Scuba World Divers in Egypt is currently well on the way to becoming one of the largest dive center providers in the Red Sea. The group is growing rapidly - seven dive centers have been opened since 2015. More are to follow in the near future. During my visit to Scuba World Divers Soma Bay, I was able to convince myself of the quality of the provider. I spoke to base manager Gaetano and the German-speaking receptionist Moni - the good soul of the base at the Mövenpick Resort Soma Bay.

Unpaid Advertising / Interview.

After a long break from diving during Corona, I'm on holiday in Egypt Soma Bay went diving again for the first time. I wasn't alone - many of the local divers had taken a long break during the pandemic and wanted to resume their favorite hobby on a diving vacation. I had already heard of the Scuba World Divers - but I hadn't really had the diving center group on my radar until now. Not yet.

Because after ten dives it seems to me that a new star has long since risen among the diving center providers on the Red Sea. The Scuba World Divers do a really good job, have modern diving centers, extremely well-trained staff and a diving infrastructure that works. The dive center operator offers... Diving in Soma Bay highest standards, diving training and of course exciting diving trips to the most beautiful reefs in the Red Sea.

during mine holiday I have done about a dozen unforgettable dives with the dive center in Soma Bay and am glad that despite my numerous Egypt dives, Gaetano and Moni were still able to give me new insights into diving in Soma Bay.

Video – Diving with Scuba World Divers

Below I have selected a video from the Scuba World Divers that pretty much sums up what it is like at the diving center group in Egypt.

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First some information about you and Scuba World Divers - how did you come to Egypt and the SWD?

Gaetano: I've been in Egypt since 1988 and stranded here by boat back then. After Corona I was unemployed like many others in the diving industry in Egypt. Scuba World Divers gave me the opportunity to contribute my many years of experience and knowledge here in Soma Bay as a base manager.

Monica: We both love diving, the underwater world and Egypt. We do our work from the bottom of our hearts. I have fulfilled my long dream and, after making appropriate preparations, I quit my job in Germany and went Egypt pulled. I have been working as a receptionist at Scuba World Divers since 2018 and I feel very comfortable.

Scuba World Divers has been on the west coast of the Red Sea since 2015. The company grew rapidly in just a few years and now includes seven dive centers in El Gouna, Makadi Bay, Soma Bay/Safaga, Port Ghalib and Marsa Alam.

What distinguishes diving in the Soma Bay and Safaga region?

Gaetano & Monica: Soma Bay has crystal clear waters, rich marine life and a wide variety of beautiful coral reefs. Whether it's a leisurely reef dive, drift diving or something deeper - there's something for everyone, whether beginner, advanced or divemaster.

What makes it special compared to Hurghada to the north and Marsa Alam to the south?

Gaetano & Monica: Next Safaga are home to some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the Red Sea. One of the most exciting diving spots in the open sea is the Panoramic Reef, which is the largest reef in Safaga and unique in its underwater world. For shipwreck lovers, the Salem Express can be reached within 20 minutes by speedboat.

What diving trips do you offer? What are the highlights? What is there to discover? And what are your absolute favorite dive sites?

Gaetano & Monica: We offer half day trips with our Feluca in the morning with two dives or in the afternoon with one dive. In addition, we have individual dives with our speedboat and full-day excursions in the program - for example to the wrecks further north.

Excursions to the Panorama Reef or the wreck de Salem Express are possible by speedboat, either as a single dive or as a full day trip on a large diving boat, including lunch. The underwater world of these dive sites offers a variety of Red Sea fish species and nudibranchs, as well as a variety of hard and soft corals in different formations. Occasionally manta rays, whale sharks or dolphins can also be observed, which makes divers' hearts beat faster. Each reef is unique in its own way. The highlight Tobia Arbaa with its seven pillars is considered a real aquarium.

You offer trips to the Salem Express several times a week. What is the fascination of the dive site? Why would you recommend divers to go there with you?

Gaetano & Monica: The Salem Express is a mystical shipwreck that lies at a depth of 12 meters to 31 meters. It is easily accessible from Soma Bay by speedboat in 30 minutes or as a full day trip. This wreck is a popular dive site that offers a unique underwater world and attracts the interest of divers of all experience levels. The Salem Express is a great opportunity to do that Underwater World to explore and discover interesting fish species, corals and possibly even wreckage. It is important to always follow diving safety regulations to protect the wreck and the surrounding underwater world.

There are an incredible number of diving centers on the Red Sea. What is special about Scuba World Divers?

Gaetano & Monica: We have instructors who train to 5-star PADI standards and are constantly self-screened and trained. Courses are held in English, German, French and Russian. We have the European standard.

How has diving changed during Corona and the current economic crisis?

Gaetano & Monica: The corona virus was a disaster for the economic situation, as tourism came to a complete standstill. For the underwater world, however, it was a boon. The reefs have been able to recover a little, as has the fish life, and species that were previously absent have returned.

How do divers who have not been in the water for a long time during Corona find their way back into diving?

Gaetano & Monica: We offer our divers a refresher course that lasts about three hours. The course includes theory refresher (using a video of PADI OWD levels 1+2) and exercises in the pool or in the sea. The course is conducted according to the latest standards of diving medical check in paper format. Advanced divers also receive an intensive check dive.

What would you recommend to diving beginners - diving course in Germany and then the first open water dives with you?

