CHOOSING A LIVEABOARD IN THE RED SEA

by Per Lagerberg

Choose liveaboard in the Red Sea!

Choosing a liveaboard in the Red Sea. It can sometimes really feel like a jungle. I think every diver in Europe has been to the Red Sea or at least thought about going there and diving. Few places in the world feel so natural to talk about with other divers. Because everyone seems to have been there or even done their best dives there. What often makes it confusing, however, is that many people seem to talk about places and tours that I have never heard of.

A "problem" with diving in the world, regardless of whether it is the Red Sea or whether it is in other places, is that diving sites are named differently by different Tripsts, by different liveaboards and by different diving centers. Even dive guides can have different names at the same dive site.

Basically it seems to be the same.. But everyone probably wants to put their own stamp on diving and that makes it a bit messy sometimes.

What should I choose

Choosing a liveaboard in the Red Sea is therefore not entirely easy for beginners. Or for more experienced ones either for that matter. So who should you listen to? I think you should take the names of tours and places with a pinch of salt. You will be diving in basically the same places and if you are not 100% sure, it may not matter if you dive 100 meters away on a 2 kilometer long reef when the end result of your diving is basically the same. In addition, weather and winds can change the route and dive sites. Of course there are places that are extremely important to get in at the right place otherwise the dive is ruined. Wrecks, reef plateaus where there is current are a couple of examples where accuracy is required.

So what tours are there in the Red Sea then? and which liveaboard in the Red Sea should I choose. Unfortunately I can't list all the tours and dive sites and there are probably 100 more. But here are some general examples in broad strokes.

Northern parts

Variants – numerous.
This is a tour for those who like wrecks, lots of wrecks and the tour is very popular. Even boats that only do day trips go out every day to dive many of them. This is classic diving and the northern parts of the Red Sea offer a wonderful mix of marine life and wrecks

Northern parts and Brothers Islands
Variants – a few
For those of you who like wrecks but have heard that you can see a lot of sharks in the Red Sea, this is a cheeky trip. Brothers Islands, according to many, has the best diving in the Red Sea and here there are plenty of sharks and big fish. Mixed with the more famous wrecks closer to the coast, this is a fantastic tour for those with a little more experience.

The Marine Parks

Variants – countless
The Red Sea has several famous marine parks, but some of the more special ones are islands or reefs a bit off the coast. Day trips cannot go here and here you almost always see big fish and often sharks of various kinds. Some of the most famous and mentioned marine parks and reefs are Elphinstone, Zabargad, Brothers Islands, Daedalus, Rocky Islands and St Johns. Here the reefs are richer in life, the visibility is often better, the corals are healthier and more colorful. Those who have dived a little more, know what they want to see in terms of big fish and those who have a little more experience usually go here. But there are no wrecks unless you dive technically and can go really deep. Note that night diving is not allowed in the marine parks and a slightly smaller number of dives can be offered.

Southern parts.
Variants – quantities and then some.
The tours in the southern parts are known for their often much better visibility. But also warmer water, fewer tourists, richer marine life, more vibrant coral and a wider range of different tours. The liveaboards that go here often offer the best diving but of course it is possible to get good diving even if you live on land.

Colorful lionfish swimming over coral reef at night, popular dive site for scuba diving enthusiasts.

Colorful tropical fish swimming in clear ocean water, perfect for scuba diving adventures.

White sea turtle swimming over coral reef in tropical ocean.

Underwater scuba diver taking photos of a sea turtle in coral reef environment.

Colorful fish with elongated snout swimming underwater, perfect for scuba diving adventures.

Deep-sea octopus with vibrant blue spots, exploring underwater marine life and diving adventures.

The Red Sea to help you choose

Dolphin House in the Northern parts
Dolphin House is a perfect warm-up dive and is suitable for everyone. The reef is easy to dive and here you often see dolphins who like to play by the boat and sometimes even with snorkelers and divers. If you are lucky you can spend a lot of time with these incredibly playful and charming whales. There is also great diving here with lots of fish and beautiful reefs.

