When it comes to diving in Egypt, two destinations stand out above the rest: Hurghada and Marsa Alam. Both offer access to the Red Sea’s world-famous coral reefs, crystal-clear waters, and incredible marine life, making them favorites among divers from around the world. 

Whether you’re interested in scuba diving in Hurghada, with its famous boat trips, reefs, and wrecks, or scuba diving in Marsa Alam which is known for its pristine reefs and shore diving opportunities, each destination offers a unique underwater experience. So, which one is better, and where can you find the best diving in Egypt? Let’s take a closer look.

Hurghada Vs. Marsa Alam: How is Scuba Diving in Hurghada?

Scuba diving in Hurghada is all about variety, convenience, and easy access to some of the most famous reefs in the Red Sea. With daily boat trips to a wide range of dive sites, competitive prices, and options for divers of all experience levels, Hurghada remains one of Egypt’s most popular diving destinations. Keep reading to know more details.

How to Reach the Coral Reefs in Hurghada?

In Hurghada, you should practice scuba diving on the coral reefs of the Red Sea by larger comfortable boats. Every day, you can visit a different dive site of the 20 dive sites in Hurghada that we wrote about in the previous article. Hurghada is the ideal destination for a week or even longer diving vacation. 

Ensure that you have a complete service and a crew on hand on the diving boat you choose to have a safe enjoyable experience.  Don’t carry your scuba diving equipment far, as getting in and out of the water is easy. By this way, you avoid getting dressed on the sandy shore and won’t face any difficulty when entering into the water. 

Diving Prices in Hurghada Vs. Marsa Alam

Scuba diving in Hurghada is generally cheaper than scuba diving in Marsa Alam even though there are boats. In Hurghada, you will find a lot of competition, but you need to choose a good dive center in order to get to the best dive sites in Hurghada. 

Hurghada is a Coastal City

Besides the hotel complexes, you can also find a city in which you can get to know the local culture. You can also enjoy the mostly shallow sandy lagoons and shoals near the hotels, which are suitable for scuba divers who just want to swim and refresh themselves in the water. 

Dives from shore aren’t available, as they are part of diving courses. You can find a few hotels in Hurghada with a coral reef, for example Arabia, Arabella, and Bel Air, or hotels located south of Hurghada in Makadi Bay and Sahl Hasheesh.

Air and Water Temperature in Hurghada

Shallow lagoons and reefs around Hurghada cool down faster in winter, so their water is often colder than at the deeper reefs. In winter, the temperature of the air at night is nearly 15 degrees Celsius, and due to this the shallow lagoons cool down faster. 

The temperature of the air is over 20 degrees even in winter and the water temperature doesn’t drop below 20 degrees. While in summer, when it exceeds 30 degrees even at night, the shallow lagoons heat up and the water becomes warmer than at the deeper reefs. On the other hand, the water temperature at the reefs rises to 29 degrees in summer.

The Best Coral Reefs and Scuba Diving in Hurghada

The best dive sites in Hurghada are located around the nearby Small Giftun and Abu Ramada islands. You can organize a dive in the current (a pick-up drift) if you have a Zodiac speedboat on your diving boat. If you are looking for deep coral walls with stronger currents that are richly covered with corals, you can find them at the dive sites: 

• North Abu Ramada (which has the same environment of the famous Elphinstone.
• Erg Somaya. 
• Police Station near the island of Small Giftun. 

Even experienced scuba divers will come by themselves here. You can find other nice coral reefs north of Hurghada at Carless Reef or Umm Gamar Island. If you are just a beginner diver, conducting “stationary” dives from a moored boat will be a good option for you. But don’t forget to anchor your boat above a shallow plateau, in order to be protected from waves and strong currents. 

However, this doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on anything, you can find several dive sites with extensive shallow coral gardens full of coral fish such as Shaab Sabina and Gotta Abu Ramada. There are also dive sites where you can have encounters with dolphins (the so-called Dolphin House), which are El Fanous and Shaab El Erg. And there are also wrecks.

Hurghada Vs. Marsa Alam: How is Scuba Diving diving in Marsa Alam?

Scuba diving in Marsa Alam offers a more relaxed and nature-focused experience, with many dive sites accessible directly from the shore. The dive sites in this city are known for its healthy reefs, warm waters, and chances to encounter turtles, dolphins, and sharks, Marsa Alam is a favorite destination for divers seeking a quieter and more pristine side of the Red Sea.

Scuba Diving in Marsa Alam is Mainly Done from Shore

In Marsa Alam, you practice scuba diving mostly from the beach. This means getting dressed on the sand that makes you face some difficulty in getting in and out of the water, especially if there are strong waves. The Red Sea is often windy, but you’re not tied to a diving boat schedule and can dive when you are ready.

You can also organize boat trips here, but this is not as common as in Hurghada. A 3-4 hour trip by speedboat is highly recommended. By this way, you can quickly get to interesting locations in which you can have encounters with sharks. 

Just expect that you will be in a wetsuit and wet the whole time, especially if you choose a windy day and the sea is rough. Speedboat trips aren’t always possible because of the weather.

Diving Prices in Marsa Alam Vs. Hurghada

Shore dives are usually organized directly by the dive center at the hotel in which you are staying. Boat trips are also available, in addition to speed boats for diving. However, the prices of scuba diving in Marsa Alam are usually higher than in Hurghada.

Marsa Alam Equals Hotel complexes

In Marsa Alam, you’ll find large resorts where many visitors spend most of their time. Unlike Hurghada, there isn’t a big city nearby. However, a coral reef can be located a few steps from the beach.

Air and Water Temperature in Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam’s location is further south, so the water temperature here tends to be a bit warmer than that of Hurghada. However, you can find deeper walls of coral reefs near the coast. 

When comparing winter and summer here, you will find slightly smaller fluctuations in water temperature. Both water and air temperature does not fall below 20 degrees Celsius in winter, and in summer the water temperature is nearly 30 degrees, and that of the air is a little more.

The Best Coral Reefs and Scuba Diving in Marsa Alam

You can reach the best diving and dive sites in Marsa Alam by speedboat or safari boat. These include: 

• Elphinstone, which is considered a deep reef overgrown with diverse corals teeming with life. You can also have encounters with sharks. 
• Abu Dabab 5, which is considered another interesting place, which is a reef that doen’t located far from the coast in which you can also spot sharks, especially whitetip reef sharks while resting in shallower caves. Abu Dabab is a well-known site located near the coast, where you can find giant turtles grazing on the grass. There is also the Satayah Dolphin House which you can access by boat.