hmm . Sounds like Emperor took them over Chris if their Website is now linking there . So many dive operations suffered last year and still are by the sound of it .. funnily enough I was pleasantly surprised to see them operating there when I did a little research last week .

Think you might be right Lyn, perhaps some of the smaller set ups were unable to cope with the downturn in tourism due to last years the Arab Spring. They were still using wetsuits with dive tribe written on them which seemed a 'cool' name to her, but their paperwork, minibus ect were all Emperor.

xxx

You will get discount if she dive's with them again

Would be good. I think you may get discouts if you prebook from the UK as well, but we weren't sure exactly what was wanted at the time, plus you could go over there and have a good old discussion with them as to what you wanted to do and what was appropriate.

As repeat customers I think you could probably get the discount out there anyway chris but you can at least save the 10% sales tax booking in advance . Probably not worth the bother unless she is doing a lot or your dive bill is like ours. not cheap with 4 of them . It never fails to shock me ,almost 1500 Euros this year :yikes.

Emporer took over Dive Tribe last year, possibly even late 2010.
Emporer are a good set up too. I think the official name it is using is "Emporer Dive Tribe".

They both had school operating in El Gouna and I can only guess that the economic downturn contributed to the decision to join forces.

If they both had dive schools there the diving must be pretty good then im guessing Val . I overheard some serious divers say they wernt keen on El gouna but maybe that was for a different reason .Im really tempted now by El gouna or Makadi bay . Think I will just books flights to Hurgharda and see what hotel takes my fancy

Hi

I think you are right Val that must be what happened.

Lyn, as you know I'm not a diver, but I wouldn't be suprised if the diving from El Gouna is the same as the diving off Hurgarda & maybe Makadi Bay. Perhaps when the boats go out they all head out the the same various dive sites ? So maybe you should pick the hotel/area that most fits your other requirements if that makes sense.

Apart from a brief drive (30 mins) from Hurgarda in one direction for El Gouna and the other direction for Makadi Bay it's all kind of the same place, if that makes sense.

The drive from Hurgarda to El Gouna didn't seem to be any longer that it would take to get from Ras um Sid to Nabq Bay in Sharm.

xxx

There is not alot of difference in the dive sites to be honest..and Doe is right, they all head off to the same places from the day boats..so the sites would be the same wherever you stayed..just maybe on a different day!

Thankfully, we stopped all the hotel malarky in Egypt a few years ago and now jut go straight to the New Marina, get on a boat, go to sea for a week and just dive dive dive

I think from experience, I prefer Makadi bay though.

Ok that's good to know .Im not too concerned about getting out and about as you both know so it will probably be the hotel that swings it for me either way and of course having a decent dive setup on site .

Hi Lyn

Obvioulsy only

been to one place so far, I do know that Makadi Bay is supposed to have some of the best beaches in the red sea area, if that is a factor, but maybe not if folk are going to be under the sea all the time.

Maybe the thing that El Gouna would have for it, especially if you stopped in the Marina Area, is within 5 mins walk of an evening I think there will be things to for the younger members of your party to walk to.

I beleive every Friday night the marina area has live entertainment, unfortuatley that was the day we arrived, but I guess if we had been staying in that area we coould have gone.

There is a bar called moods which we had a coffee in during the daytime, that I understand at night has a really nice chilled vibe with music, comfy chairs, it's own beach. There are a few little streets in which I think there might be small bars etc I'm not sure but I think with Makadi Bay there is just hotels & whatever bars & restaruants they have in them.

I guess it's if you feel the hotel will be enough on it's own for the evenings, I know your boys have been to Pasha in Sharm, i dont think there is anything quite like that unless they go into Hurgarda.

xxx

A few years ago they would of done the pasha type thing for the occasional night out chris but now they both work they seem to just enjoy the chill as much as us, for Egypt anyhow . We literally have dinner , a couple of drinks and then bed .. normally by 11 and they actually get up early with us now , have breakfast and hit the gym and sunbed on the days they dont dive . Youngest has always stuck with us , never bothers to try and mix with others his own age .. all he's interested in is diving or when he's not ..talking to Dave about it or reading a book . He even prefers to stay in a room with us so he can talk diving with Dave !!

So yes I think nice hotel ,preferable with a nice beach as a bonus that has a good atmoshere during the day with a good on site dive setup. Im swaying towards Makadi bay Although El gouna does seem to do more of the dine around option I know. I was going to book 3 corners ocean view one year , cant remember what stopped me but I know you could do the dine around option 2/3 times a week which would be a nice change.

In that case then I think you will have a much bigger choice of hotels in Makadi Bay, there seems to be two areas of hotels as well. The area where minione is going that we have the map up for on here, and there is another area where the sunrise royal makadi (think thats is name is) lot of AI hotels there so spoit for choice. I think Pat has been to that hotel twice, so it might be worth reading some of her posts.

In el Gouna you would be restricted to either the 3 corners Rhiana or 3 corners ocean view, or Movenpick but the AI at the movenpick seemed expensive, so not much choice really. You would get AI in makadi bay for similar price as BnB at Movenpick.

The dine around seems to be a bit restrictive, if you go to a better star of hotel than your own you just get a credit towards your food & you always seem to have to pay for your drinks unless you are in your own AI restaurant (s) at your own hotel - but I guess it makes for a change of scenery.

xxx

Thanks chris .. Im feeling the urge to do some research now