Gubal – Northern parts
One of the most famous reefs in the northern Red Sea. There are plenty of fish here and the light is often very special. There are two wrecks here, one of which is just a barge but they are easy to dive and collect lots of marine life. Perfect dive site for less experienced divers. Here near Shag rock is also a wreck, The Kingston in shallow water. (She was long misidentified as Sarah H)
A perfect dive in the afternoon after the first dive and the wreck also has plenty of marine life.

Ras Mohamed – Northern parts, southern tip of Sinai
The tip of Sinai attracts divers every year and has done for decades. Ras Mohamed with its steep and dramatic wall dives attracts plenty of fish and here large sharks can pass outside the beautifully dressed walls. Sponge animals and soft corals color the wall and out in the blue almost anything can pass by. Important that you can keep track of your balance here because it drops down to a couple of thousand meters. "Hanging" here weightless and looking out into the blue is a magical feeling.

Rosalie Moller – wreck in the northern parts
>>Rosalie Möller is a well-known wreck in diving circles and also a sister ship to the much more famous ship SS Thistlegorm. It is a wreck for more experienced divers. Here you will find lots of fish and also large octopuses and schools of glass fish that are hunted by the dragonfish inside the wreck. A really nice wreck dive.

SS Thistlegorm – wreck in the northern parts
One of the world's most famous wreck dives. You can do the SS Thistlegorm here and it is not unusual to have 40-60 dive boats here in one day. The wreck is not very deep and has a fantastically exciting history and is probably a must-do dive at some point in your life. In addition to lots of fish around the wreck, there are exciting details with trucks, motorcycles, train carriages, lots of ammunition and boots that never came to light during World War II. El Gouna, Abu Nuhas – reef with wrecks in the northern parts
Four different wrecks lie at Abu Nuhas reef. All the wrecks can be dived and they are not that deep. The wrecks are on the same reef and you can actually see a couple on the same dive. There is also plenty of marine life here. There are supposed to be more wrecks on this reef but they are too deep for regular diving. The area is very popular for both liveaboards and day trips when you live ashore.

Tiran Straits – northern parts of the Red Sea
Four different reefs that stick out above the surface and which attract lots of fish, turtles and many times you find lots of stingrays. There aren't that many liveaboards that go to these reefs but there are tours that run here as well. A very common destination for day trips though.

Brothers Islands – The northern parts out to sea
>The two brothers are located near the border with Saudi Arabia and here in the middle of the Red Sea you will find perhaps the best diving sites in Egypt. Here there are reefs teeming along the walls and for those who want to experience sharks this is a fantastic place. Lots of different species gather here where the islands are like two huge magnets attracting the large pelagics. Whale shark, manta, hammerhead shark and the beautiful reef shark as well as lots of reef sharks are common but several other larger shark species can be seen here sometimes. Don't miss this diving experience but you should be a little more experienced to dive here with at least 50 dives to get the most out of The Brothers.

the quseir
The reefs off El Quseir, midway between Hurghada and Marsa Alam, are beautiful and here you will find a lot of fish. Unfortunately, it is rare to see larger fish here, but it is possible to get to several outer reefs with day boats. However, most diving takes place from land in the area or near the coast. Here you will find rays of various kinds including guitar shark and often moray eels, dragon fish and sometimes even dolphins. Especially with a day trip to Dolphin reef. El Quseir is a very good base if you want to go to Luxor and see the amazing temples there and the Valley of the Kings. A must for every Red Sea traveler.

Abu Dabbab
Abu Dabbab can be reached by day trips from the Marsa Alam area but a liveaboard is preferred. The reef contains large systems of cracks and openings in the reef and it becomes like a labyrinth to swim in. Here there can be considerable current on the outside of the reef and it is important to keep an eye on the balance. Here there are lots of fish and often turtles or tuna that rest inside the reef system. This is a very nice dive site.

Daedalus – marine park out to sea, to the south
One of the Red Sea's absolute best reefs is Daedalus, which is a good distance off the coast and you can only dive here with a liveaboard - Here you will find fantastic reefs and also very good opportunities to experience different species of sharks. Here is also one of the best places for divers with more technical diving in their repertoire, the Zealot wreck at a depth of 75 meters and down.

Elphinstone
One of the best reefs that can be reached from land even though it is far out is Elphinstone. There are sometimes strong currents here, but early mornings often attract large sharks. On the north side there are often several hammerhead sharks circling and many other species are regularly found here. White tip reef sharks are very common and this is one of the most popular places to see reef sharks.

