The region south of Hurghada is home to some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the Red Sea - these include the dive sites off Soma Bay, Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh and Safaga. Soma Bay is perfect for divers of all levels. With crystal clear waters, a variety of colorful corals, underwater caves and canyons, and rich marine life diversity, Soma Bay offers an unparalleled diving experience. Which are the most beautiful reefs? Where and with which dive center should you go diving? I have compiled the most important information for you in my experience report about diving in Soma Bay.
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The sun on your face, the wind around your nose and the shallow waves gently rock the Scuba World Divers submersible up and down. Meanwhile I'm standing at the bow of the ship, with a coffee in my hand and looking at the sea. That's how I like it Diving Holidays preferably. I take a deep breath and thoroughly enjoy the moment as the boat moves to the dive site.
Next Soma Bay It all started for me in terms of diving. There I did my first ever dive in a sea in September 2005 at the Gamul Al Kabeir dive site and for the first time I dived into the aquarium that is this Red Sea off the coast of Soma Bay.
And since then I've probably seen every breathtakingly beautiful coral reef that lies off this coast - from the impressive panoramic reef to Abu Kafan to the infamous Shaab Sheer Salem Express in the south and Abu Soma Garden and Giftun Island north of Safaga. I have visited many of the diving spots several times over the years - and no two tours were the same. Every dive in the Red Sea has its own surprises.
Let's see Red Sea an eagle ray and a large, free-swimming moray eel stops by. If you're lucky, you'll swim with a turtle for ten minutes - and if you're really lucky, you'll meet a manta ray, a reef shark or even a whale shark. Diving in Soma Bay can be something really special - at some dive sites, in my opinion, downright world class. In my experience report about diving in Soma Bay I would like to share it with you.
Video – Diving in Soma Bay is so beautiful
Below I have a video for you Hollywood Dive & Travel in which you get very clear impressions of the underwater world in Soma Bay - especially from Ras Abu Soma, one of the most popular diving spots on site.
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Re-entry after a long break - Corona has changed everything for many divers
Corona has changed everything. I didn't go diving for three years - neither in the Red Sea nor anywhere else. Most recently in October 2019 in Mauritius on the impressive wreck of the Stellar Maru. And in December 2022 I returned to the underwater world for the first time - with the Scuba World Divers at Mövenpick Resort Soma Bay. After checking in at the base, the first thing I learn is that many divers were also out of the water during the pandemic and are now starting to dive again after a long break.
On my dives I am in good company with people returning to diving who would like to find their way around the underwater world again. As we all know, diving is like riding a bike; you never forget it. But a little refresher course can be useful.
You should definitely do a check dive before diving in Soma Bay. And with the help of the experienced guides and diving instructors from Scuba World Divers, returning to the underwater world becomes child's play for me.
With Scuba World Divers I quickly rediscovered my joy of diving while diving in Soma Bay
Enjoying the wind and waves on the bow of the dive boat is all well and good, but a die-hard diver wants to get into the water. For those of us returning to diving, we can feel a certain amount of nervousness before our first dive. And how does the nitrox analysis work?
After a detailed safety briefing from dive guides Hassan, Sawy and Mustafa and a few exercises in shallow water, we set off on our first dive off Makadi Bay. Then you can start the underwater tour on the Sharm El Arab reef.
Especially in the first few meters under water, the colors are breathtakingly beautiful - and thousands of small fish swim around the reef blocks. Everywhere you look there is colorful coral with its residents like parrotfish, lionfish and clownfish. And then there's that moment when everything goes still because the tension completely melts away from you - and you can just disconnect from the reality up there and drift.
The buoyancy control fits perfectly, you float completely freely in the water and your breathing becomes very calm again. As if you hadn't taken a three-year break from diving. In those moments you felt as free as a bird - or fish.
The dives afterwards are just as stunning and the dive sites vary in terms of underwater scenery - corals, ergs and canyons, drop offs. And with every dive there is something new to discover – the other dive group even saw a manta ray circling majestically in the distance. Every dive is a surprise - and what you see has a lot to do with luck and coincidence.
