Saturday, January 24, 2009

Adventurous Diving in Hurghada

By Ed J Price

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. It is known for the beautiful, vivid colored underwater gardens and coral reefs, making some of the worlds 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, Egypt

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.

With the year round summers of Egypt and the sandy beaches of the Red Sea, Hurghada is a great vacation getaway location for all types of water sports. Hurghada has over 100 resorts located right on the Red Sea. In addition to scuba diving, you can windsurf, snorkel, water ski or go out on a catamaran for the day.

Great Diving Spots in Hurghada

Hilton Hurghada Long Beach Resort situated right on the Red Sea is a great place that offers scuba diving expeditions. Just off the beach at Hilton Long Beach are wonderful dive spots.

You can go on boat dives around the Giftun Islands, which is another great dive spot close to Hurghada. Some places offer day diving and night diving trips.

Shaab Abu Nuhas Reef has shallow, warm and clear water and makes it easy to see the wrecks, such as the Thistlegorm, underwater.

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

Coral reefs can be found along the entire shoreline to the North and South of Hurghada.

Thistlegorm Wreck Diving, Hurghada, Egypt

Jacques Cousteau discovered the Thistlegorm wreck in the early 1950s 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 1990s and has become a popular dive spot near Hurghada ever since. The ship was left open and accessible for scuba divers due to its middle portion being blown away when the massive explosion happened. It is located around the Shaab Abu Nuhas Reef and is approximately 100 feet deep. It is one of the best dive spots in both Hurghada and around the world.

Hurghada, Egypt, on the Red Sea offers some of the greatest scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities in the world. - 16492

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