Cave diving is one of the most challenging and potentially dangerous kinds of diving, but it can also be one of the most rewarding. It offers an opportunity to explore underwater landscapes that are otherwise entirely inaccessible and can lead to truly unforgettable experiences. Descending into the depths of a cave can be like entering an entirely new secret world: alien and unfamiliar, but often breathtakingly beautiful. Repeated diving allows you to get to grips with the strange and sometimes disorientating atmosphere of caves, so liveaboard diving holidays are ideal for exploring them thoroughly. Here are some suggestions of the best places to go cave diving:

The Great Blue Hole, Belize

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Perfectly circular, 300 metres across and 124 metres deep, the Great Blue Hole at Belize’s Lighthouse Reef is a popular spot among divers looking to get their PADI Deep Diver certificate. Jacques-Yves Cousteau declared it one of the top ten scuba diving sites in the world. The caves here are home to a number of species of shark, as well as elaborate stalactite and breathtaking coral formations.

St John’s Caves, Egypt

The southern Red Sea is home to a number of spectacular reefs and caves, and St John’s is one of the most impressive. Home to an amazing variety of marine life, as well as a kind of serenity hard to match, St John’s is the perfect focal point for Red Sea liveaboards.

Blue Abyss, Mexico

Home to a series of intense and fragile cave decorations, as well as some of the most vivid blue you’re likely to see, Mexico’s Blue Abyss is a rare treat for serious divers – and one that few manage to experience.

Cuzan Nah Loop, Mexico

This stretch of the world’s longest cave system, the Sac Aktun in Mexico, is filled with enormous, beautiful cave decorations. It’s perfect for less experienced divers, with easy access, but that makes it no less interesting for even the most hardened and serious of you.

Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe

‘Spiritual’ and ‘addictive’ are words that are often used to describe the experience of diving at Chinhoyi. While Zimbabwe might not be everyone’s ideal holiday location, these caves are some of the most special on the planet, offering divers a chance to experience incomparable serenity in caves linked to eons of folklore and myth.

Alghero Caves, Sardinia

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Home to the Nereo cave, the largest in the Mediterranean, this complex is home to more than 300 caves, making it the most important diving site in Europe. Combined with the local wine and the warm Sardinian waters, cave diving here is perfect for a relaxing break.

Blue Holes, Bahamas

Frequent blackouts, ancient animals, and labyrinthine passages: Bahama’s Blue Holes are not for the faint of heart, or the novice. Providing serious diving for serious divers, these caves seem to disappear into an inescapable abyss, but if you make it through, you’ll never forget it.

Devil’s Eye, Florida

One of the most dived cave networks in the world, with over 30,000 feet of mapped passageways, it’s possible to dedicate your life to diving here and still not see all of it. As part of a resort complex, your trip here will be comfortable and full of amenities that other places might not provide, such as warm showers before the dive.

Komati Springs, South Africa

A flooded asbestos mine, this is now a world-renowned technical training venue. With a maximum depth of 55 metres and varying levels of visibility, it is perfect for advanced training.

El Cenote, Cuba

Centuries of tropical rainstorms in this formerly dry cave have led to some of the most unique stalactite formations you’ll ever see in these caves, which are also home to a species of fish not found anywhere else on the planet.

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Renowned for its lagoons and reefs in the sheltered refines of the Red Sea, Egypt is famous as a number one diving spot and as its popularity has boomed so has the opportunity to bag cheap Egypt holidays. With competitive exchange rates and healthy competition between diving providers, plus direct six hour flights, Egypt’s most popular diving sites are even becoming a popular choice for weekend breaks – here’s our guide to exploring the oceanic underworld of Egypt.

Sharm El Sheikh

The sheltered position of the Eastern coast of the Sinai Peninsula creates a favourable climate year round, with diving running from Ras Mohammed north to the Gulf of Aqaba. The focus is centred on Ras Mohammed, the national park of South Sinai , and Nabq, both of which boast immense walls of coral reefs, home to sharks, turtles, big sea fish and wrecks. The variety of coast line offers all sorts of diving opportunities, from snorkelling for beginners, through to gullies, caves and overhangs for the more advanced.