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Diving in Soma Bay - numerous diving trips in the program
During my tours with Scuba World Divers Soma Bay, we also visited some dive sites around Makadi Bay that I didn't know before. Including some really nice dive sites like Sharm El Arab, Abu Hashish Lagoon, El Malek and Ras Disha - which admittedly I had never heard of before. In my experience report about diving in Soma Bay, I will introduce them to you a little more closely.
I was really pleasantly surprised by the Makadi Bay house reef Gota Abu Makadi. It's a beautiful house reef that has something to offer even for advanced divers due to the drop off and chance of big fish there. All reefs can be reached relatively quickly in a few minutes by dive boat and are relatively easy to dive at the same time, since they are either located directly on land or in a large, protected lagoon.
My highlight of diving in Soma Bay - the wreck of the Salem Express
The highlight of my stay in Soma Bay was definitely the dive on the wreck of the Salem Express - an old passenger ship that sank in 1991 after hitting a reef. The wreck lies at a depth of between 12 and 32 meters and is impressively large, requiring several dives to explore the entire area.
For several years now it has been possible to dive into the wreck. The interior of the wreck in particular is not for the faint-hearted: up to 1.400 people are said to have died in the accident - many of whom are still in the wreck. The Salem Express is an official burial site.
What made this dive so special for me is both the grim, historical background and the fact that you can see a lot of different marine life there. One should dive this wreck with the utmost respect and a certain humility. We did two spectacular dives on the Salem Express which were definitely one of the highlights of my entire vacation in Soma Bay.
After an unforgettable day of diving on the Salem Express, my conclusion is clear: when diving in Soma Bay you should take part in at least one day trip or a single dive with the speedboat on the Salem Express - otherwise you will have missed something.
On the day we visited the Salem Express, we were doubly and trebly lucky on the outward and return journeys. On the way there we saw a large school of dolphins. And on the way back we met three whale sharks that we could watch from the boat. What a successful setting for a perfect day of diving.
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The most beautiful dive sites around Soma Bay, Makadi Bay and Safaga
Around Soma Bay you will find some beautiful diving spots, which are directly in front of the small holiday resort. Other spots are a little further away - on the other side of Safaga in the south or in the north near Makadi Bay. The most beautiful diving spots in Soma Bay include the popular and challenging dive site Abu Soma Garden and the Seven Pillars (Tobia Arbaa).
And a highlight that can be reached relatively quickly from Soma Bay - about 30 minutes by speedboat - is the wreck of the Salem Express. Below I have listed some of the most beautiful diving spots in the region.
1. Abu Soma Garden (Soma Bay)
Abu Soma Garden is a beautiful coral reef with many coral blocks and a cliff. The reef is also known for its diverse marine life, which is home to various sea creatures such as free-swimming moray eels, octopus, squid, numerous anemones and clown fish. It is one of the region's most popular dive sites, lying just off the headland of Soma Bay.
2. Ras Abu Soma (Soma Bay)
Ras Abu Soma is a unique coral reef and also the house reef of Soma Bay. The reef slopes down to a sandy slope dotted with coral boulders that eventually drop to great depths. Further north the reef narrows to a ridge that eventually leads to a vertical wall. Here you can do a drift dive.
Giant moray eels are often seen swimming freely over the plateau and sometimes eagle rays pass by. On the reef slope you might find an octopus or squid. Numerous anemones host clownfish families throughout the plateau. Occasionally big fish will drop by this reef which is a must see when diving in Soma Bay.
3. Tobia Arbaa (Soma Bay)
Tobia Arbaa is a unique diving area that you can reach in just 12 minutes by speedboat from the Scuba World Divers dive center. This diving area is also known as the “Seven Pillars”. On a flat sandy bottom, five pinnacles lead to a dam to the south where the boats are moored.
This is the ultimate dive site for photographers and videographers. Napoleon wrasses pose enthusiastically and nudibranchs are models for the macro lens. Lionfish and trevally chasing schools of silverfish and soft coral overhangs swarmed by anthias and glassfish take divers' breath away. A turtle can often be found here.
