The Ultimate Red Sea Playground: Diving & Water Wonders
Sharm El-Sheikh’s global reputation was built on what lies just beneath the waves. The Red Sea here is a protected paradise, offering visibility that can exceed 30 meters and a thriving ecosystem that will astound you.
Ras Mohammed National Park: The Crown Jewel
At the southernmost tip of the Sinai, where the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba meet, lies Ras Mohammed National Park. This is, without exaggeration, one of the most famous and beloved diving areas on the planet.
This protected underwater Eden is a vertical wall of coral that drops into the deep. The park’s most famous sites, Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef, are a must-do. You’ll drift along a wall teeming with life, surrounded by massive schools of barracuda, snappers, and batfish. Look out into the blue for passing reef sharks, tuna, and, in the summer, the majestic whale shark. The reef is also famous for the scattered cargo of the Yolanda, a Cypriot freighter that sank in 1980—its cargo of bathroom fixtures (toilets, bathtubs) now makes for one of the world’s most unique underwater photo ops.
Tiran Island: A Legendary Strait
Situated in the narrow Strait of Tiran, this area is a collection of four legendary reef systems: Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas, and Gordon. These reefs are magnets for pelagic life. Strong currents, especially around Jackson Reef, bring in nutrient-rich water, attracting schools of hammerhead sharks (in season) and countless large sea turtles. This is a thrilling drift dive for more experienced divers, and the reefs themselves are pristine gardens of hard and soft coral.
The SS Thistlegorm: The World’s Greatest Wreck Dive
A journey into history, the SS Thistlegorm is consistently voted one of the top five wreck dives in the world. This 128-meter-long British WWII supply ship was sunk by a German bomber in 1941, taking its full cargo to the seafloor.
Discovered by Jacques Cousteau in the 1950s, it’s a submerged time capsule. Divers can explore its cargo holds and find a scene frozen in time: BSA motorcycles, Bedford trucks, armored vehicles, rifles, ammunition, spare parts, and even the crew’s personal effects like boots and teacups. It’s an awe-inspiring and humbling experience that tops the bucket list of divers everywhere.
Beyond the Scuba Tank: Snorkeling & More
You don’t need to be a diver to experience the magic!
- Snorkeling: Most hotels have their own “house reefs” accessible via a jetty. You can simply put on a mask and fins and be floating above a wonderland of colorful parrotfish, lionfish, and clownfish.
- Semi-Submarines & Glass-Bottom Boats: Perfect for families and non-swimmers, these excursions offer a “dry” view of the reefs from large underwater windows.
- Water Sports: The fun continues with parasailing, water skiing, and windsurfing, especially in the breezy Nabq Bay area.