On Red Sea holidays you can explore many coral reefs and swim with the colourful marine life that inhabit it.

Dahab

100km north of Sharm El Sheikh, the resort of Dahab has avoided the intense development of its popular neighbour and as such offers a laid back, lazy option to the Egyptian diving experience. However, just 12km to the north of Dahab lays one of the most famous dive sites in the world – The Blue Hole. Named after its circular shape that spans 150 meters wide and 110 meters deep, the dive site is connected to the Rea Sea by a 26 meter tunnel lying at a depth of 52 meters, which has become a popular challenge for technical divers. As well as huge walls at El Bells, a half open chimney and arches, The Blue Hole also has gently sloping reef towards the edges of the water, which cater for day and beginner divers.

Hurghada

The Red Sea coastal town of Hurghada has grown from a tiny fishing village to a huge resort that specialises in diving on the reefs of Shab Ali and Shab Mahmoud, The Thistlegorm wreck was rediscovered in the ‘90s  and the huge quantity of cargo and good accessibility mean it’s become a popular recreational dive spot. Mantas can be found around the horseshoe shaped reef of Shab El Ert, whilst Gota Shab El Erg is home to morays, emperor angel fish, rays and white tips.

El Quseir

El Quseir is a quiet resort to the south of Hurghada - with pristine corals and shallow clean water, most diving takes place from the shore, but it’s also the first stop on a diving trip to the Brother Islands – a site famous for their abundant sea life, including hammerheads, coral forests, grey reef sharks and sailfish.

For futher information about diving holidays in the Red Sea visit http://www.redseaholidays.co.uk/diving

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The Red Sea has long been one of the most popular diving destinations in the world.  The crystal clear, warm waters make for an unparalleled experience whatever your level of skill.  Whether you are a seasoned diver or a beginner, the underwater world of adventure it has to offer should not be missed.

Sharm El Sheikh – one of the most popular tourist destinations in Egypt – makes the perfect base to start your diving adventure in.  Many of the most spectacular wrecks and reefs are but a short boat ride away

Some interesting facts you should know; the Red Sea – a large saltwater inlet from the Indian Ocean – is bordered by Asia and Africa and occupies a surface area of some 170,000 square miles.  Debate still rages as to how the name was arrived at and there are several theories which include; a red seasonal algae bloom (Trichodesium Erythraeum), the name of the surrounding mountain ranges in Egypt and alternatively the name translating into a directional indicator (Black Sea is also thought to translate to north).

The Red Sea has been labeled as a marine eco region and conservation area by the Worldwide Wildlife Federation.  The patchwork quilt of vibrant colours and weird and wonderful formations formed by the 200 different varieties of hard and soft water corals are home to some 1,200 varying species of fish, 1,000 invertebrate species and around 44 different sharks (not good news for those who have to watch the Jaw’s films from behind the sofa).

The average water temperatures in summer range from 26°C in the north and 30°C in the south.  Interestingly it is also one of the most saline bodies of water in the world due to a high level of evaporation.

With over 1,200 miles of coral reef stretching around its coastline the Red Sea is a perfect diving destination for 2 reasons; firstly, the reefs and the lagoons make for the perfect environment for abundant marine life and secondly; the reefs that make life here possible are treacherous to ships navigating through and around them which has led to some truly amazing wreck sites, more often than not in depths of only 20-30 metres of crystal clear water.

Let’s take a look at the top 5 Red Sea dives off the Egyptian coast:

1: The SS Thistlegorm wreck; a military vessel built in Glasgow in 1940, sank in the area of Sh’ab Ali in the Gulf of Suez in October 1941 after suffering fatal damage from a German bomber.  An awe inspiring dive site with the original cargo of armored gun carriers, jeeps, trucks, rifles and ammunition still to be seen.  An explosion hole in the 120 meter hull of the wreck allows easy entry to see the cargo, schooling Barracuda and Giant Tuna that now call her home.  It’s easy to see why this wreck is one of the most popular in the world but hurry as she is deteriorating fast.

2: The Giannis D wreck: a 100 metre long cargo ship built in Japan in 1969, sank in April 1983 in the Straits of Gubal after sailing off course and striking a reef.  A spectacular and mostly intact wreck (resting in 3 sections on the ocean floor) with the interior spaces still accessible.

