Thursday March 28th, 2024
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7 Epic Diving Spots in Egypt

Egypt has a veritable treasure-trove of gorgeous diving sites, probably more so than any other country on Earth. Here are seven of the most beautiful…

Staff Writer

Complain as we might about Egypt and its myriad problems, as soon as you actually exit the confines of Cairo, we have a damn gorgeous country. Screw the Bahamas, we have some of the most beautiful beaches ever, and when it comes to diving, we dominate. Take that Bahamas (sorry, we're finally the best at something and it's gotten us unusually excited). Anyway, in our new and improved state of loving Egypt, here are the best seven spots in Egypt to go diving, whether it's for a crazy rainbow of coloured corals, the incredible marine life, or sunken shipwrecks.

Anemone City in Ras Mohamed, Sharm el Sheikh

Photo courtesy of Carlo Nardinocchi

Ras Mohamed in general is like a diver's wet dream. It has plenty of dive sites, but Anemone City (clearly better than Cairo city) is a serious technicolour wonderland, with dense colonies of the underwater flowers creating an incredible scene somewhat akin to a nice non-drug-induced acid trip. It's also home to thousands of clownfish (aka Nemo), so, yeah, Nemo? Found.  

Eel Garden, Dahab

Photo courtesy of redseadiversintl.com

THOSE POOR UNFORTUNATE SOULS! In case you're wondering, we're referecing The Little Mermaid. You know her creepy collection of mermaids she's screwed over who are now doomed to an eternity of being weird plant-eel things? Well Eel Garden in Dahab looks kind of like that but without the morbid factor. Long eels are vertically popping their heads out from the sand for an all around insane visual effect.

Jackson Reef, Straits of Tiran

Photo courtesy of cameldive.com

Jackson Reef hits the jackpot when it comes to diving, with a Little Mermaid-esque kaleidoscope of fish that would put Crayola to shame, loads of vivid corals, and also quite a few predators, including sharks. FISH ARE FRIENDS, NOT FOOD. 

The Blue Hole, Dahab

Photo courtesy of aquaviews.net

The Blue Hole is particularly infamous in diving circles, not so much for it's wicked underwater life as its ability to take lives. It's actually a submarine sinkhole with a depth of around 130m and advanced divers who try and do the dive run the risk of nitrogen narcosis as they descend, which is basically like being totally wasted way, way underwater – so much so that it eliminates your ability to make logical decisions and renders you pretty much delirious. Don't try this at home, kids. 

Thistlegorm Dive, Ras Mohamed

Photo courtesy of resort-traveller.co.uk

The SS Thistlegorm was a WW2 British ship that sank in 1941 and over the years the wreckage became a seriously cool dive site. You can swim through the drowned boat that's still got vehicles on it and everything. It's like an untouched underwater museum. Which is way less boring than an on-land museum. 

Abu Dabbab, Marsa Alam

Photo courtesy of kacr.de

This particular diving spot is famous for the abundance of turtles that float freely in the area, as well as the two dugongs that just chill there and endure the bedan of curious divers. AND THEY ARE SO CUTE. All we want for Christmas is some adorable sea cows.  

Dolphin House, El Gouna

Photo courtesy of Irene Tyfova
Aaaand this is where you (read: we) can live out all your mermaid/Flipper fantasies and befriend a dolphin and become best buds and one with the sea.
 
Main image courtesy of cameldive.com.