The Red Sea

[DNA]

Anyone been diving in the Red sea?
Myself and a few friends are going diving and we don't know much about the place except the diving is supposed to be one of the best.
Please tell us about your experiance and the pros and cons. What did you like and what would you do differently next time?

Thanks for your replies.

[kanankeban]

I haven't dive in Egypt, but been there....Be prepare to starve if you are special with food...I suffered much...In Cairo you can find a TJ Fridays, and KFC and in Luxor a Mcdonals, desides that everything very bfferent from US food so be prepared...

[dennisV]

been to hurghada 25 times, loved it... but now it is to touristy..The coral is wasted.My advice, go to safaga or marsa alam.

[spottydog]

I've been to both Sharm & Hurghada a couple of times. Sharm is very touristy (they are trying to advertise it as a family holiday place not just diving). The diving in both sharm & hurghada is good (I personally prefer Hurghada though).

I have never found food to be a problem over there. As many europeans visit there are plenty of pasta/pizza restaurants aswell as local resaturants and McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut etc.

Generally I find the Egyptians a very friendly and helpful bunch who are always up for a laugh (especially at us when we practive our egyptian on them!!)

[dennisV]

food is never a problem in egypt.
Just make sure you have some medication against ...

...THE CURSE OF THE PHAROAH....

aka diarhea

[kanankeban]

I swear when I saw Mc Donals at Luxor I run to it, I look to me as a Oasis in middle of the desert....Well I have to confess the oranges were very good the best ones I've tasted.

[dennisV]

I swear when I saw a toilet at luxor I ran to it. Fertilising the oasis if you know what I mean.......

[Nishant3789]

heh, well we used to live in soudi arabia cuz my dad had a job there, My parents went scuba divin there a few times and siad theres nop place like it in the caribian! And they used to do walk dives right of the beach. since there are no turists allowed in soudi, virtually none of the coral is harmed! I only got to go snorkeling since i was tyoo young to scuba dive at the time, but it was still amazing! But since i doubt u can/want to go to soudi, go from the egypt side though i doubt itll be as nice ads the soudoi side. hope this helps
nishant

[jasonc]

Was diving in Sharm just this past May. What a treat...

Take the pepto-bismol, you won't regret it.

[Zepplin]

This might be a strange and very stupid question, but is traveling to the Red Sea and that particular part of the world very....safe right now? I am of course reffering to the whole middle-east conflict, don't many people from that part of the world dislike Americans, or have I been jaded?

-Meg (Don't mean to change the subject)

[jasonc]

I would have to say that, Egypt - or at least Sharm El Sheikh, was safer than an American highway. The Egyptian economy is not booming, and relies entirely on tourism. Ever since the shooting in Kartoom (sp), in '97 or whenever that was, the Egyptians have been keenly aware of the effects of violence on tourism.

Suffice to say that the "Tourism and Antiquities Police" are armed to the teeth, and no one gets out of line.

Seriously, check out this URL from the US State Department, it's all good:

http://travel.state.gov/egypt.html

Americans are definately the rare birds in Egypt, but our cash money spends as well as anyone else's. We were certainly made to feel very welcome, and I would strongly suggest that anyone who has the means to travel to this place.

[kanankeban]

Suffice to say that the "Tourism and Antiquities Police" are armed to the teeth

I have to agree with that...It's kind of strange to see AK-47 every where, but the Tourism Police is every where!. All tourist trveling by road go by convoy and travels with armed police...One car truck in the front and one in the rear..and some armed police in the cars...I traveled this way with a friend and we have'd a policeman with a AK-47 inside our car and the driver...Kind of Cool!:D
You could see the pic, the guys in the back are the policemen, If you look close all are heavely armed, In the pic we are waiting for some buses and car to gather before going in to the road...there's always a convoy in the morning and one in the afternon departing from luxor as I remember...
Have to say...Its a great trip going to egypt...
After leaving egypt I went to Madrid Spain, I have to confess that I was more unconfortable in Spain about ETA