1 dive site within 1.5 kmArea photo
dive resort
Oonas Dive Club
Small hotel at the quiet north end of Naama Bay with its own PADI 5 Star dive centre, nitrox, gear rinse and storage, and a house reef off the beach.
Wrecks, walls and drifts from two towns
Diving in the Red Sea: Where to Stay in Sharm and Hurghada
Dive sites, places to stay and trips to book, in one place
14 dive sites mapped · 8 hand-picked stays
Where to stay in Egypt's Red Sea for diving
All 14 dive sites we map in Egypt's Red Sea are boat dives, so the distance to the reef matters less than being near your dive operator's dock. For the shortest trip, Oonas Dive Club is closest to a dive site: Near Garden, 1.4 km away.
Map of Egypt's Red Sea
Every dive site we map and every stay we picked. Pick a dive site to see the stays closest to it.
Pick a dive site
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Stay
Pick your dates in the map to see live prices in Egypt's Red Sea from the big booking sites.
Hand-picked stays for divers in Egypt's Red Sea
Picked for divers, sorted by how close they are to the dive sites
Photos show the area. View Deal opens the property's own photos.
Nearest dive site 2.1 kmArea photo
hotel
Marina Sharm Hotel
A dive center is based here, on the south corner of Naama Bay, two minutes' walk from the dive boat jetty.
Nearest dive site 2.2 kmArea photo
dive resort
Camel Dive Club & Hotel
Divers' hotel in the middle of Naama Bay with a PADI 5 Star dive centre; free nitrox for certified divers on pre-booked diving, and 38 rooms around a pool.
Nearest dive site 3.1 kmArea photo
hotel
Hurghada Marriott Beach Resort
A PADI 5 Star dive club runs from the resort's own marina, about 7 minutes from the airport.
Nearest dive site 4.0 kmArea photo
hotel
Hilton Hurghada Plaza
A dive center's Hurghada base is here, with a heated training pool and boats on the adjacent jetty; close to downtown El Dahar.
Nearest dive site 6.1 kmArea photo
dive resort
Sharks Bay Umbi Diving Village
Bedouin-owned dive village in Shark's Bay, closest of these to the Tiran reefs, with a PADI 5 Star centre, house reef, its own jetty and free nitrox on pre-booked packages.
Nearest dive site 7.8 kmArea photo
hotel
Hilton Hurghada Resort
All-inclusive resort with Divers' Lodge on its marina; nitrox, technical diving and a heated pool for training.
Nearest dive site 15.0 kmArea photo
hotel
Jasmine Palace Resort & Spa
Large beach resort south of Hurghada on the Sahl Hasheesh road with its own dive centre on the private beach, running courses through to wreck dives.
No hand-picked stays match those filters. The map above shows everything available.
The closest Egypt's Red Sea stay to a dive site, Oonas Dive Club at 1.4 km, ranks #22 of 58 across all our destinations. See every stay ranked by distance to the reef
Dive sites in Egypt's Red Sea
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Temple
BeginnerEasy local Sharm mooring dive around massive coral pinnacles in Ras Um Sid bay, with swim-throughs at 18 m and a crack in the main pinnacle from the 1995 earthquake. Currents are normally mild.
Closest stay: Marina Sharm Hotel 6.9 km
27.8473, 34.3088 -
Shaab El Erg (Dolphin House)
BeginnerHuge horseshoe-shaped reef north of Hurghada known for resident Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins. Suits all levels and non-divers.
Closest stay: Hilton Hurghada Plaza 18.2 km
27.4196, 33.8609 -
South Abu Ramada
BeginnerTerraced plateau and shallow wall at the south tip of Abu Ramada island, about 80 minutes from Hurghada, with a small wreck. Always sheltered, so it gets busy on windy days.
Closest stay: Hurghada Marriott Beach Resort 14.0 km
27.1585, 33.9790 -
Near Garden
IntermediateAbout 15 minutes by boat north of the Naama Bay jetty, a semi-drift along pinnacles and a steep slope with a big red anemone and a glassfish pinnacle. Current is strongest on the corner; mantas are possible in summer.
