Thursday, January 22, 2009

Adventurous Dive Spots in Hurghada, Egypt

Some of the best scuba diving in the world is found in the Red Sea, at Hurghada, Egypt. This seaside town used to be a fishing village, but has now turned into an international resort and tourist destination.  Red Sea Diving is known for the beautiful, vivid colored underwater gardens and coral reefs, making some of the world’s greatest dive spots in Hurghada.

With its warm, crystal blue water, the coral and rare, exotic marine life, thrive in the Red Sea.  It is one of the most beautiful and serene scuba diving opportunities you are likely to find. The coral has the most vivid reds, oranges, yellows, and pinks you will find anywhere.

Hurghada

Hurghada has become the gateway to the Red Sea and is the central resort town on the beaches surrounding it. Along with growing resort areas to the north and south, Hurghada has turned out to be the centre of development of this thriving tourist destination. A suitable time to visit this place is during June to September for the best diving.

Hurghada is a great getaway destination for all types of water sports with the year round summers in Egypt and the sandy beaches of the Red Sea. It contains over 100 resorts situated right on the Red Sea. Apart from scuba diving, they also offer windsurfing, snorkelling, water skiing, and catamaran cruises for the day.

Diving Hurghada

The Hilton Hurghada Long Beach Resort is right on the Red Sea and offers scuba diving expeditions. There are great dive spots right off of the beach at Hilton Long Beach.

Another great dive spot close to Hurghada is the Giftun Islands where you can go on boat dives. Other places offer day and night diving trips.

Thistlegorm wreck can be found on the Sha’ab Abu Nuhas Reef which is shallow clear and warm.

Other options are the Sofitel, Oberoi and the Marriot Long Beach that all give scuba diving expeditions to different spots.

The whole shoreline to the north and south are surrounded by underwater coral reefs near Hurghada.

Thistlegorm Wreck

Jacques Cousteau discovered the Thistlegorm wreck in the early 1950’s with the help of some local fishermen. The Thistlegorm sailed and sank in 1941 when the Suez Canal was closed due to another ship collision. It had waited for two weeks to pass through the Canal before becoming a target for the Germans on the way back to Crete. It sank immediately.

It was rediscovered in the 1990’s and is now a well known dive spot near Hurghada. The massive explosion blew away the middle portion of the ship which has made it open and accessible for scuba divers. It is considered as one of the best diving spots in the world.

Some of the best scuba diving and snorkelling opportunities in the world are offered at the Red Sea in Hurghada, Egypt.

No comments: