To properly enjoy scuba diving in Egypt’s Red Sea you need to join a liveaboard cruise. Red Sea liveaboards are generally one week long from one weekend to the next. Egypt liveaboard diving safaris usually depart from Marsa Alam and Hurghada. During the cruise you can dive at Egypt’s best dive sites, including early in the morning and in the evening, avoiding the crowds of day trip boats. It’s also possible to dive at sites further from the mainland that can’t be reached by daytrip boats. Taking into consideration the number of dives and the fact that you get full-board accommodation, a liveaboard in Egypt is much better value than diving from a resort.
Egypt liveaboards tend to follow a very similar design. They are purpose built with a wooden hull and normally accommodate 16-24 guests in air-conditioned twin & double cabins. They have a lounge saloon and dining room that also usually has air conditioning. It’s common to get Nitrox fills for free, and rental diving equipment is available but normally needs to be booked in advance. There are usually two or more Divemaster guides or instructors on board, leading groups sometimes as large as eight guests.
Depending on the itinerary of your chosen cruise, expect to visit wrecks & reefs, with Thistlegorm being the most-popular wreck and The Brothers the best natural reef. Marine life can include several species of sharks, in addition to lots of other interesting creatures large & small.