You can still enter the engine room and the accommodation quarters can be seen along with all manner of marine life that has made the wreck its home; including the rather prickly and very aptly named “Crown of Thorns Starfish”.  A reef nearby has a spectacular array of corals and fish that should not be missed (many of which have also now crossed over to the wreck).

3: The SS Dunraven wreck: built in 1873 in Newcastle Upon Tyne, an 80 meter long steamship, sank in 1876 whilst carrying a cargo of spices, cotton and timber.  Various stories surround the fateful night she sank but perhaps the most interesting is that she was set alight during an alleged drunken row between the Captain, his wife and his first mate (draw your own conclusions here).  It seems more likely that in reality the cause of the sinking was mis-navigation which was to be the reason his license was later revoked by the British Board of Trade.

The ships cave-like hull is open to exploration owing to it being excavated by archaeologists in the 1980′s.  The remains of the boilers and metalwork (since collapsed) can still be seen along with the Giant Morays and Yellow Goat that now call the wreck home.  You’ll find all manner of marine life outside too including the rare Ghost Pipe fish and perhaps schools of Bat fish which makes for superb photo opportunity.

4: The Carnatic wreck: built in London in 1862, a P&O passenger ship (sail and steam) 90 meters in length.  She sank carrying cotton bails, wine and Royal Mint gold to the tune of £40,000 after a 36 hour battle on the Sha’ab Abu Nuhas reef.  Amazingly the Captain had issued the order that the passengers and crew remain aboard being confident of rescue by a sister P&O ship on her return journey.  Unfortunately no such rescue was affected and the ship broke in half as the seas became rougher and began her 24 metre descent to the ocean floor.

You would be hard pressed to find any gold (every last piece was recovered shortly afterwards during a British salvage operation) but this wreck site certainly doesn’t disappoint when it comes to a remarkably preserved example of a19^th century passenger ship.

Amazingly the fore and aft sections of the ship are still accessible and have been colonized over time by Glass fish along with an indigenous reef fish population, making the “wine wreck” a dream come true for underwater photographers.

Should you fancy a tipple whilst you’re exploring the wreck, intact bottles of wine can still be seen littering the hull and ocean floor; although drinking them is probably not recommended…

5: The Ras Mohammed National Park: Finally, no diving experience could be complete without visiting the beautiful reefs within this area of protection.  The reefs offer a surprisingly stark contrast to the barren desert that borders them on land, with tapestries of striking colour and marine life in abundance.

Located in the Gulf of Suez (a short boat ride from Sharm El Sheikh) the national park incorporates the spectacular vertical coral walls of the “Main Beach” along with a recently opened reef called Marsa Bareika that contains an array of superior coral specimens.  Here you will find Barracudas, Snappers (along with the odd shark or two) along with a population of 20 metre long eels.  The calm sheltered water makes this an easy dive for the beginner and an overall must see experience.

This is but a short selection of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring Red Sea diving hotspots.  No visit to Egypt should be complete without experiencing one of the most beautiful diving destinations the world has to offer.

Written by Chris Rowlands of the travelsupermarket.com Holidays in Egypt team.

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Crystal clear water and red hot desert sun enriches each dive with beautiful play of colors, and perfect as precious stones coral walls and reefs running from the shore are breathtaking. Discover for yourself hundreds of varieties of corals, mysterious ship wrecks and some of the most beautiful reef walls in the world.

Sharm El Sheikh

Sharm El Sheikh has quick become an ultra-modern diving site for a short period of several years. 65 km long reefs are among the richest and most famous in the world. Mile after mile hard and soft varieties of coral reefs and fish abound in the dazzling display. There is no place in the area, which is not hide a small miracle, but, due to inaccessibility and inconvenience, diving is usually limited to a few sites. Here you can read more about Sharm-El Sheikh  dive sites

Straits of Tiran

Little straits of Tiran Island are like closing the Gulf of Aqaba from the 12 miles to the north-east of the port of Sharm El Sheikh. These straits are formed in the east of the island of Tiran and the Sinai coastline to the west. Deep water, the continental plateau and a narrow corridor create a kind of bottle neck through which a strong, dense flow of plankton is literally thrown out on the coral reefs. Circulation of food chain of the plankton brings coral organisms and reef fish together with predatory sharks, which find here easy prey. Of course, this is the place where you can still encounter the shark actually during each dive.

