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Red Sea Diving
El Gouna
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Hotels in El Gouna
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El Gouna is the place to come if wreck diving is your thing, with easy access to Abu Nuhas, the famous 'ship graveyard' of the Red Sea. The area is also known for frequent dolphin encounters, with the friendly creatures often surprising divers with sudden appearances on journeys to and from dive sites.
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More information on El Gouna >>
Excursions & activities from El Gouna >>
Dive Centres in El Gouna
Essential Diving Info
Location: On the Red Sea coast of mainland Egypt, about 25km north of Hurghada.
Transfer time: Approximately 30 mins from Hurghada airport
Medical: Nearest recompression chamber / medical facilities are at El Gouna hospital, located a few minutes away from the dive centre.
Diving in El Gouna
- From the Straits of Gubal in the north to El Fanadir in the south, around 50 dive sites are accessible by spacious and comfortable day boats leaving from the Abydos Marina in El Gouna.
- Between 1 and 2 hours away, you will find dive sites ranging from shallow coral gardens such as Abu Galawa and Shaab el Erg, to wall diving sites such as Um Gamar and Blind Reef.
- El Gouna is uniquely positioned to dive some of the finest wrecks in the Red Sea. The wrecks of Abu Nuhas are only 1 and a 1/2 hours away and the S/S Thistlegorm can be reached in 2 and a 1/2 hours.
- Frequent Dolphin encounters in this area exhilarate divers with surprise appearances on journeys to and from dive sites.
Diving Highlights
Abu Nuhas
A ship graveyard containing the wrecks of Giannis D Carnatic, Kimon M and Chrisoula K. All the ships are around 100m in length and found between 5 and 28 metres below the surface. These wrecks can only be dived if weather conditions permit, due to their location. There is great coral life in the area and lots of schooling
fish around the wrecks.
Shaab Um Gamar
One of the nicest sites in the Hurghada area, packing lots of action into its small confines. There is a small wreck, lying at around 25m, as well as a very dense population of reef and pelagic fishes.
Marine Life
Seahorses, stonefish, eagle rays, turtles, dolphins and white tip Sharks.
Apres Dive
El Gouna is home to a number of restaurants, bars and cafes around the downtown and Abu Tig Marina areas, offering a choice of nightlife opportunities. Nightclubbers also have the option of visiting nearby Hurghada. Many of the hotels enjoy spa and massage facilities, and the resort is also home to an 18 hole USPGA golf course, a go-karting trek and numerous other activities.
Excursions, activities & tours from El Gouna >>
Activities for non-divers
Snorkelling, water sports, golf and desert safaris are some of the many adventures to take up in El Gouna.
Don't miss: Abu Tig Marina - a chilled out place to enjoy some al fresco dining as the sun sets.
For more information, see Excursions, activities & tours from El Gouna >>
Green Gouna
Green Gouna, an El Gouna community initiative, has been established since January 2003 and involves all the dive centres, hotels and many outlets. The goals of Green Gouna are to help develop the resort as an ecotourism destination. Green Gouna pursues this goal by involving the entire community in the protection and preservation of the delicate Red Sea and El Gouna environments through education, recycling, clean-up campaigns, festivals and the establishment and the enforcement of environmental standards and guidelines.
Environmental Initiatives
There is an ongoing push in El Gouna to eradicate the use of plastic bags, replacing them with recyclable paper bags or other re-usable materials. Installation of recycling bins for glass, paper, plastic and cans in El Gouna. Conservation awareness campaigns directed to staff, residents and visitors. Establishment of an educational photo gallery on El Gouna wildlife. Installation and maintenance of mooring systems for diving boats in cooperation with the Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association (HEPCA).
Environmental Guidelines
Help us preserve the natural beauty of El Gouna by observing the following rules:
- Don't pick up shells, not even the empty ones on the beach
- Don't touch the mangrove trees
- Don't touch, feed, or catch fish or crabs
- Don't touch or step on the coral; take care when snorkelling
- Don't throw litter in the sea or anywhere else
- Don't buy souvenirs made of shells or animal products – most of which are illegal to import/export
- Motor-operated cars and bikes are not allowed on the beach.
Map of El Gouna Diving Sites
