Seeing Red: Diving Holidays on the Red Sea

The Red Sea's narrow, sheltered shores havecolliding with another wreck. Divers can swim through
extensive shallow shelves which allow marine life tothe deserted hull and see large moray eels, shoals of
flourish; the region supports over 200 hard and softbatfish, and butterfly fish.
species of coral, over 1000 invertebrates and over'Thistlegorm', a British ship that was sunk by bombers
110 species of fish - 10 percent of which are notin 1941 is rated as one of the top ten best diving
known to be found anywhere else in the world. Thesites in the world. Much of the huge vessel's cargo is
rich biodiversity of the area has been officiallyvery well persevered and can still be seen, such as
recognised by the Egyptian government, who set upmotorbikes, rifles and even train carriages!
the 'Ras Mohamed National Park' in 1983 to protectEgypt is well equipped for hosting diving holidays, and
the Red Sea from pollution and over development.divers of all levels - from complete beginners to
As the world's most northerly tropical sea, it is veryexperienced scuba masters - are well catered for.
popular with European divers and offers hundreds ofLive-aboard diving holidays are one of the best ways
top diving spots. Not only is it extremely diverse inof maximising your underwater time and offer
marine life, but with an average water temperaturecomfortable accommodation, with double or twin
of around 26C, good visibility and a small tidal range itcabins, large air conditioned rooms with en-suite
is also considered a safe place to dive. Though thebathrooms available. Most also offer plenty of indoor
Red Sea laps the shores of several North African andand on-deck seating and a bar where guests can
Middle Eastern countries, including Sudan, Eritrea,purchase soft drinks as well as beer and wine.
Somalia, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, it is Egypt that isExperienced crew members provide catering as well
best known as the host of diving holidays.as guidance to the best diving sites in the area.
For experienced divers, the Red Sea's many wreckWith such as wealth of diving opportunities, it's little
sites offer a fascinating glimpse of marine history andwonder that the Red Sea, and Egypt in particular
also how nature can take man-made materials andcontinues to be one of the most popular diving spots
use them as a habitat. Examples of this includes thein the world.
'Ghiannis D', a Greek boat that sunk in 1983 after