# Diving Hurghada



## akteacher (Mar 12, 2013)

My school is sending me to Hurghada for a week perhaps as a bribe to stay, as another teacher just left. Either way, I am excited to get out of this city for a while. Does anyone have any information about diving certification? Companies to go through? Etc? Thanks!


----------



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

isn't Hurghada on lock down.. people confined to their hotels


----------



## akteacher (Mar 12, 2013)

Info on THAT would also be appreciated.


----------



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Pat will be able to tell you better as she has a lot of friends down that way


----------



## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

akteacher said:


> My school is sending me to Hurghada for a week perhaps as a bribe to stay, as another teacher just left. Either way, I am excited to get out of this city for a while. Does anyone have any information about diving certification? Companies to go through? Etc? Thanks!


Tourists being advised to stay in hotels,no curfew,had a bit of bother the other day but that was in Dahar,quite a lot of military about today but just showing themselves nothing else....apart from that life is just going on as normal.Can recommend Emperor Divers which are situated at Hilton Plaza on the Corniche,Dahar.Any more info you want about diving just ask as have a friend who is well up on all things to do with diving.Just go and enjoy but be prepared to be hassled as they are all fighting for business at the moment


----------



## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

akteacher said:


> My school is sending me to Hurghada for a week perhaps as a bribe to stay, as another teacher just left. Either way, I am excited to get out of this city for a while. Does anyone have any information about diving certification? Companies to go through? Etc? Thanks!


What sort of info do you want about diving certification ?


----------



## akteacher (Mar 12, 2013)

How long it takes? How much it generally costs? Do I have to book ahead? Will I have to do it alone if I go to hurghada alone?


----------



## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

akteacher said:


> How long it takes? How much it generally costs? Do I have to book ahead? Will I have to do it alone if I go to hurghada alone?


Here's a link to their webb site....anything you can't find on there let me know and i will try and find out for you.

Learn to dive with Emperor Scuba Schools - From PADI Bubblemaker to Open Water Course


----------



## akteacher (Mar 12, 2013)

Thank you. I really appreciate. Just read on twitter there has been a curfew instated in Hurghada as of a few minutes ago...?


----------



## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

akteacher said:


> Thank you. I really appreciate. Just read on twitter there has been a curfew instated in Hurghada as of a few minutes ago...?


Just spoken with someone who has just driven through hurghada and they say no curfew everything just going on as normal...also checked two other hurghada forums and no mention of a curfew on either of them.


----------



## mamasue (Oct 7, 2008)

I was a diving instructor in Hurghada for many years.
Whether you're being advised to stay in hotels or not might not be a problem.... many hotels have their own beaches and dive centres.

As Pat says, Emperor Divers is pretty good, and English-run. A lot of Egyptian-run dive centres are ones I wouldn't recommend.

A PADI open-water course is 4 days long, and will give you the basics you need, and certification which is recognized worldwide.


----------



## Gounie (Jan 27, 2011)

Come to El Gouna. It is a private town 24km north of Hurghada with private security and you can walk around freely anytime night or day or catch shuttle buses, boats or tok toks.

We have a dive club for residents here in El Gouna and do all our diving with Emperor Divers based at the Moevenpick Hotel in El Gouna. Here is the link to our dive club so you can see photos:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/60608698930/

We meet every Thursday night at 7pm at the Club House in Downtown, El Gouna for Happy Hour and a meal and you are welcome to join us. Not sure when we are diving next.

Here is Emperor's website:
Diving in El Gouna, Red Sea, with Emperor Divers

There are many other dive centers to choose from. They are all good. Tend to attract different nationalities so I guess the German ones will be very quiet right now! All dive centers will pick you up from anywhere in El Gouna.

Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions as I have lived and dived her recreationally for ten years.


----------



## akteacher (Mar 12, 2013)

Gounie said:


> Come to El Gouna. It is a private town 24km north of Hurghada with private security and you can walk around freely anytime night or day or catch shuttle buses, boats or tok toks.
> 
> We have a dive club for residents here in El Gouna and do all our diving with Emperor Divers based at the Moevenpick Hotel in El Gouna. Here is the link to our dive club so you can see photos:
> https://www.facebook.com/groups/60608698930/
> ...


Turns out I am in El Gouna! I am going to call Emperors now and I would love to meet you guys on Thursday.


----------



## Gounie (Jan 27, 2011)

Brilliant. Ask for me at the Club House (Georgina). We usually sit on the beach, on the decking at the end of the pool on wooden benches. Where are you staying?