4. Tobia Hamra (Soma Bay)
Tobia Hamra Reef slopes in a north-south axis and is punctuated by ridges and gorges with sandy bottoms. Tobia Island is at one end, Sandy Island at the other. Turtles are a familiar sight here, as are Napoleon triggerfish and moray eels. On the reef you'll find the usual suspects like butterflyfish, damselfish and angelfish, but also rockfish and Red Sea walkman. Jackfish and barracuda sometimes come here to hunt, and zebra snakes have been spotted resting on the sand flats.
5. Panoramic Reef (Safaga)
One plateau lies to the north-west and another to the south-east. One of the best wall dive sites in the Red Sea. On the southern plateau you are almost guaranteed to see several Napoleon Triggerfish. It's especially gratifying that so many of them are juveniles. Pelagic species such as tuna occasionally drop by and other predators such as bigeye jacks and barracuda hunt in huge schools of fusiliers. Eagle rays, white tip reef sharks, gray sharks, silky sharks and even oceanic white tip sharks have all been spotted here.
5. Abu Kafan (Safagah)
Abu Kafan is a 300 meter offshore reef considered to be one of the best volcanic rock formations off the coasts of Soma Bay and Safaga. The site takes its name from the large gorgonian fan corals. It has very steep sloping walls that drop down to over 100 meters on all sides.
You can find corals from shallow water all the way down to the depths. There are numerous reef platforms with dense soft coral growth. In Abu Kafan you will find everything: Dendronephthya soft coral trees, gorgonian sea fans, black corals, turtles and many pelagic visitors to be spotted in the blue.
The site is typically dived as a drift dive along the reef walls. The current here is usually moderate, but can speed up during certain phases of the moon. Fish life is excellent with a variety of groupers, schools of barracuda, huge aggregations of snapper and unicorn fish and some giant moray eels.
6. Shaab Sheer (Safaga)
Shaab Sheer is a unique coral reef off Safaga that stretches for 2 km. The dive sites are located on the east and west sides of the reef and offer a variety of underwater attractions including beautiful coral gardens, caves and beautiful overhangs. The north side of the reef is ideal for drift diving and is home to rich marine life including brimstone butterfly fish, blue spotted rays, masked butterfly fish, banner fish and turtles.
7. Salem Express (Safaga)
The Salem Express is a unique wreck off Safaga that sank in December 1991 and has since become a popular destination for many wreck enthusiasts and divers. The wreck is around 110 meters long and is located on the starboard side, while the port side can already be dived at a depth of 12 meters. The bow of the ship is at 32 meters depth, while the upper screw is found at approximately 23 meters.
The wreck has now grown moderately and there are still utensils scattered around the ship. Divers can spot frogfish and clownfish on the Salem's superstructure if they search with a trained eye.
8. Sharm El Arab (Makadi)
Sharm El Arab is 15 minutes south of Makadi Bay. The boat will be moored in the large lagoon. Below the boat is a beautiful wall between 20 and 40 meters with colorful coral growth. The dive leads along this wall to the plateau between 18 and 28 meters with nice big table corals. Here you can find turtles, barracudas, snails and shortnose tangs.
9. Gota Abu Makadi (Makadi)
Gota Abu Makadi is located in the east of Makadi Bay and can be reached by boat in about ten minutes from the Baisis in Makadi Bay. Experience a coral garden dive with several table corals and a promising opportunity to see jellyfish, glassfish, wingfish and many more. This diving area is particularly suitable for macro fans and for snorkeling.
10. Gamul Al Kabeir (Soma Bay)
Gamul Al Kabeir is a few minutes by speedboat from Scuba World Divers base in Soma Bay. This is a circular reef that rises a few meters out of the water, surrounded by a lagoon that opens to the west. There are three rock formations to the north.
Usually there is a large school of barracuda just below the surface of the water. There are big-eyed angelfish and snappers circling the rock formations. Divers observing the sea grass may spot winged fish. Eagle rays and white tip reef sharks are not uncommon here. Even dugong sightings have been reported here.
