Sharm vs Hurghada in Feb

[SkroOob 0]

Hi...

 

I'm planning a trip to the red sea and I have not decided wheather I sould go to sharm or hurghada. The most important factor that with heavily influence my dicision is the temperature cuz I'm an arab and I hate cold by nature B) . So which one do guys think is warmer in Feb? Sharm or Hurgada?

 

Yeah and one more thing, is there a hotel that you recommend? My priority is the beauty of the hotels house reef.

 

Thanks in advance.

[yzer4 1]

the temperatures should be pretty much the same in H & S.

 

There are no hotels that I know of in Hurgada that have a house reef, and not too many in Sharm either.

 

If it's a house reef you're looking for, I'd go farther south, Like Safaga, see for instance Coral Garden hotel or El Quesir, see Subaqua

 

There are also some hotels near Marsa Alam that have house reefs and from Marsa you should be able to do day trips to Elphinstone as well, which should be a bonus.

 

have a nice trip.

[TimG 62]

Hi!

 

If you don't like the cold, and I share that one with you, I wouldn't suggest either of them! I've dived Sharm in early March a couple of times and its chill-ee: reckon high 60s. That, for me, is a 6mm two-piece suit or even a dry suit (Ohh, I can hear the sounds of rolling eyeballs from all those toughies in BC) I doubt Hurghada is any warmer.

 

I'm not sure about Marsa Alam temperatures or house reefs: but I bet some Wetpixler does. My suggestion would be to head out to the Maldives if your budget can take the strain: warm water, only about 4 hours from Dubai, hedonism, house reefs, hot sunshine and mantas.

[Arnon_Ayal 1]

According to what I remember in Sharm there is no house reef for any hotel, in the city for sure, maybe the more north it will but anyway the best places to dive in this area are rich by daylie's boats or live-aboard.

Btw: can you give some info about diving in Saudi Arabia? I heard there are great sites in the east side of the red sea.

[yzer4 1]

good call Arnon,

 

I've been hearing about the up and coming diving over there as well.

 

skro0ob, pray tell us more....

[Michel Braunstein 1]

I am with Sharm! The city is really charming and less artificial than Hurgada. You've got a wonderful desert next to the city. Diving is wonderful with dailies. You can get to Ras Muhamed, Small Passage, Tiran Reefs and many other good places.

If you look for a good hotel, the Movenpick is really nice.

 

Have fun!

 

Michel

[ralphy 1]

I don't think there is much difference between Sharm & Hurghada with regard to water temp despite Hurghada being further south.

 

I'm off to Sharm next week ; water temp currently 21c, same as air temp!

 

PS Michel, I'm staying at the Movenpick in April for the 1st time - glad to hear you praise it.

[Pedda 0]

Either Sharm or Hurghada have any thing left that could be called "House Reef" anymore.

 

Sharm is a little bit warmer in the winter time because it's surrounded by mountains that protect the city from the cold desert winds. But on the other hand the water is generally one to two degrees colder there.

 

If you would like to have some nice house reefs you have to travel further south down to Marsa Alam, The Safaga area is nothing special compared to both Sharm and Hurghada. In general the diving gets better and better the more south you go in Egypt. And also the more south you go the warmer it gets.

 

Sharm is more adapted to tourism than Hurghada but instead it has lost some/all that could be considered to be genuine Egyptian.

 

If you like I can give recommendations to nice and friendly dive centers in Egypt.

 

At the moment it's still 24 degreees C in the water in Hurghada.

[DesertEagle 2]

My recommendation is to go to Marsa Alam. I went five years ago. If you stay at the Kahramana, or nearby camp there is a house reef. That reef was good, mostly hard corals. You'll see schooling barracudas and lots of fish. But the best part are the daily trips to Elphinstone. The reef is covered in corals and teaming with fish. If you like soft coral, this is heaven. I would imagine that there are more divers today, but Elphinstone is several times larger than Ras Mohammed. It's a similar experience. Also, the boat ride is only 40 minutes.

 

I would avoid Hurghada. If you want to stay nearby, try El Gouna. You can dive the wrecks like the Giannis D and the Carnatic. There are also day trips to the Thistlegorm. Otherwise, I woud say the diving is better in Sharm.

 

Sharm has lots of diving and even more divers. When I first went 15 years ago there were only a few boats. My last trip was 2 years ago. Everthing is super crowded. Still, you can do some amazing dives at Ras Mohammed and the Thistlegorm. One bright spot for me was that the Thistlegorm had not yet been found when I went in 1991.