Closest stay: Oonas Dive Club 1.4 km
27.9083, 34.3476 -
Jackfish Alley
IntermediateGentle drift in Ras Mohammed that starts with a small cave swim-through in the wall, then a sandy alley between the reef and a plateau where white tip reef sharks rest. Rays are common on the sand.
Closest stay: Marina Sharm Hotel 18.4 km
27.7553, 34.2524 -
Carless Reef
IntermediateAbout an hour northeast of Hurghada, two pinnacles on a 12-17 m coral plateau famous for large, approachable moray eels. Exposed with no good mooring, so it is only dived in calm weather; currents are strong and variable.
27.3133, 33.9408 -
Shark and Yolanda Reef
IntermediateTwin reef peaks at the tip of Ras Mohammed, dived as a drift from Shark Reef's vertical wall to Yolanda, where the cargo of the Yolanda wreck (toilets included) lies at 15-18 m. Currents turn every which way; snappers, batfish and barracuda mass here, especially in July and August.
Closest stay: Marina Sharm Hotel 21.3 km
27.7252, 34.2589 -
Gordon Reef
IntermediateSouthern Tiran reef marked by the rusting Loullia wreck, with scattered oil barrels that hide octopus and stonefish. A sandy bowl called the Amphitheatre or Shark Pool at 22-25 m draws sharks, barracuda and jacks; current can pick up there.
Closest stay: Sharks Bay Umbi Diving Village 7.6 km
27.9845, 34.4532 -
El Mina Wreck
AdvancedEgyptian minesweeper sunk in 1970, lying on her port side just off Hurghada harbour with anti-aircraft guns and winches on the aft deck. Usually calm and the standard bad-weather backup; Advanced Open Water needed for the depth.
Closest stay: Hurghada Marriott Beach Resort 3.1 km
27.2252, 33.8472 -
Erg Somaya
AdvancedGiftun area site where a vertical wall gives way to a shelf carrying a coral erg, about 75 minutes from Hurghada. Best for experienced divers.
Closest stay: Hurghada Marriott Beach Resort 13.7 km
27.1988, 33.9828 -
Small Giftun
AdvancedWall south of the Giftun police station covered in huge gorgonian fans, with a 15-25 m plateau and a drop past 100 m. Current can be strong and often sets the plan; Napoleon wrasse, morays and turtles.
Closest stay: Hurghada Marriott Beach Resort 13.7 km
27.1862, 33.9823 -
North Abu Ramada
AdvancedPlateau sloping from 20 to 35 m into a wall, best as a drift when current runs from the north. Schools of barracuda and bigeye trevally, tuna and eagle rays, sometimes in groups of up to 12.
Closest stay: Hurghada Marriott Beach Resort 14.1 km
27.1735, 33.9845 -
Jackson Reef
AdvancedNorthernmost of the four Straits of Tiran reefs, with a sheltered southwest slope and a fast drift along the east wall in 1 to 4 knots of current. Scalloped hammerheads show up in summer, most reliably August to October.
Closest stay: Sharks Bay Umbi Diving Village 10.4 km
28.0062, 34.4716 -
SS Thistlegorm
AdvancedBritish WWII freighter sunk in October 1941 in the Strait of Gubal, with trucks, motorbikes, rifles and Wellington boots still in the holds and a steam locomotive off each side. Advanced Open Water is the minimum; current can reach 2 knots.
27.8146, 33.9202
No dive sites match these filters.
The water here averages 22.7 °C (73 °F) in March and 29.2 °C (85 °F) in August. Red Sea water temperature by month, with the wetsuit for each month
Dives and trips to book in Egypt's Red Sea
Top-rated on Viator. Each rating is that trip's own, with the month we checked it.
