Hi, a useful site to try for Diving is SINAI DIVERS, link below:

http://www.sinaidivers.com/cgi-bin/sd/mg_genlist.cgi?template=search_frame_e&file=sv_sea&cols=1&col0=1&op0=eq&con0=21

Good luck.

You ll find the snorkeling much much better and easier in Sharm than Hurghada. Most the snorkeling in Hurghada is done on boats on trips to places like Gifton Island whilst in Sharm there are many hotels with excellent snorkeling beaches. Also you ll find the atmosphere, decor and choice of restaurants, shops and bars in Naama Bay to be much better and more fun than Hurghada.

Hurghada is useful if you want to do the tripto Luxor, but then Sharm has the trip to St Catherine and various trips into the canyons and mountains where you can enjoy real life bedouin cooking and atmosphere.

Think also about Nuweiba... much quieter than Sharm but rich in beaches, snorkeling, scenery and bedouin culture, and more central for the various Sinai excursions than Sharm.

For cheap flights compare the charters with http://www.swiss.com or http://www.aua.com - you ll be surprised at the low through fares on offer ( with same day connections ) to Cairo. Its easy to get a car to take you to Nuweiba or Sharm and you could combine your trip with a one or two night stay in Cairo which will also be interesting.

This is the best information I have had and so I reckon despite the cost we will be going to Sharm el Sheikh. Thanks a lot.

Mais je voulais que tu viens a Nuweiba !!!

et on continue ce sujet en francais?

It is better that we continue in English, but thanks for the thought! I haven't found an agent that goes to Nuweiba. I tried Swiss.com, but flights to Sharm el Sheikh are only through an agent, is that right? And the other site, Austria, is too far for us. Basel is the best airport, but you can only get to Hurghada from there. Zurich would do, to Sharm, but all flights are at night from there. Any other ideas? Merci beaucoup, Swiss.

D'accord...

Yes the Swiss flights are actually charter flights to Sharm and not bookable through the airline.

I ran a quickie on the swiss and aua sites...

Basel - Cairo... 1.8.2005 returning 14 days later.... Sfr 921.50 with AUA, Sfr 984 with Swiss ( Euro 625.36 )

Paris - Cairo... same dates.... Euro 574.30 with AUA, Swiss is only giving out a business class fare of almost 1300 Euros ( their website is getting more and more bugs it seems ).

all for same day connections though the Basel - Zurich sector might on certain days be operated by a train. The dates above are variable but are given just to show an example. The AUA might be obtainable at a little less even.

Its worth checking out the through fares going through a transit point as often they are cheaper than the direct flights of your national carrier.

If you have nt been to Egypt before then I d recommend going through Cairo to spend a couple of days there ( and then on to Nuweiba ) - if you have seen already Cairo then of course the charter flight to Sharm is probably the better option ( but then Nuweiba is only 160 km from Sharm airport ! ).

Are you pushing Nuweiba or something Alvin?

Question: What has Nuweiba got that SES hasn't?
Answer: a very nice clinic (though not finished yet)

and what about Tommy the Turtle ?

Shame on you Everest, have you forgotten him already ?

Thanks for the detailed replies. I think we have made our minds up now and had better go get it booked. J.

Unless you want to go to Luxor, you shouldn't go to Hurghada as it has all the charm of a major road accident and the offshore isn't the greatest.

Sharm itself is better - mainly because of the quality of the diving.

Personally I'd go for one of the Sinai resorts (Dahab, Nuiewba) that are smaller & quieter. Do take the opportunity to dive / snorkel at Ras Mohammed whereever you go and do the Mt Sinai / St Katherines tour.

If you are at Nuiewba & have the time, take the FAST ferry to Aqaba and go up to Petra (might need 2 night stay).

I have just been and booked Sharm el Sheikh after all your recommendations, thanks. We are going to the Hilton Waterfalls, does anybody know it and is it the same as the Hilton Sharm Waterfalls?

Yes it is... its located on the Oum el Seid headland with a small cliffy beach but with very good snorkeling around that area and the odd appearance of dolphins.

The rooms are spacious and really superb, and the staff appear to be very good.

I have nt stayed there myself but visited the family of Luchy when they were there. Luchy is another member of this forum - just look up her name and message her and I am sure she will give you all the details.

Thanks, Swiss, I'll send off a message now.
J.

ok i've been to sharm twice now and ideally i'd like to go back again but hubby wants to go somewhere else.

i want to go away for a week in the middle of november. can anyone tell me what the weather is like in hurghada then?

how does hurghada compare with sharm....ie can we swim in the sea and see all the fish and coral from the hotel jetties??

is hurghada too quiet compared to sharm??

hurghada/sharm...which one do i choose!!!!!!!

HELP!!!! medot.xx

Hi Medot,
Im not sure if Im much help, but I went to Hurghada in 2001 (its much more developed now), and Ive been to Sharm twice recently. Its a tough call, I would say the snorkelling off of sharm is much greater in the fact that there is that much more coral. However, the snorkelling in Hurghada was fab because it was so untouched. I stayed at the 3 corners empire all those years ago and shared abeach with another hotel down the road; the reef was fairly small but good enough for a beginner. There was not a jetti. I know that the resort is more developed now which cant be a bad thing as there was just so much building work going on there. Im pretty sure (from the brochures) that there are hotels to the same standard as sharm there now, and that most offer a beach with a reef of some sort. As for the weather, Hurghada is usually a little warmer as it is further south, but also as it is more exposed there is more a breeze which I understand can make it a bit chilly in the winter months (in the evening). If it were my choice I would say try Hurghada for a change, you can go on boat trips to the Giftun islands which are just stunning....desert islands in the middle of the red sea with no-one able to reach you......bliss!!

Apparently Hurgarder is about 4 times bigger than Sharm with much more nightlife, it this true?

I was told last week. Apparently it is much more geared up for Germans and Dutch but English is still widely spoken and there is lots more to do in the evening than Naama Bay / Sharm.

Does anybody else have info on this and how does the diving compare?

isnt that in taba? my friend went to taba and said it was really boring and wouldnt go again. said there was nothing to do there.

Sharm beats Hurghada hands down. I visited Hurghada a few weeks ago and was shocked at the state it is in. I was there 4 years ago and it was much nicer than it is now. It seems to be a concrete city. Whilst Sharm is still built up it looks cleaner, its more'polished' if you like, and there is plenty to do. This of course is just my opinion, and others may view it differently