Wadi El Gemal – the southern parts
Just south of Marsa Alam is another national park, Wadi El Gemal. The reefs here are widely talked about and here you will find fantastic reefs with lots of marine life. The coral gardens here are rich in both fish and invertebrates and it is easy to get here from Marsa Alam and the surrounding area on day trips.

Shoal Fury – marine park, large reef system with fine corals in the southern parts
The wall diving at Fury Shoal is dramatic and here you have the chance to see sharks, dolphins and lots of fish. This is one of the best areas to get a little bit of everything. The corals are in good condition and there are lots of fish patrolling the reefs here.

Turtle Bay – southern parts, famous for dugong and turtles
Many have probably seen pictures of dugongs and it is here in Turtle Bay that most of the pictures were taken. With its vast meadows of sea grass, it is a popular grazing ground for these strange animals. Even turtles find here and here they graze and it is often easy to get very close to these armored ancient animals. There is also wall diving and corals in good condition and lots of cracks and tunnels in the reefs that are great to swim through. The play of lights when you come through an opening in the reef is seriously addictive.

Rocky Island – marine park in the southern parts out to sea
A fantastic little island that lies far out in the sea and here you will find one of the world's most fantastic wrecks, the SS Maiden. Unfortunately, she is too deep for the ordinary diver, but only technical divers who can go to 100 meters can experience it. But the waters are rich in fish and beautifully lined walls with gorgonians, whip coral and sponges and the abundance of fish.

Zabargad – island in the southern parts, far out in the sea, amazing corals
Wall diving at its most beautiful in the Red Sea. Here at Zabargad, which is a fairly large island in the middle of the sea, is an incredible diving site that also offers easier and shallower diving in its coral gardens. Zabargad is known for its spectacular visibility and slightly larger fish often pass here, such as shoals of tuna, turtles and various reef sharks. One of Egypt's most beautiful dive sites and really has amazing corals.

Safaga – southern parts, popular for shark sighting
Panorama Reef is probably the most famous reef here. It is a long reef with different plateaus and which often has flowing water where you just slide and enjoy the spectacle, partly at and on the reef but also down, out into the blue and up at the surface. A popular place to try and spot the fin shark and whale shark which are both regularly seen here. Manta rays and eagle rays are also often seen gliding by, as are white tip reef sharks.

Salem Express - wreck in the southern parts, controversial dive site
This ferry ran aground in Egypt and sank with several drowned. The reef tore the boat apart and today she rests at a depth of just under 30 metres. The wreck is today considered a cemetery, but many people dive here anyway. There are plenty of places to look at or swim into, but you should probably have some respect and think if you really want to dive here.

St. Johns - southern parts with large reef system and marine park. Known for big fish and good visibility.

A large reef system with several different reefs located far south in Egypt. The area is a national park and here you experience drop-offs, fantastic coral formations, drop-offs and swim throughs. The reef easily becomes a maze so keep an eye on lights and compass. St John's a popular and many divers' favourite. The visibility is often very good and the marine life is rich with both large fish and sharks but also many invertebrates.

Summary of choosing a liveaboard in the Red Sea:

There are lots of other places, named reefs and wrecks and surely some of these are with other names. Basically, it is quite similar diving in many places and generally very good. This is probably why so many divers in Europe go here, and many several times a year actually. Precisely because it is so close to good diving and regardless of which liveaboard in the Red Sea you have chosen, you will probably be very satisfied.

The quality of the boats today is generally high and the service is usually very good. Then the diving, which is actually fantastic here in our nearest coral sea, doesn't make matters any worse. However, there are some boats that do not hold such a high standard at all. You can usually see that directly on the price tag. In the main, only having to fly a few hours to land in Egypt is simple. It goes without saying that it attracts many divers.

Then choosing a liveaboard in the Red Sea is not very easy, but don't bother with it too much, go for the one that seems to match the best with what you want to see.
If you and your friends have special wishes, it is even possible to design tours according to these wishes. Talk to Scuba Travel then they can try to solve this too. In any case, they will help bring out what is most similar to what you want to experience.

Photo: Ingvar Eliasson