Jackson Reef
This is a 70 meter canyon cut from an edge of a plateau at a depth of 15-20 m. Sharks and big fishes are around here; dangerous currents. Wrecks of Lara ship.
Woodhouse

Lies between the reefs Gordon and Jackson, is a long, narrow reef running from the north-east to south-west. Its shallow peak drops sharply on all sides by a sharp angle.
Thomas Reef
Sharply cut reef is composed of several sections, the plateau and a very deep canyon, stretching from the south reef. This is the smallest of the 4 reefs, and because of its location in the chain, the most exposed to the strong currents.
Gordon Reef

This reef is a 10-20 m wall extending down to 70 m. Sharks and other fishes around here. Strong flows and wrecks of Loullia ship.
Ras Nasrani

Sand Canyon is next to a sandy plateau, and then goes down to the abyss. Barrier reef and coral slopes.

Shark Bay
A small canyon, extending to a depth of 10 – 15 meters. Entrance is from a sandy beach.
Near Garden

Slight slope going down to 20 m and then abruptly drops to 50 m; nearly in the middle of the slope a wide sandy floor.

Middle Garden

Located in the central area of the bay. Moderate slope, reaching to 25 m.

Far Garden

A narrow slope, becoming a reef wall just behind the bend reef at a depth of about 15 m. At the top of the slope, there are 5 impressive reefs in the form of almost straight lines.

The Tower

A 60 meter high wall going down directly into the abyss. Large cavities/caves with access to the reef table.

Dahab (Gold)

Old coral gardens and sparkling colors of fish make Dahab a hidden treasure of the Red Sea. Dahab – a perfect place to relax, it’s located 100 km to the north – west of Sharm El Sheikh and is considered one of the invaluable diving sites in the Sinai Peninsula. It was famous for its golden beaches and mythical underwater attractions such as the Blue Hole (Blue Hole), Kenon (Canyon), Laythauz (Lighthouse), Belz (Bells). Underwater beauty of Dahab is impressive with striking contrast to the surrounding residential Bedouin this little beach town.

Interesting places for diving in Dahab

Blue Hole

Located a few miles north of Dahab, Blue Hole is a picturesque place, a point where there is not so much the «blue hole» itself, but the luxury reef slope from the surface. Entrance is through a large (about 50 m wide) lagoon over the reef. This lagoon gives its name (Blue Hole) to the whole place. Its shallow region at a depth of 6 meters from the lagoon leads to the outside reef, deep inside the «hole» – arched passage, which connects the frontal reef with the «hole».
Canyon

Canyon is located a few miles north of Dahab, on the half-way to the Blue Hole. Name of the site gave a long, narrow and very beautiful canyon that runs from north to south, with a shallow reef near the coast goes to a depth of 50 m and the reef slope further down. Entrance to the site passes through a small lagoon (3 m), lying a few steps away from the shoreline.

Light House

Light House is located directly on the shore in the Bay of Dahab. It is a downstream reef stretching to the north around the speaker of the land. The tops stretch to a depth of 25 m before the spill in a series of smaller corals, lost in depth. Then the reef gives way to wide, inexpressive sandy slope on the way to the 2nd down a coral wall in the north.
The Bells

Place is located a few kilometers north of Dahab, north of Blue Hole. This is a vertical wall with a lot of ledges and chimneys, small depressions and currents. By direction of the Blue Hole, on the southern reef gradually turns into a steep slope.
Ras Mohammed National Park

The area of Ras Mohammed is a cape formed by ancient corals, protruding on the surface of the sea – perhaps the most beautiful place of South Sinai, with its rich marine life. It is now a protected National Park, which embodies most of the geological diversity of species found in the Sinai. Due to currents carrying out of the Gulf of Aqaba, underwater inhabitants are simply exceptional and a lot of fish come here from the open seas in search of food and shelter.

