Red Sea 2025 Trip Recap

Egyptian Red Sea Diving Adventure - April 2025

Images & Text by Dan Bishop

In April 2025, I spent three unforgettable weeks exploring some of the best scuba diving the Egyptian Red Sea has to offer. From historic shipwrecks in the north to pristine reefs in the deep south, this journey showcased the full spectrum of Red Sea divingтАФvibrant coral gardens, abundant marine life, and thrilling drift dives, all framed by clear waters and comfortable spring temperatures.

Northern Red Sea тАУ Wrecks & Reefs (Week 1)

I flew into Hurghada a couple of days early and checked into the Marriott Beach Resort. This is a convenient location as the liveaboard IтАЩd be on, All Star LiveaboardтАЩs luxurious Scuba Scene, embarks from the pier at the Marriott for its northern route itinerary. Guests were picked up at their hotels, and we all boarded at 5 pm on the first day. We were greeted with welcome drinks and were given a safety briefing in the main salon. We stayed overnight in the harbor the first night.

On day 2, we headed north to do our first dive, which was a nice check dive at Gota Abu Ramada. We were a bit delayed in departing given it was a holiday, and we needed Coast Guard signoff before setting sail. After our check dive, we headed north to the Ras Mohamed National Park area, which contains many great reef and wreck dives. There is a mix of hard and soft corals in this area, and healthy fish populations.

 

Wreck Diving Highlights: Dunraven, Thistlegorm & More

Day 3 was spent diving sites Jackfish Alley, Shark Reef, and Beacon Rock. On day 4, we did our first wreck dives тАУ the Dunraven in the morning, and our first dive on the famed Thistlegorm in the afternoon. The Thistlegorm was a British cargo ship sunk by the Germans in 1941, and was transporting vehicle, motorcycles, lumber, ordinance, and other cargo. Much of the front half of the wreck is still intact and contains 2 levels of cargo to explore.

  

Final Wreck Dives: Thistlegorm, Carnatic & Giannis D

On day 5 was spent doing two more dives on the Thistlegrom to explore more of the cargo holds. We then moved to dive the wreck site called The Barge. This site contains an older, mostly deteriorated wreck that is home to an abundance of marine life, including corals, eels, many fish species, rays, etc. A night dive was also done on this site to look for macro subjects.

On Day 6, we did another dive on The Barge and then navigated to dive the wrecks of the Carnatic and Giannis D. There are a number of wrecks in this area - mostly a result of navigational challenges resulting in collision with the reef. The wrecks here are in various states of decay, but their metal structures are largely intact, and penetration is possible.

      

Last Northern Dives Before Heading South

On Day 7 we started to head south back towards Hurghada, and did two dives at Shaab El Erg, followed by another wreck dive at El Minya, which is close to the port in Hurghada.

Overall, the northern sites offer some great diving on healthy reefs and an abundance of wrecks. In April, the water temps were 70-72 degrees, and visibility ranged from average to good. The other thing to note is that the northern sites can be a bit busy with other boats, as it is accessible to day trips boats.

Short Stay and Day Dives in Marsa Alam

Following disembarkation, I headed 3 hours south to Marsa Alam as I had 5 days before my next liveaboard. I used this time to do some day trips from Port Ghalib with a local operator. Diving in this area is mediocre - most dive boats are geared more towards snorkelers and newer divers, and the sites are crowded with other boats. The diving itself is average as there isnтАЩt as much marine life compared to other areas of the Red Sea. One highlight was the massive and friendly green turtles that can be found at Marsa Mubarak.

 

Deep South Red Sea Adventure (Week 2)

For the final week, I was originally scheduled to be on the brand-new Red Sea Aggressor V. A few days prior to departure, I was notified that there were delays with final Coast Guard paperwork, and as a result, another liveaboard, the MY Sea Friends, would be our boat instead. Although a bit older and smaller, the Sea Friends is a nice yacht with a capacity of 20, although our group was only 9. The Aggressor dive guides joined the crew of the Sea Friends to run the diving operation portion of the trip

For the next week, we explored the (very) deep south area of the Egyptian Red Sea. Our route would take us to Elba Reef, which is seldomly visited, and as a result, the reefs here are pristine. Visibility was improved, and water temps were warmer, ranging from 74-78 degrees.

Southbound Reefs and Encounters (Week 3)

After boarding on day 1, we had dinner and headed south overnight. On day 2, we did our first dives at Zabagab Island and Rocky Island. These sites have steep walls with healthy coral and fish populations.

   

Elba Reefs & Levanzo Wreck Dive

We headed further south on day 3 to Elba Reef, and dived Gota Elba (which is actually across the border in Sudan), followed by Elba Reef Nord-Ost. We were again treated to healthy hard and soft corals, as well as abundant fish populations. We also say a school of barracuda and many eels.

Day 4 was spend exploring the wreck of the Levanzo, followed by 2 dives further north at Abu Shaga and Abu Tais. Here, we found some enormous anemones and a friendly octopus.

  

Swim-Throughs and a Manta Encounter

We travelled further north on day 5 to dive the St. JohnтАЩs area, including sites such as Gota Kebira, Umm Chararim, and Paradise Reef. Umm Chararim is unique in that it is largely a series of connected shallow swim-throughs, which made for a very unique experience. Another highlight was a manta ray that was swimming near the boat which we jumped in the Zodiacs to snorkel with.

