Beyonce Knowles spends time scuba diving in the Red Sea

During a well-deserved year off from work in 2010, Beyonce Knowles revealed that she enjoyed some quality time scuba diving in the Red Sea, spending time with family, and making regular trips to the ocean.

The 29-year old singer revealed that she loves to spend time by the sea because it makes her feel like a new person.

"I'm always happiest when I'm surrounded by water, I feel like a mermaid, I think I was a mermaid,” she said.

"The ocean makes me feel really small and it puts my whole life in perspective. It reminds me I'm a very little piece of this huge earth and it humbles me and grounds me .It makes me feel almost like I've been baptised and I'm born again when I get out of the ocean."

The R&B pop star is a successful international singer with hits including Crazy in Love, Halo, Single Ladies, and Deja Vu which features her famous rapper husband, Jay Z.

The self-proclaimed “workaholic” singer was urged by her mother to take a year off work. She said the time out from her demanding life enabled her to spend time with family and friends and enjoy scuba diving holidays in Egypt’s Red Sea coast.

She explained: "After I finished the last tour, I was a bit overwhelmed and overworked and my mother was the person who preached to me - almost harassed me - every day, saying, 'You really need to live your life and open your eyes, you don't want to wake up with no memories and never being able to see the world.'

"I never realised I needed a year off and I never realised I didn't know how to take a year off. I went scuba diving in the Red Sea and the coral was spectacular, it was unreal that something that beautiful exists and I was so close to it.”

She added: "I was in such a great peaceful state it inspired purity. I was able to spend time with my family and pick my nephew up from school and it gave me time to reflect and think about my life."

The Red Sea is a popular destination for scuba diving holidays in the Middle East and travellers from all over the world visit the region to explore the stunning coral reefs, wreck dives and incredibly rich marine life. Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada are amongst the top Red Sea resorts for scuba diving holidays in Egypt.