Shark Observatory

The famous giant reef wall, vertically abrupt downward from the surface to 90 m. Sharks and other fish.
Shark & Yolanda Reefs

This are 2 flooded islands on a sandy slope. Strong currents. Sharks and fishes make a beautiful site for underwater photography.

Jack Fish Alley

Jack Fish Alley is also known under the name Fisherman’s Bank. It consists of shallow-water coral reefs at a depth of 25 m..
The Quay

Craggy slope covered with corals. Reef fishes and sharks.
Sha’ab Mahmoud

This place is the western part of Ras Mohamed – a broad shallow surface stained speakers, large coral formations. Sandy sea bottom, the depth is not over 10 meters, narrow reef defines the western border of this space, starting from the shoreline to the north, deviating from the coast in a southeasterly direction rounded back, recalling the form of a horseshoe. This reef is known as Reef Chaab Mahmoud Mahmoud. It is surrounded by spacious lagoon, a length of 11 and a width of 5 km.

The Alternatives

A vast area with many interesting sites for divers. Corals, the mini-wall, coral fish.
Beacon Rock was opened in 1979, Dingraven sank in March 1876 during a journey from Bombay to Newcastle. This steam-sailing vessel used to transport spices and timber.

Hurghada Dive Site

Hurghada appeared in the international diving sites map from 1950. With the accelerated pace of modern development, today is a more popular destination than ever. Hurghada is widely recognized as the capital of the Red Sea and can boast the presence of amenities of modern city without losing the centuries-old desert environment. Hurghada is the point of departure to places of diving, lying far beyond its borders, such as Abu Nahas, Bluff and the wrecks of Thistlegorm. But it is the local sights of underwater world that are the special reasons for the popularity of Hurghada.

For budget flights to Hurghada, we recommend Low Cost Airline Guide for your flight search requirements

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Egypt confirmed its intention to build a giant underwater museum in the Mediterranean Sea. But since the preparations started from the Cleopatra’s palace in Alexandria, financing and technical issues are equally problematic as the very famous queen.

Ancient Alexandria was one of the great centers of civilization, and since the beginning of excavations in the eastern harbor in 1994, divers had excavated thousands of historic sites. Including 26 Sphynx, huge granite blocks, weighing up to 56 tons each, and even parts of the possible Alexandria lighthouse, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Remnants of Cleopatra’s palace located mainly on the island are under water after the earthquake of the 5th century.
The idea is to open a unique area through underwater tunnels that would allow well consider the underwater attractions. Projects were completed by Ruzheri French architect, a veteran of such construction projects, and is supported by UNESCO.

In the next month a detailed technical analysis will start. If everything goes according to the plan, then construction will begin in 2010 and be completed within two and a half year.

But the project has faced obstacles. Funding for the museum, which will cost 140 million dollars, have not been found yet.

The government hopes that private companies and organizations will support the construction of the 21st century, but so far no one breaks. But even if the money are found, many technical problems remain to be resolved: for example, how to deal with the notoriously dark waters of the Gulf, to improve visibility in the tunnel, etc…

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This year Egypt’s tourism authorities will be «filtering» diving centers. This will result in their numbers to be cut by 10-15%, states the Chairman of the House of diving and water sports of Egypt (CDWS) – Hisham Gabr.

He added that in this means that every 10-th diving center in Egypt will be closed.

According to him, in 2009, all diving centers of Egypt will be required to switch to the new standards of ISO, developed by the European Underwater Federation and the Austrian Institute of Standards and obtain a new license from CDWS.

«Now diving services in the Red Sea are offered by more than 350 licensed diving centers, – explained H. Gabr. – Last year it 18 centers were closed that offer substandard services».

According to him, until March 31, all of the diving center of Southern Sinai will be required to complete the procedures, to obtain the new license corresponding to new standards.

«Until the end of June licensing in Hurghada and El Gunne will be completed. Those centers which do not receive a new license in time, can obtain a temporary license for a month, which may be renewed for up to three months».

License are issued by the Ministry of Tourism of Egypt for a year.

President of CDWS noted that to deal with diving centers, which received complaints from tourists is planned to create a marine police, which may prevent access to the sea boats carrying the clients of these centers.

«Punishment will be closure of these diving centers for a period of 1 to 6 months», – he added.

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