| | Makadi Bay, the beautiful bay south of Hurghada, is in the middle of a rich coral reef system, extending from Hurghada in the north to Safaga in the south. The protected sandy bay is an ideal place to learn to dive, while just a few miles off the coast are some of the nicest reefs of the area. Makadi Bay is a perfect option for those seeking to combine a diving holiday with pure relaxation by the beach. The Makadi Bay marine area is protected, as many other areas in Egypt, and diving centres here operate under environment-friendly procedures. Starting from year 1995, local authorities, NGO’s and international bodies such as USAID have co-operated in the conservation of the underwater life of the region. Nowadays, regular checks and upgrades ensure the presence of mooring buoys in all dive sites. The area is a naturalist’s paradise, with thousands of species of marine life. With shallow, deep, drift and wreck sites at your doorstep, dive sites in Makadi range from easy to challenging, with profiles apt both for the novice and the expert. In Makadi Bay there is also a pretty house reef which is reachable from shore with guided and non-guided dives. | Dive sites in Makadi Bay | Scuba diving in Makadi is performed either from shore, with a felucca for the closest reefs, or with large diving boats for the daily or half-day trips. From Makadi Bay you can also visit the beautiful Marine Park of Giftun Island, one of the most beautiful in the Red Sea and Egypt. (access only with an entrance fee). The area in general is blessed with refreshing breezes from the north both in winter and summer. These breezes often turn though into strong winds which may limit access to certain dive sites. Here are only some of the most famous dive sites in Makadi Bay: - Gota Abu Ramada, a network of coral gardens from which the most famous is adequately named “the Aquarium”. A perfect place to learn to dive, with a profusion of Red Sea coral reef population.
- Abu Hashish, a beautiful and easy dive apt also for snorkellers.
- Ras Abu Soma, a great fringing reef with an impressive drop off which attracts great turtles, moray eels, and occasionally, big game such as reef white-tip sharks and barracudas. A must for the intermediate diver.
Check out our Diving and Snorkelling Maps to have an idea of the location, accessibility and experience level required to dive in the Makadi Bay divesites. | Makadi Bay Diving Services | In Makadi there are several reliable and professional diving centres, with services ranging from scuba diving beginner certification courses to professional courses and technical diving, and providing guided dives to the area's outstanding reefs, introductory dives and diving packages, with one, two or more dives per day, for those who are certified. For the non-licensed diving enthusiasts, most centres offer free of charge pool intro’s, where visitors can experience the thrill of scuba diving on a one-to-one basis with a diving instructor in the hotel’s swimming pool. The Makadi Bay diving centres also offer experience programmes, where the visitor can try actual dives in the sea straight away, under the strict supervision of a diving professional. Certified divers can dive either from shore, to the pretty house reef, every day from 8am to 5pm, or join one of the short trips to visit dive sites only 15 minutes away by felucca. There are also half day and full day trips to the furthest dive sites, with one or two dives per day. Makadi Bay, with its wealth of shallow coral gardens, is an ideal location of the Red Sea Riviera to learn to dive, and most diving centres offer the full range of beginners’ courses. Even kids from 8 years on can enrol in children-dedicated scuba diving activities, such as the popular bubble-maker course, where kids learn to be familiar with water and scuba diving and have fun swimming around in a confined water area. |
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