have lived on the Red Sea coast in Egypt, lived in a Bedouin Camp in Jordan and travelled 6+ Middle Eastern countries overland.
As we continue to travel, we share our battle-tested travels advice on this blog, from travel reports and transfer guides to accommodation recs and saving hacks.
