Snorkelling is ”the” watersport par excellence in the Red Sea. With the wealth of underwater life in all destinations, snorkelling is an easy and very enjoyable way to spend some time and discover the wonders of the marine life. Whether you go out from your resort beach, or you spend a day or half a day on a snorkelling boat, you will collect unforgettable memories! In the Red Sea, snorkelling is particularly easy, as the high salinity of the water allows you to float almost without effort. Follow though our Snorkelling Guide tips, for those areas where currents and waves can make it a bit more challenging. As a visiting snorkeller to Sharm El Sheikh you'll have plenty of sites to choose from. Calmest and easiest are the sites located along the coast. They are usually referred to as Local Sites. There are virtually no currents, water is calm and clear and there's plenty to see. Tiran and the Ras Mohammed National Park are among the most famous diving and snorkelling areas in the Red Sea and don't need much introduction. Just be aware of currents and sometimes rough seas there. Dive boats, which normally function as snorkelling boats at the same time, tend to move around and might not stay put while you snorkel in any off shore sites (like for example Tiran). This is because the diving groups often descend in one place and ascend in another. Many hotels have superb snorkelling on their doorstep at the House Reef. Some of them include Club Faraana, Hilton Waterfalls and Iberotel Grand Sharm in Hadaba, as well as Royal Rojana, Tropicana Grand Oasis and Four Seasons in Shark's Bay. Here are some of the nicest spots for snorkelling in Sharm el Sheikh: - Ras Mohammed National Park. Virtually every hotel, resort, diving centre and watersports centre offer excursions to this marine paradise. The Park has a couple of beaches where snorkelling is easy, such as Marsa Bareika, and some off shore reefs reachable with snorkelling or diving boats. A must for everybody holidaying in Sharm!
- Tiran Island, a favourite destination for full day snorkelling trips, with its lagoon of crystalline turquoise water and a wealth of corals and underwater fauna to remember.
- Ras Umm Sid, with its walls covered with awesome gigantic gorgonians, is another famous diving site, and it is accessible from land via the private beach of the restaurant El Fanar.
In all hotels and most camps you will find watersport centres hiring snorkelling equipment, and organising guided and non-guided snorkelling trips to the best places in the area. They also cater to the tiny ones, with professional guides teaching your kids how to use snorkel, mask and fins, for an experience they will never forget. Another way to have some great snorkelling is joining one of the scuba diving boats, going out on daily basis for half day or full day trips to the best sites in the area. Have a look at our Diving and Snorkelling Maps to check out the names and location of the area’s snorkelling sites. |