SCUBA dive spots in the ME ?

[The Wawa Zone]

Yo..

Has anyone got a list of good dive spots around the Middle East (excluding the Med) ? I'm interested in wreck dives and no frills live-aboard boat dives so if anyone has any ideas or does this in their spare time then I'd appreciate some info.

Regards The Zone

[schismatic]

For heavens sake. This is not a travel agency.

Use the net there are a thousand links on it about diving around here.

[Desert Diner]

The Red sea is the spot. As for the Gulf, well, it's the gulf:ouch:.

There were a few good spots around Bahrain about 15 years ago, not sure if they've survived though.

[thesilversurfer]

Hi there...went to oman last year and was pleasantly surprised...good drift/wall dive...its a bit chilly this time of the year ..

cheers

ss

[The Wawa Zone]

Desert Diner, yes the Red Sea is the wreck centre for sure, especially the northern end. Do you know if there much diving done out of Yemen or Saudi, or are most spots reached out of Egypt ?

The Gulf ? Good for yachting !

[boiler]

Aqaba is a great place for diving with great scenery. You can even see the great rift fault at some of the places there.

[Fly Through]

East coast of the UAE on the Indian Ocean is the best diving wih the odd wreck dive. The Musundam (Sp?) Peninsula on the straights is also v.good but known more for its drift, wall and cave dives.

The gulf coast has the wrecks but crap visibility.......nothing to do with the artificial islands, I'm sure :ugh:

[Gulfstreamaviator]

Do not try the Ras al Khaimah, UAE, Alhamra Fort Dive operation, been there done that, and wished I had not. Not safe.

The otherside of the Red Sea is excellent, not busy, so if in Jeddah, try it. Great wall dives, and NO other divers there.....

Happy travelling, happy flying...

glf

[Desert Diner]

The Red Sea spots in Saudi territorial waters, understandibly, can only be acessed from Saudi. And you have to be here to be able to acess them as they are probably not offering "diving" visas at this time.

Aqaba and Sharm are probably your best bets on the Red Sea at the moment as Yemen could be a bit dodgy.

[mutt]

ffering "diving" visas at this time

They were available, but i dont know if you had to be part of an organized boat tour.

Mutt

[babafly]

sharm is good, but if you are around UAE then go to Oman, 2 days ago i went to Swadi Beach resort near MCT, very good diving spots and good vis with lots to see including 2m+ leopard shark

[The Wawa Zone]

Thanks everyone - it looks like the Gulf of Suez or Aqaba at the N end of the Red Sea, however the wrecks down the southern end sound pretty good.
Time to hit the www looking for no frills live-aboards !

Regards Wawa Z.

[ironbutt57]

Several good dive sites in Oman, Bahrain has been doing so much land reclamation, the visibility has gone to nothing unfortunately...or just travel 6 more hours and hit Phuket..loads of live-aboards to andaman sea sites..

[sanddude]

Just came back from Oman Dive Center, great place great diving. 15 min mfrom MCT. spotted couple of huge turtles. The od shark as well!

[gremlin 030]

Hi WZ,

The diving in Oman at the moment is as good as it gets! As Sanddude said the ODC is a great place but book early to check availability! You might also like to try Global Scuba at the Aviation Club (SEEB). The Damaniyats are great at the moment - 30 meter vis and the chance to swim with a whale shark :eek:

If you are venturing to Salalah I can hook you up with the Extra Divers here. The beach diving is great and they have just aquired a very big boat! The quantity and variety of fish is truely stunning!

PM me if you need anymore info.

Regards

G030:ok:

[ironbutt57]

all said and done....the only place to get the PADI "pearl diver" card is here in Bahrain....contact Robin for details...at BYC