Gaetano & Monica: Both options have their appeal. If the guest does not want to invest too much time in theory during their vacation, they can learn it online from home. The attraction for the open water dives on the reef with the colorful fish and corals is more tempting here than in Germany in the dark lake. The colorful underwater world of the Red Sea is a particular highlight and certainly a reason why many people travel to Egypt to scuba dive.

Thank you very much for the interview with Moni and Gaetano and the beautiful diving trips I was able to do with Scuba Divers Soma Bay.

About the dive centers of Scuba World Divers

Scuba World Divers is a scuba diving company that operates several dive centers along the west coast of the Red Sea in Egypt. Established in 2015, it has since grown into a respected and internationally recognized PADI dive center. The company strives to provide guests with excellent service and a high level of safety, providing them with a memorable and personalized diving experience.

Scuba World Divers offers a variety of diving activities in Soma Bay and the other Red Sea resorts - snorkeling tours and boat trips as well as most standard PADI courses taught by multilingual instructors.

The Red Sea is a unique and biodiverse ecosystem that is home to over 1200 species of fish and 200 species of coral, making it a popular destination for divers and underwater enthusiasts. Scuba World Divers strives to preserve the beauty of the Red Sea and encourages its guests to be responsible divers.

It is important to note that Scuba World Divers Dive Centers are PADI 5 Star Dive Centers and therefore offer all courses from Discover Scuba Diving to Divemaster courses and various specialty courses such as Scooter, Sidemount, Wreck Diver and many more. The courses are taught by professional, multilingual diving instructors.

The company also offers guided and unguided half and full day boat tours to the various dive sites along the west coast of the Red Sea from north to south. Scuba World Divers diving centers are all located directly on the beach of the Red Sea resorts, offering a cozy and welcoming atmosphere for the comfort and relaxation of the guests.

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
Email	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)

My experiences with the Scuba World Divers

Professional diving at a high level

After a long break from diving of almost three years, I was initially unsure about starting diving again. But the Scuba World Divers were quickly able to allay my concerns and we started a relaxed return to diving. The most important thing is to get back into it slowly.

And so we first did a relaxed dive at the Sharm El Arab dive site - a check dive. Because if you haven't been in the water for a while, you first have to get back into a bit of a routine. You can also take a refresher course, where the refresher course is a little more intensive.

After a short time I feel like a fish in water again

The check dive with the dive guide Mustafa is enough for me. First we do a shallow, relaxed dive with lots of colorful fish and beautiful corals. First pay attention to the buoyancy, breathe calmly again and rediscover the rhythm of the underwater world. It works surprisingly quickly. Diving is like riding a bike – you never forget it.

After the successful check dive, my insecurities were gone and I could fully concentrate on the beauty of the underwater world. I felt like I never stopped diving and quickly felt comfortable in the water again. Dive guide Mustafa was very attentive and accompanied me throughout the dive to make sure I was comfortable and safe.

Diving on the most beautiful reefs between Makadi Bay, Soma Bay and Safaga

During my tours with Scuba World Divers we also explored some dive sites around Makadi Bay that I didn't know before. These dive sites such as Sharm El Arab, Abu Hashish Lagoon, El Malek and Ras Disha struck me with their beauty and diversity.

One of the highlights was the Abu Hashish Lagoon dive site north of Makadi Bay. The lagoon offers a breathtaking underwater world with colorful corals and a large variety of fish species. The drop-off and the possibility of big fish also make this dive site interesting for advanced divers. Another highlight was the house reef Gota Abu Makadi, which is characterized by its diversity, beauty and the possibility of big fish at the drop-off.

All reefs can be reached quickly by dive boat and are easy to dive at the same time, as they are either directly on land or in a large, sheltered lagoon. I am grateful for the experiences I had during my dives in Soma Bay and Makadi Bay and will always carry these memories in my heart.

My highlight - diving at the wreck of the Salem Express

My highlight of diving with Scuba World Divers was without a doubt the dives on the Salem Express wreck. The wreck, a former passenger ship that sank after a reef impact in 1991, lies at depths of between 12 and 32 meters and is impressive in its dimensions.

It took us two dives to explore the entire area and get a little peek inside. The interior of the wreck was particularly impressive and was a poignant experience as it claimed the lives of around 1400 people. Many of them are still believed to be in the wreck. The Salem Express is an official burial site and deserves respect and reverence.

Aside from the somber and historical backdrop, the wreck also offered a variety of marine life to view. We were fortunate to have two spectacular dives off the Salem Express which were without a doubt one of the highlights of my entire vacation in Soma Bay.

I can only recommend every diver who goes diving with Scuba World Divers Soma Bay to do at least one day trip or a single dive with the speedboat on the Salem Express. On the day we visited the wreck we were lucky enough to spot a large pod of dolphins on the way out and three whale sharks on the way back. A perfect setting for an unforgettable day of diving.

Consistently positive experiences with Scuba World Divers

My experiences with Scuba World Divers during my holiday in Egypt were entirely positive. The day of diving on the Salem Express with the two dives, the dolphins on the outward journey and the three whale sharks on the return journey was quite extraordinary.

I am very grateful for the support of Scuba World Divers in helping me find my love for diving again and make a successful return to the sport. I'm really looking forward to doing more dives and exploring the underwater world as soon as possible.

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Interview with Scuba World Divers – Have you ever dived with one of the provider’s dive centers or in Egypt in general? Share your experiences in the comments.