The Enterprise guide to Scuba Diving: Egypt is one of the world’s most sought after scuba diving destinations. Our 800 km Red Sea coast is home to thousands of marine animals, hundreds of the most resilient coral species worldwide and favorable weather conditions year round. The country’s reef tourism industry — which includes snorkeling and scuba diving — is the largest in the world, with revenues reaching USD 7 bn back in 2019, and a huge draw for tourists arriving at our airports every year.

There’s tons of places to go diving across Egypt — so we’re here to help you figure out how to get started and where to go. Let’s dive in.

FIRST THING’S FIRST- The prerequisites: In order to rent the necessary gear that allows you to breathe underwater or be granted permission to dive anywhere around the world, you are required to show proof of certification from an internationally recognized body like the Professional Association of Diving Instructors ( PADI) or Scuba Schools International ( SSI) . You need to be over 10 years old, a strong swimmer, not be pregnant and have no serious underlying health conditions in order to qualify for an open water course, according to PADI.

BUT- If you want to just dip your toes before going pro: You can start slow with a single exploratory dive before committing to a full-fledged Open Water course. These test runs, often referred to as a Discovery Dive or Try Scuba program, involve short dives in controlled settings, where you get the chance to experience what it’s like to simply breathe underwater while under the close supervision of an instructor. These bite-sized programs would be the underwater equivalent of tandem skydiving and will run you about EGP 1.7 -3k.

FOR MORE SERIOUS BEGINNER DIVERS- Most people start out by enrolling in a standard Open Water Diver Certification Course at a PADI or SSI-certified dive center. Over the duration of the course, which takes between four days and a week to complete, you will learn about diving gear, safety procedures, how to communicate underwater, and a little about marine life.

Expect to start off by learning about the scientific and theoretical underpinnings of how diving works before moving on to practical training in a controlled environment like a pool or a shallow bay, according to the diving centers we’ve been to. Once your pool skills are solid, you spend four dives in the open seas where an instructor conducts an assessment of what you’ve learned so far. You should also be prepared to pass a written exam as part of your course.

You’ll get a taste of the underwater world during your certification process: By the end of the open water course you will have completed a total of five dives, and will be permitted to dive to a maximum depth of 18 meters. You’ll also have a functional grasp on how to safely descend into the depths of the sea and bring yourself back to the surface.

There is no shortage of places to get certified in Egypt: There are almost 300 dive centers registered with the Tourism Ministry-affiliated Chamber of Diving and Water Sports( CDWS) that offer gear rental and courses in almost every place where land touches water. While your decision on where to go for a course will depend on factors like budget, availability and convenience, here our some of the most highly recommended spots that most avid divers we know have raved about:

Camel Dive Club , f ounded in 1986, is one of the oldest dive centers t o open its doors in Sharm El Sheikh and is widely considered to be a South Sinai institution. They offer a wide range of SSI courses in a friendly and environmentally-conscious atmosphere. For a fully streamlined diving experience, stay at their well-maintained and wheelchair accessible lodge where the center is located. The Open Water course will run you about EUR 420 (EGP 14.6k) but the price can go down to EUR 385 (EGP 13.4k) if you book in advance. The best part? Easy access to Ras Mohammed dive sites, which is one of the most spectacular diving spots in the area.

Orca Dive Club started off as a solo dive center in Hurghada in the 90s. Today, they’ve expanded to seven locations including Safaga; El Gouna; and Shoni Bay, Moreen Beach and Wadi Lahmy in Marsa Alam. Their Soma Bay location is inside Breakers Lodge where you have access to their impressive house reef. As one of the larger diving outfits in the country, Orca offers both SSI and PADI certifications. Open Water courses at Orca will run you about EUR 429 (EGP 14.9k).

Red Sea Diving Safari is the dive center behind a network of Southern dive lodges in the Marsa Alam region. The Marsa Shagra resort, which is about 20 km north of Marsa Alam, is their most famous location, known for its high quality facilities and stunning house reef. PADI Open Water courses will run you about EGP 9.8k with Red Sea Diving Safari. Best part: You’re allowed to dive unguided (with a buddy) at their house reef once you are certified.

Nestled in El Quseir’s Mangrove Bay Hotel, Ducks Diving is widely believed to be among the best in the country. Located about 40 km south of Hurghada and 130 km north of Marsa Alam since the 90s, their location is fairly unique when compared to where most other dive operators are clustered. They offer a variety of PADI, SSI and CMAS certifications at their facilities (which you can also find in Safaga, Marsa Alam and the Philippines). Open Water courses will run you about EGP 16.7k. You’re also allowed to dive unguided (with a buddy) at their house reef.

If you choose to go elsewhere, beware of scammers: If you decide to travel and figure it out on the fly, it’s worth checking out CDWS’ blacklisted dive operators in Egypt before booking a course.

Once you’re certified, find a diving buddy: Elsewhere around the world you would technically be permitted to independently plan dives with any certified open water diver, but in Egypt most places require you to have a certified diving guide accompany you on your dives.

FOR ADVANCED DIVERS- if you’re a little more experienced, you can take your diving to the next level with advanced certifications. For Open Water divers who feel confident in their skillset, the next logical step would be to pursue an Advanced Open Water license – which can be found at most accredited dive centers offering Open Water courses. SSI and PADI both offer their own advanced certifications that allow you to deepen your knowledge about underwater navigation and expand the depth you are permitted to safely dive to 30 meters . This is also where you’ll be able to focus on specialized skills like improving your buoyancy or identifying marine life. Courses will run you about EGP 9-15k, depending on the center you choose .

PADI + SSI certifications have different prerequisites for advanced divers: The key difference to note here is that an SSI certification requires 24 logged dives before you can become eligible for advanced training, whereas PADI only requires the 4 dives completed with your Open Water certification.

Whichever certification you choose to get, there’s loads to see out there: From convenient shore dives in shallow bays to far flung shipwrecks, there’s something for everyone in the Red Sea. Stay tuned for a breakdown of our best diving spots across the country in part 2 of our guide next week.

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