----------



## akteacher (Mar 12, 2013)

Gounie said:


> Brilliant. Ask for me at the Club House (Georgina). We usually sit on the beach, on the decking at the end of the pool on wooden benches. Where are you staying?


Ali Pasha. I have no idea where I am. Lol


----------



## Gounie (Jan 27, 2011)

Ali Pasha Hotel is in Abu Tig Marina. Lots of restaurants and bars and a lovely view of all the motor yachts. If you are on your own there is Smugglers Pub to meet other ex-pats and tourists. It is only tiny and very cosy. If you walk around the marina basin you will go past Captain's Inn Hotel, before you get to the Duty Free shop there is a small alleyway with a sign to the pub. Richard is the owner and Lynn is usually behind the bar. Opens from 5pm so they can help with any questions.

Club House is based in Downtown. Just pick up a tok tok (LE5 per person) outside Ali Pasha on Thursday and it will only take you ten minutes.

I'll try and find a map of El Gouna for you.


----------



## Gounie (Jan 27, 2011)

Map here:
El Gouna - Interactive Map

This photo from Google Earth shows Ali Pasha Hotel, Club House for Thursday and Emperor Divers based at the Moevenpick Hotel. Emperor's boat picks up in Abu Tig Marina where your hotel is so they will take you to the dive center the first day to complete the paperwork but if you are diving the next day and leave your kit on the boat you can probably just walk back to your hotel and to the boat the next morning.


----------



## akteacher (Mar 12, 2013)

Gounie said:


> Map here:
> El Gouna - Interactive Map
> 
> This photo from Google Earth shows Ali Pasha Hotel, Club House for Thursday and Emperor Divers based at the Moevenpick Hotel. Emperor's boat picks up in Abu Tig Marina where your hotel is so they will take you to the dive center the first day to complete the paperwork but if you are diving the next day and leave your kit on the boat you can probably just walk back to your hotel and to the boat the next morning.
> http://s1248.photobucket.com/user/Rihanagounie/media/ExPatForum_zps11eab9a8.jpg.html


Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!


----------



## hurghadapat (Mar 26, 2010)

akteacher said:


> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!


Pleased to hear that you are all sorted now thanks to Gounie......nice as well that you will now have company.You will enjoy El Gouna it's a beautiful clean and safe place but more expensive than hurghada.Hope you have a good time diving.


----------



## Gounie (Jan 27, 2011)

Did you book your diving already? I noticed this morning the German dive center Orca has reduced their prices as all the German guests have flown home. They are based in Abu Tig Marina very close to Ali Pasha Hotel:

_From now on ORCA Diveclubs Turtle's Inn has special prices until the end of September. That means that everybody who is booking diving excursions or courses (except tek-diving courses) will get a 50% discount on the walk in price. you will find the normal prices on the website Tauchen Tauchbasis Schnorcheln Turtles Inn gypten and here are some after-discount-examples:

1 day diving (certified diver) 36,-€ incl. Boattrip, 2 dives, weights, gas and taxes. (equipment and guide is not included)

5 days diving (certified divers) 150,-€ incl. Boattrip, 2 dives, weights, gas and taxes. (equipment and guide is not included)

Introductory dives 58,50,-€ incl. Boattrip, Instructor, Equipment and taxes

4 Day Open Water Diver course 222,-€ incl. 2 days Theorie and poolsessions, 4 dives of the boat, training material, certificate, Instructor and all taxes

Advanced OWD course 186,50,-€ incl. 6 dives on 3 days, Instructor, training material and certificate (equipment is not included)


If there are any questions or if you like to book, please contact the diving center at [email protected] or call 01222 480 460

Sunny regards
Wolfgang Jocham
Tauchen Tauchbasis Schnorcheln Turtles Inn gypten
_


----------



## akteacher (Mar 12, 2013)

Gounie said:


> Did you book your diving already? I noticed this morning the German dive center Orca has reduced their prices as all the German guests have flown home. They are based in Abu Tig Marina very close to Ali Pasha Hotel:
> 
> From now on ORCA Diveclubs Turtle's Inn has special prices until the end of September. That means that everybody who is booking diving excursions or courses (except tek-diving courses) will get a 50% discount on the walk in price. you will find the normal prices on the website Tauchen Tauchbasis Schnorcheln Turtles Inn gypten and here are some after-discount-examples:
> 
> ...


Darn! Orca is right next to me. I started at Emperor today and am happy with it. It's also nice to get a little ways from my hotel! Thanks for the recommendations. See you tomorrow!


----------