Pyramids Diving Center
Discover Scuba Diving in Sharm el Sheikh
See dates and prices
Aquarius Diving Club
Two-dive boat day from Hurghada
See dates and prices
Pirates Dive Club
Two boat dives from Sharm el Sheikh
See dates and prices
Tourex Egypt
Ras Mohammed and White Island boat day
See dates and pricesViator
All scuba dives in Egypt's Red Sea
Compare guided dives, courses and boat trips in Egypt's Red Sea, with reviews and free cancellation on most.
See all on ViatorAbout diving in Egypt's Red Sea
Egypt's northern Red Sea is boat diving from two bases. From Sharm el Sheikh, day boats leave Naama Bay for the walls and drifts of Ras Mohammed and the Straits of Tiran, and the Thistlegorm wreck is a long early-start day trip. Hurghada, across the Gulf of Suez, has calmer island reefs around Giftun and Abu Ramada and is the usual port for the week-long northern wreck liveaboards. Bring Advanced Open Water if you want the Thistlegorm or the deeper wrecks, and pack a thicker wetsuit in winter, when the water drops to about 22 C.
How the Caribbean destinations compare, by stay-to-reef distance and water temperature: Best Caribbean diving
Planning questions answered from these maps: Field notes
- Water
- 23-29 °C
- Visibility
- Around 20 m is typical in the Straits of Tiran; 15-25 m on the Thistlegorm, and 25-35 m reported at Jackson Reef.
- Best months
- Year-round. Water is coolest in February (about 22 C, a 5 mm suit may be needed) and warmest in August (about 28 C). April to November gives the most reliable seas for Thistlegorm day trips; hammerheads at Jackson Reef mostly August to early October, mantas on Sharm sites March to June.
Diving Egypt's Red Sea: common questions
Where should I stay in Egypt's Red Sea for diving?
All 14 dive sites we map in Egypt's Red Sea are boat dives, so the distance to the reef matters less than being near your dive operator's dock. For the shortest trip, Oonas Dive Club is closest to a dive site: Near Garden, 1.4 km away.
What kind of diving does Egypt's Red Sea have?
We map 14 dive sites in Egypt's Red Sea, all reached by boat. 3 are rated beginner, 5 intermediate and 6 advanced.
What is the best time of year to dive Egypt's Red Sea?
Year-round. Water is coolest in February (about 22 C, a 5 mm suit may be needed) and warmest in August (about 28 C). April to November gives the most reliable seas for Thistlegorm day trips; hammerheads at Jackson Reef mostly August to early October, mantas on Sharm sites March to June. Water temperature is 23-29 °C. Visibility: Around 20 m is typical in the Straits of Tiran; 15-25 m on the Thistlegorm, and 25-35 m reported at Jackson Reef..
Are there dive sites for beginners in Egypt's Red Sea?
Yes. Beginner-rated dive sites in Egypt's Red Sea include Temple, South Abu Ramada and Shaab El Erg (Dolphin House).
What should divers know before diving Egypt's Red Sea?
US State Department: Egypt is Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution
The US State Department advises travelers to "Exercise increased caution in Egypt due to terrorism, crime, and health" (advisory dated July 14, 2025). It lists "Resorts" and "Tourist sites" among places where "Terrorists may attack with little or no warning," and notes that "Egyptian authorities generally offer effective security protection." Level 4, Do Not Travel, applies to "The Northern and Middle Sinai Peninsula," to the Western Desert unless traveling with a professionally licensed tour company, and to Egyptian border areas. The advisory does not name Sharm el Sheikh, South Sinai or the Hurghada coast separately. Separately, Sharm dive centres charge a mandatory national park fee of 7 euros per person per day on boat trips (Camel Dive Club price list).
Source: US Department of State
Are there liveaboards from Egypt's Red Sea?
Yes. Hurghada round trip, 7 nights: Reefs and Wrecks (Shaab El Erg, Abu Nuhas, Thistlegorm, Ras Mohammed, Straits of Tiran), also North and Easy (May to September); Hurghada round trip, 7 nights: Reefs and Wrecks, northern wrecks including Thistlegorm plus Ras Mohammed and Tiran.