 

About house reefs, there is one, sort of. Whenever you go to sharm, the dive operators take you to one of the "local" sites on the first day. Unfortunately I got stuck diving the near and middle gardens. I don't remember which one it was, but one had a jetty going out to the reef. It was filled with divers and snorkelers. Everyone was there but the fish.

[ralphy 1]

About house reefs, there is one, sort of. Whenever you go to sharm, the dive operators take you to one of the "local" sites on the first day. Unfortunately I got stuck diving the near and middle gardens. I don't remember which one it was, but one had a jetty going out to the reef. It was filled with divers and snorkelers. Everyone was there but the fish.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think that it is middle garden; the hotel above it is the Hyatt, I stayed there 2 years ago, couldn't dive due to sinus problems so snorkled off the jetty. Gave up telling other swimmers (after about 30 times.........) to get off the reef plate

[Michel Braunstein 1]

Hey DesertEagle!

If you look at Jacques Cousteau's movie from the late fifties, "Le monde du silence" (Silence World), you will see the Thistlegorm. Which means that she has been found many years before 91! ;-)

[AndyBarker 6]

HI All,

I have stayed at the Sonesta Beach & from the jetty you

get to near garden before you get to middle garden. Their

were alot of snorkellers in the water, but also alot of marine

life & I did manage to get some good shots inculding crocoldile

fish, stone fish, rays, lion fish, a very large grouper. As everyone

has paid for the right to be in the sea, let them do their thing & you

do your;es chill out Im sure you will get some great shots in time

you may have to be patient.

 

SAFE DIVING & ENJOY.

 

Andy :ph34r: :ph34r:

[mike frens 0]

Marsa Alam, Brakya Bay Resort. Good diving facilities, mulitple boat dives daily (incl. Elphinstone). Brayka bay has it's own superb house reef! Either walk in or do a drop of and swim back. Acomodations are good, food is good, price (I' m Dutch) is good. Besides the resort there is desert, desert and desert. So don't expect the wife to be able to shop. The diving is great!!!

 

Mike Frens.

[ralphy 1]

Hey DesertEagle!

If you look at Jacques Cousteau's movie from the late fifties, "Le monde du silence" (Silence World), you will see the Thistlegorm. Which means that she has been found many years before 91! ;-)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Having dived the Thistlegorm for the 1st time only last year I would LOVE to obtain a copy of this film.

 

Can anyone advise me where I can get a`copy, please?

[SkroOob 0]

WOW Would you look at all these replies.

I'm really sorry guys I really forgot all about this topic.

 

So I decided to head towards the Maldives in Feb and go to sharm at a warmer time probably July.

 

And for those who asked about the saudi side of the red sea I highly recommend it for you. There are some cities that offer some good diving and I will give a breif idea about each one:

 

Jeddah: One of the biggest cities in Saudi, good for shopping. Lots of dive operators offering day boats or charter liveaboards. Some good resorts with access to shore dive sites however, the corals near the shore are mostly destroyed due to spear fishing.

Faarasan Island: Its an island waaay down south near Jizan. I hear that there is only one resort, a relatively new one which offers some good diving. Lot of sharks, soft corals and lots of current too but nothing for non-divers.

Also there are two more cities called Yanbu and Umm lajj but they still need some development to offer accomodations for divers.

So it is usually hot so fall/winter is the best time to visit, and dont forget that alcohol is banned from saudi, and descent clothing is required.

 

 

By the way, I live in Ad Dammam and never had the chance to dive in the red sea and all of that info was based on what I've heard from my Jeddawi friends.

Hope this info is helpful Arnon_Ayal and yzer4 and if you want further info I may ask around and post a new thread.

 

Happy Eid

Saad

[DeanB 19]

Just on the way to the travel agent when I passed my local pub

 

Diving..Beer..Diving..Beer

 

Oh well, Saudi can wait for a while

 

Anyway cheers for the info Saad..

 

Dive safe

 

DeanB

[SkroOob 0]

Diving..Beer..Diving..Beer       

 

Oh well, Saudi can wait for a while 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

My point exactly

That's why I need the break.

[Arnon_Ayal 1]

Thank's for the info Saad,

A friend of me is planning to do the hajj in the near future and as a side effect to dive in west Saudi (actually I'm not sure what the side affect is and what is the real target ).