In Summary 

Sharm El Sheikh gave the Red Sea an international reputation as one of the world's most extraordinary diving destinations.  The climate is hot, the water is warm and clear, and the reefs are covered in life. An array of reefs, walls, drifts and wrecks, all teeming with life attract even the most experienced divers and is also the ideal location for beginners. Visibility ranges from 20 to 60m and due to increased plankton in the water, the amount of fish is incredible.  Turtles, tuna, morays, snappers, blue tipped rays and huge schools of barracuda are seen every day.

Situated on the most southern tip of the Sinai Peninsular, Sharm El Sheikh is a lively resort with a vast choice of bars, discos, restaurants and shops. There’s plenty of watersports to try out, including parascending and banana boat rides, and plenty to explore in the surrounding deserts and mountains; Ras Mohammed National Park, Mount Sinai walks, St Catherine’s Monastery, camel and horse rides and various organised day trips such as quad biking or jeep safaris in the Sinai desert.

The accommodation

Sitting right at the tip of Ras Om El Sid, our impressive hotel is approx 20 minutes from the airport and boasts its own sandy beach and coral reef with magnificent views over the Red Sea - the perfect spot for watching the sunset. The multi-level freshwater swimming pool has an integrated children’s pool and a further pool in the residence area. Within the hotel there’s also restaurants, BBQ corner bar, lounge, fun pub / discotheque and a small bazaar in the lobby. The rooms are well equipped with air conditioning, phone, satellite TV, mini fridge, hairdryer, safe and of course, a balcony or terrace. The hotel is just a few moments from our dive school.

Additional accommodation options are available upon request.

Liveaboards

New for 2012, Freedom Adventures are offering liveaboard options in Egypt.  You'll be able to explore the wonders of the Red Sea from luxury surroundings with a top-notch team of dive guides.  Fabulous meals and an impressive choice of routes and dive sites await.  More information coming soon...
 

Weather and temperature

There really are only two types of weather in Sharm El Sheikh; hot and dry! Winter is hot during the day with cool nights and summer is constantly hot and the warm water temperatures make it perfect for diving all year round. The summer sun shines for 10 to 13 hours a day, reducing to around 8 hours in the winter months.

Dive sites

There is some shore diving from Sharm, but boat trips are necessary to access the best reefs. The dive sites are diverse and covered in coral formations and a range of marine life. The main areas covered by Sharm are from the Straits of Tiran through to the marine park of Ras Mohammed. The Straits of Tiran have four circular reefs rising out of deep water and surrounded by steep drop offs. Ras Mohammed has steep coastal cliffs that drop away underwater to depths of over 70m. There are coral gardens that are shallow and calm as well as some excellent drifts in strong currents.

		Thistlegorm Wreck Wreck of aBritish transport ship, located a few hours off shore. Sunk by a German bomber in 1941, the ship lies between 16 and 33m and along with her cargo of munitions, motorcycles, trucks, spare parts and medicines is well preserved and arguably, the best wreck dive in the Red Sea.  A vast array of marine life awaits, in and around the Thislegorm.
Ras Mohammed Ras Mohamed, declared a national park in 1983, lies on the southern most tip of the Sinai and it is one of the best kept national parks in Egypt. The sea near Sharm El Sheik is full of nutrients and therefore attracts over a 1,000 species of fish and 150 species of coral. Steep walls covered in coral go down to depths of 1000m and Ras Mohammed has earned itself a reputation as one of the top diving areas in the world. Sites include:
		Ras Za'atar Most northern dive in the National Park, a rocky outcrop of land pluges almost vertically in to the sea and the wall and caves are scattered with colourful coral heads, amongst big overhangs and dark gullies, swathed in sea fans, gorgonians and the odd sprig of black coral. The chimney at 15m homes the malabar grouper, lionfish and glassfish. Out in the blue schools of barracuda and jacks and the odd eagle ray cruise by.
		Jackfish Alley Running across this plateau is a satellite reef which creates the sandy 'alley' through which fast currents are funnelled. In early spring, this is the site of the season’s first mating fish; crowds of white pointy nosed blue spangled emperors congregate here for only a couple of weeks, occasionally giving divers the chance to see glimpses of black tip sharks! Also watch the fantastic light effects produced by the caves.
		Eel Garden Situated in front of a small beach south of Jackfish Alley, Eel Garden is well sheltered from the currents and is also a good snorkelling site. The dive is extremely easy,  winding through the sandy plateau to the east, opposite the beach. In the center of the sandy ledge is a small cave, from which flows an impressive V-shaped stream of sand. The middle section of the plateau is populated by a lovely colony of garden eels.
		Shark Observatory Beneath the surface, the wall is covered with soft coral and honeycombed with numerous gullies and canyons, home to hoards of glass fish and hatchet fish, herded by red mouth grouper. An overhang is fringed with sea fans at 10m and is a great place to watch the trevallies, jacks and turtles passing. Anemone city is also worth a visit and whale sharks have also been spotted here.
		Shark & Yolanda Reefs World renowned and possible to take in both reefs and Anenome City on a single dive. From Shark Reef, covered in stunning gorgonian fan corals, you can look outto the blue where baracuda, batfish and jackfish can be seen. Named after a sunken Cypriot ship, Yolanda Reef's coral garden pinnacles are teeming with fish such as scorpion fish, crocodile fish, groupers, turtles, huge morays, and lots more.
Straight of Tiran Made up of four reef plates; Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas and Gordon, the Straight of Tiran separates the Gulf of Aqaba from the Red Sea.  The northern and western sides of the reefs are subject to strong prevailing winds from the North coupled with strong currents, however the Eastern and Southern sides are more sheltered and most dives are conducted on these there. The strong currents bring with them vast quantities of plankton which means that there is always plenty of marine fauna, reef fish, barracuda, tuna and sharks. Sites include:
		Jackson Reef Locally named "Aquarium", Jackson is the most popular reef in the Straits of Tiran, identified by the visible wreck of the merchant ship, Lara, which sank in 1985. 'Jackson Drift' is Sharm's' fastest and most exhilarating drift dive past a stunning wall bursting with coral growth. In August, September and early October, schools of hammerheads can be seen. Also populated by turtles, whitetip and grey reef sharks.
		Woodhouse Reef Narrow and long with no fixed moorings so only suitable for drift diving. At the northern half of the eastern side a canyon opens at a depth of about 30m with an amazing specimen of a red anemone, brightly luminescent and a photographer’s dream. It has great potential for turtles, jackfish, eagle rays, a variety of coral and whitetip, leopard, hammerhead and grey reef sharks.
		Thomas Reef Tiran's smallest reef with plunging walls covered with soft coral, gorgonians, large alcyonarians and colourful fish life. The west wall is darker with overhangs and caves full of glassfish and sweepers. Residents include a school of large barracuda, and in summer months, some of the largest tuna we have ever seen! Currents and weather permitting, it is possible to circumnavigate the entire reef in one dive.
		Gordon Reef Known for the wreck of the Panamanian cargo ship Loullia which ran aground in September 1981, Gordon Reef hosts various species of coral and small nudibranches hidden in the crevices and the soft corals. Halfway along the reef you will spot many metal drums which have formed into an artificial reef and is home to Octopus and different types of eel such as peppered and gold edged morays.