The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Image via Dive Magazine

Egypt is heaven on earth for diving enthusiasts. People come from all around the world to see the incredible marine life the country has to offer, and it’s second to none. So for those planning a trip to the Red Sea this summer, we’ve got a treat for you. Below you’ll find some of the most beautiful dive sites in Egypt if you’re going diving (which we highly encourage).

Nuweiba

Image via Egyptian Tourism Authority

This is a bit of an untraditional diving spot, with many people choosing Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab for their Sinai diving adventures. However, Nuweiba is a wonderful place to go diving. Like the rest of Sinai, it’s extremely rich in its unique marine life, but one advantage it has over other areas is that most dive sites in Nuweiba are shallow enough for recreational divers!

Safaga

Image via United Divers Safaga

The third most popular scuba diving area in Egypt after Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, Safaga, unsurprisingly, is a terrific place for divers of all levels. It has stunning shallow reefs for beginners to wreck diving for the more seasoned divers. The notorious Salem Express, a passenger ferry that sank in 1991 after striking a reef killing 470 people, is considered to be one of the best wreck dives in the world.

El Quseir

Image via Local’s Guide to Egypt

Located right in the middle between Hurghada and Marsa Alam is one of Egypt’s most famous dive sites. El Quseir offers opportunities for diving that seem straight out of a fairy tale. Beautiful reefs lie right off the beach, where the sea is very shallow, so diving is comfortable and perfect even for beginners. You can even take a boat trip to the sites that are not accessible from the shore, like the El Ikhwa Islands or the Elphinstone Reef, both mesmerising and are great places for wreck diving and seeing sharks (the harmless kind, don’t worry!).

Marsa Bareika

Image via Red Sea Diving College

Here’s an absolute treat for diving enthusiasts. Located in the Ras Mohamed Nature Reserve near Sharm El-Sheikh, Marsa Bareika is exceptionally diverse in the marine life it hosts. The most popular way to dive this site is to go around the canyon located at the northern end of the bay.

Abu Nuhas

Image via Dive Magazine

Located North of Hurghada in the Shadwan channel, Abu Nuhas is known primarily for its wreck diving, four of which are suitable for recreational divers. While the area is notorious for giving passing ships terrible luck, with its seven known shipwrecks, it’s still safe to visit and absolutely beautiful. Its corals and marine life are also worth seeing.

SS Thistlegorm Wreck

Image via Diventures Magazine

Among the world’s most famous wreck sites, the SS Thistlegorm was a British cargo steamship built in 1940, carrying military equipment during World War II, which sank as a result of German airstrikes in less than ten minutes. Located near Ras Mohamed and accessible from Sharm El-Sheikh, it has attracted many divers for its intact cargo, including Norton motorcycles, Ford trucks, tanks, rifles, aircraft, radio parts, and many others. The marine life surrounding it is also beautiful to witness.

Cleopatra’s Underwater City

Image via History by Day

Here’s a place you probably didn’t know was an absolute wonder to dive – Alexandria. The Mediterranean coast of Egypt is definitely not known for its diving sites, which is a shame because of the splendour of its underwater sites. The most famous of these sites has to be Cleopatra’s Underwater City (yes, you read that right). There, you can discover ancient ruins from the famous Ptolemaic dynasty, full of sphinx statues and Roman columns, among many other wonders.