Spinner Dolphins and Final Deep South Dives

Day 6 was spent further north at sites Satayah Sud, Shaab Clauidio, and Abu Galawa Soghayr. After the first dive, we were given the opportunity to snorkel with a pod of spinner dolphins. After hunting at night, these dolphins relax in a nearby lagoon during the day. We saw ~200 on the day we were there, but the local guide said there can sometimes be many more.

   

On our final day, we dove at two sites near Marsa Alam. Overall, the Deep South offers pristine reefs, healthy marine life, warmer water, good visibility, and very few other boats.

All Star Liveaboards Scuba Scene Review

The Scuba Scene is a luxury liveaboard that operates in the Egyptian Red Sea. At 159ft long, it's one of the largest liveaboards in the Red Sea, comfortably housing 28 guests. It is also one of the nicest boats I've been on, both in terms of the boat itself and the first-rate service. Scuba Scene runs trips with various Red Sea routes тАУ the Northern routes (like the one I did) include world-class wreck dives, along with healthy coral reef sites. Central, South, and Deep South routes are also available. For our trip, we embarked and disembarked from the pier at the Marriott in Hurghada

  

The crew is exceptionally focused on guest's comfort, with some nice touches not found on all liveaboards. For example, there are always crew members helping people in and out of wetsuits and BCDs, rinsing wetsuits after every dive, and taking care of everyone's equipment. Guests are offered a hot towel after each dive, as well as a cold or hot beverage.

  

The dive operation is efficient and safety-focused. Dive briefings are held in the main salon and utilize a large TV with dive site renderings to explain all aspects of the upcoming dive. Given the number of wreck dives, historical information about each wreck is also provided. Guests have the option to follow a dive guide or dive the site in buddy teams. There is a mix of drift and moored dives depending on the site, and the speedboats are always ready to pick people up regardless of the dive plan. Safety is emphasized, and all buddy teams are required to use a reel/SMB before surfacing away from the boat. Nitrox is available, and guests are required to check their Nitrox mix before each dive. We were offered 3-4 dives per day, including a night dive, depending on location.

 

Launched in 2023, the boat is fairly new and feels very well maintained. All the areas are spacious and comfortable, including the dive deck, salons, outdoor lounges, and dining area. Given its size, it is also remarkably stable тАУ even on windy days, there was little movement. There is a saltwater pool that is filled upon request, as well as a jacuzzi and sun deck. There is an excellent camera room/area for those with cameras, and each station includes cubbies, an AC outlet, a drawer, and under-counter storage for camera bags. Cabins are also quite spacious, each with its own AC control and bathroom. Most cabins can be configured as two doubles or a single combined bed. Mattresses are very firm, which not everyone prefers. There is free WIFI on board, but note it is cellular-based, so it is quite spotty. 

 

The food was excellent and plentiful! Breakfast and lunch are done buffet style, with made-to-order eggs available at breakfast. Dinners are done restaurant style, and include a soup, starter, main course, and dessert. There was typically a good mix of local as well as western style food.

  

Overall, the Scuba Scene is an exceptional liveaboard and a great choice if you want to check out the Red Sea.

Red Sea Destination Review

The Egyptian Red Sea offers abundant diving, so much so that youтАЩll need to choose which area youтАЩd like to dive on a given trip. Generally, the Egyptian Red Sea is divided into Northern, Central, South, and Deep South routes. In April 2025, I had the chance to dive the Northern and Deep South (Elba Reef) routes.

The Northern routes are best known for the many accessible wrecks, along with protected reefs and abundant marine life. Spring and Fall are generally considered the best times to dive the Red Sea тАУ the water has warmed up a bit, visibility is generally decent, and the heat of the summer can be avoided. In April, for example, water temps are 70-72 degrees. Many liveaboards depart from Hurghada, which is a direct flight from several European cities. Note that this area can be a bit crowded given its proximity to ports such as Hurghada.

 

The wreck diving in this area is abundant. Notable wrecks include the Thistlegrom, the Dunraven, the Carnatic, the Giannis D, and El Minya just to name a few. Most of these wrecks have been submerged for quite some time and have developed a marine ecosystem of their own. Penetration is possible in many of the wrecks. In addition to the wrecks, there is a nice reef system to be explored. Ras Mohamed National Park, in particular, has healthy corals and fish populations.

While harder to get to, the Deep South Routes offer pristine reefs, warmer waters, and far fewer boats. Boats generally depart from the Marsa Alam / Port Ghalib area, or Port Berenice. Marsa Alam does have an international airport, or you can fly to Hurghada and travel ~3 hours south to Marsa Alam. Port Berenice in another 3 hours south. When I was there in April 2025, water temps were 74 тАУ 78 degrees and visibility was generally good.

There are a few different Deep South Routes to choose from. I was on the Elba Reef route, which is the furthest south you can go - in fact, we crossed the Sudan border at one point. The marine ecosystems in the south are vibrant, with healthy hard and soft corals, plentiful fish species, eels, and rays. At some sites, there are long, connected swim-throughs which offer a unique diving experience. There are also sites where large pods of friendly spinner dolphins can be found relaxing in lagoons.