Diving Egypt (Red Sea)There are over 1000 species of invertebrates and around 200 recorded coral types in the Red Sea. The Red Sea boasts over a thousand species of fish, more species than any other proportional body of water. The Red Sea is considered by many to offer the very best diving available in the marine world. The Red Sea supports sharks, stingrays, turtles, dolphins, colorful corals, sponges, starfish and various mollusks. In places, the living reef stretches way out to sea, forming an elaborate system of caves, lagoons, gardens, and plateaus. Some of these coral summits plunge thousands of feet to the ocean floor.
Best time to dive
Fall and spring are typically the best times of year do to air and water temperatures.
Visibility
Visibility is often 150+ feet.
Water temperatures
Water temperatures in the Red Sea vary from around 90 degrees F in the southern Red Sea in the summer to about 65 degrees F in the northern Red Sea in the winter.
Weather and climate
There are basically two seasons in Egypt: a relatively cool season that lasts November to March with average temperatures of 68 to 79 °F and a hot season April to October. The Red Sea coast has fewer extremes and is nice year-round, where as the rest of Egypt experiences a desert like climate. The average humidity stays in the 7 to 20 percent range. In the spring (especially late March to early April), sand and dust storms called khamsin blow in and can reduce visibility (sometimes even in Cairo) to less than 100 feet.
Language
Arabic. English and French are widely spoken.
Passport/Visa requirements
All visitors to Egypt, except nationals of Malta, South Africa, and Zimbabwe are required to have a visa and a passport (which must be valid at least one week beyond period of intended stay). Visas can be arranged through Egyptian embassies worldwide. Visitors from the U.S., Canada, EU, and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries may be able to purchase a visa stamp upon arrival at many large airports if the visit is for tourist purposes. One-month visitor’s visas can be extended.
Currency
Egyptian pound – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/
Electrical current
220 volts AC, 50 Hz. Converters or transformers are required for U.S. electronics.
Capital
Cairo
General information
Egypt borders Libya in the west, Sudan in the south, the Mediterranean Sea in the north, and the Red Sea and Israel in the east. The eastern region, across the Suez Canal, is Sinai. The Red Sea is located between Asia and Africa. At its most northerly point forms the Sinai Peninsula and stretches over 1000 miles south to join the Indian Ocean, between Ethiopia and Yemen. The movement of plates in the Earth’s surface created the Red Sea about 30 million years ago.
Map
Get a map of Egypt from WorldAtlas.com.