Thistlegrom
The SS Thistlegorm is a 128 metre long World War II British transport ship which sunk in 1941 follow
© iStock/Oleg_P
Sharm El Sheikh is an extremely popular diving and holiday destination located on the southern coast of the Red Sea in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. It is a large, bustling city which rises out of the desert and borders on the sparkling turquoise waters and an exhilarating variety of dive sites. There are numerous dive centres and dive resorts to choose from here, and there are options for beginner divers up to experienced tec divers. For the avid underwater photographers, there is a variety of creatures to spot, and for the divers hoping to be wow-ed by large pelagic species there are many opportunities to spot these. There are over 30 dive sites which are all so different for divers to explore. There are world renowned coral reefs, world famous wrecks and much, much more.
One of the factors that makes Sharm El Sheikh such a popular diving destination is the variety of types of diving. There are spectacular reef diving in Ras Mohammed National Park, thrilling drift dives at the Straits of Tiran, one of the best wreck dives in the world; Thistlegorm, easy and relaxing dives from the shore in Sharm and many Liveaboard options to experience Sharm el Sheikh in a different way. There are a lot of dive centres and dive resorts which cater to all levels of diving, many offer dive courses and some also offer technical diving opportunities. The large majority of the dive sites are reached by boat and so it is mostly boat diving in this region, but there are some shore dives available here as well such as Naama Bay and also up north in Nabq, should that the type of dives divers prefer.
If holiday go-ers are visiting Sharm El Sheikh for the purpose of diving, then the great news is that this is possible year round! It’s one of the many reasons why the Red Sea is so popular for diving. Even though the outside temperatures can reach extremes of 45 degrees Celsius in the summer, the water temperatures stay moderate and pleasant; between 19 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius. There are no extreme weather conditions here which affect diving negatively, and even on the windiest days the visibility still stays above average, ranging between 10 metres and 30 metres.
If divers are hoping to avoid the crowds then they need to avoid the high season which runs from March to May. However, May is the month with the highest marine life visitors and this month is the highest chance to spot Whale Sharks, Sharks, Manta Rays, Sea Turtles, Eagle Rays and Dolphins, so this needs to be kept in mind.
The reefs here are alive and thriving, with every colour of the rainbow and all shapes, sizes and textures. There are numerous species of hard and soft corals and these attract large schools of fish which swim around the corals as though a confetti cannon went off. Keep an eye out for the adorable Anemone Fish protecting their vibrant homes and the tiny pops of colour that come in the form of Nudibranchs. These reefs also attract larger species such as Napoleon Wrasse, Sea Turtles, Manta Rays and Dolphins. At the Straits of Tiran divers should keep an eye out in the blue as a Manta Ray may fly by or a Whaleshark may pop out and surprise divers. Ras Mohammed is home to Grey Reef Sharks, Blacktip Reef Sharks and on lucky days, Hammerhead Sharks.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 200
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 600
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 27
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 25
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 300
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 28
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 12
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 100
Curated by Interest
Mares
Aqualung
Shutterstock-Zi Magine
Mares-Predrag Vuckovic
Scubapro
Shutterstock-Ethan Daniels
Mares-Predrag Vuckovic
Mares-Bjoern Dorstewit
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