Diving in Soma Bay with Scuba World Divers
If you want to dive in Soma Bay, the Scuba World Divers Dive Center is your first choice. The diving center at Mövenpick Resort was rebuilt and renovated in early 2016 to offer divers the best possible comfort.
The Dive Center's facilities include high-quality diving equipment and a modern compressor, 12 and 15 liter diving tanks, a spacious classroom, a welcoming reception and dive boats. For my diving in Soma Bay experience report, I traveled with this experienced dive center.
Gorgeous dive sites right outside the door
These amenities provide maximum comfort for the divers. But the best features of the dive center are the breathtaking coral reefs of Soma Bay, which are right on the doorstep and can be reached in just a few minutes.
In addition, the attractive reefs of Makadi Bay and Sahl Hasheesh can be visited in a very short time by bus transfer. There is another Scuba World Divers base there, from which these dive sites in the north are accessed. When diving in Soma Bay you have a wide choice of dive sites.
Highest quality standard as a PADI dive center
As a PADI dive center, Scuba World Divers Soma Bay offers a variety of diving activities such as Nitrox for Free, Zodiac, full day tours, various specialty courses and much more. The training programs in PADI diving courses have the highest quality standard.
Thanks to the experienced and multilingual staff of the diving center, diving becomes a really interesting underwater activity for both professionals and beginners. The team is trained so that you can fully enjoy your diving trip and always feel safe and comfortable. Scuba World Divers Soma Bay also offer a range of diving packages and programs tailored to each diver's individual needs and experience.
You can find all important information about Scuba World Divers dive sites and diving centers on the website scubaworlddivers.com.
Scuba World Divers Soma Bay
Equipment of the diving center
| diving Center | Scuba World Divers Soma Bay |
| Contact details | Mövenpick Resort Soma Bay, Safaga, Red Sea Governorate 1945530, Egypt |
| Phone | +20 10 95933811 |
| soma.bay@scubaworlddivers.com | |
| Website | scubaworlddivers.com/de/soma-bay/diving-center |
| Diving instructor | multilingual diving instructors and divemasters |
| Languages | English, German, Italian |
| Necessary documents | Diving certificate, logbook, medical certificate only if you have previous illnesses (still strongly recommended!) |
| Diving | House reef diving, independent diving with appropriate training, night diving, boat trips, longer diving trips on request, children's diving from eight years old |
| dive sites | The most beautiful diving spots off Soma Bay, Safaga and Makadi can be reached in ten to 60 minutes |
| bottles | 8l, 10l, 12l and 15l aluminum diving bottles |
| Valves | DIN and INT |
| Nitrox | available free of charge (for Nitrox certified divers) |
| Boats | Day boat, Zodiac |
| Vocational Training | according to PADI standards - Discover Scuba, Open Water Diver up to Dive Master and Assistant Instructor |
| Equipment | Modern equipment can be borrowed for a fee |
| Safety | Emergency oxygen available, decompression chamber (in Safaga and Hurghada), hospital (in Hurghada) |
| Payment | in cash with euros – credit cards: Visa, Master Card |
| Reviews | 4,5 out of 5 stars (Google) – 5 out of 5 stars (TripAdvisor) |
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Diving in Soma Bay experience report – ideal diving destination on the Red Sea?
My conclusion
I rediscovered my love of diving diving in Soma Bay with Scuba World Divers. After a three-year break, I was a little unsure whether I would find my way back into the sport quickly. But it went fast. After a few dives I was back in the matter all around. No wonder that I rave about my diving in Soma Bay experience report - the dives were uniquely beautiful. The visit to the Salem Express was my highlight.
My conclusion is therefore clear: Soma Bay is an ideal destination for anyone looking for a unique diving experience. The destination is particularly suitable for beginners. Almost 20 years ago I did my first dives in the sea here. But the region also has a lot to offer for advanced hikers - think of Abu Kafan or the wreck of the Salem Express. With the variety of dive sites, warm waters and abundance of marine life, Soma Bay offers an unforgettable underwater adventure that caters to many different preferences.
Diving in Soma Bay Review – Have you already been diving in the region or are you planning your first diving trip to this part of Egypt? Share your experiences in the comments.
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