Scuba diving holidays in Sharm el Sheikh

Sharm sits at the southern end of the Sinai peninsula, and is a modern, bustling resort built totally on the back of the diving industry. A perfect location for divers of all levels of experience – from the first time diver to the expert, or for single divers, families and larger groups on their annual club trip. Sharm has it all!

A huge range of budget to exclusive 5* hotels are to be chosen from for shore based diving holidays, and Sharm is also home to a huge fleet of day boats. Luxury live-aboard cruisers that take you to the best dive sites in the Red Sea over 7 or 14 day itineraries are also based in this diving haven.

With few real beaches, the coral reefs come right up to the shoreline, and ‘house-reef' diving right from the hotel is a very popular option for those looking to learn to dive, or those seeking an informal and relaxed dive holiday.

Dropping off the jetty in front of your hotel is a real pleasure – straight into water that is warm, clear, and teeming with brightly coloured marine life of all types. Depth is not restricted, as the sea bed drops off within 20 metres of the jetty, and a 30m dive is easily achieved. Perfect, and you will be back in your hotel with a drink in hand within the hour!

The massive fleet of day boats, purpose built for diving, are located in the central harbour in Sharm, and they take hundreds of divers to the in-shore and off-shore reefs, the national marine reserve of Ras Mohammed, and to the spectacular wrecks, dependent upon your experience levels.

The day boats, as well as providing 2-3 dives per day (returning to the jetty at c. 4pm), a quality lunch and drinks on board and a chance to see dolphins, porpoises and flying fish on the surface, also provide the perfect platform for those completing their Open Water diving certification. With an average ratio of 1 instructor/guide to 5 divers, you couldn't be safer! We can even secure a private boat for you if you are diving in a large enough group.

The spectacular marine life the northern Red Sea has to offer is breathtaking – finding Nemo has never been easier, and the schools of brightly coloured fish surround you on every dive. The tiniest of creatures to the largest of reef inhabitants – Tuna, Grouper, Snapper and the sedate Napoleon Wrasse that can be the size of you and more – they are all there. Look closer into the reef and you will find banded coral shrimp, nudibranchs, and seeing glass fish stacks, and juvenile fish of all types hiding in the coral is excellent.

Don't leave without doing a night dive – simply amazing, and massively different to the daylight experience.

The world famous wrecks of SS Thistlegorm, Carnatic, Giannis D and Chrisoula K are all close by, and have to be dived. And don't forget the spilled cargo of the Jolanda in Ras Mohammed – it is quite surreal to see toilets and other sanitary-ware that were scattered across the reef before the ship found its final resting place, and makes an excellent photo opportunity!

Then there is the Straits of Tiran – Gordon, Jackson and Woodhouse reefs are large coral pinnacles in the main shipping lane where many a large ship has met their fate. With good currents for drift diving, spotting turtles, tuna, reef and hammerhead sharks and large eagle rays is often possible, so don't forget to keep an eye on the blue as well as experiencing the extremely healthy reefs in front of you.

Our partner in Sharm is the Red Sea Diving College – winner of ‘The Best Dive Centre' in the Diver Magazine awards for the last four consecutive years. With full ISO accreditation, and being one of PADI's highest level dive centres, whether you are looking to learn to dive, extend your education, or just dive, you are in the very best hands. Click here for more information and options.

Looking for something a bit more challenging? Why not consider a live-aboard safari, taking in the wrecks, reefs and islands in the Red Sea. Spend quality time on the wrecks, completing your second dive of the morning and enjoying a leisurely breakfast before the swarms of day boats arrive and turn the reefs into diver-soup! What could be better?