Naama Bay (Red Sea)

[Harry]

Hi just booked a last minute trip to Naama Bay, Bay view Hotel, 17th-24th May. Until now all my Red Sea diving has been on live aboards. Does anyone have any views on what to expect ie, which wreck sites, life around Naama Bay ect.

thanks harry

[BogSnorkeller]

Wreck sites: I think you'd need to take a boat trip. In which case, you're within day-tripping range of the Thistlegorm, Dunraven and the cargo left behind by the Yolande.

Local diving: Plenty of reefs close to Naama. Try Googling 'Near Garden', 'Fiddle Garden', 'Far Garden' and 'Middle Garden' for trip reports. Basically, you can't move for fish, but most of the reefs I saw were looking a little bleached.

Nightlife: Naama Bay is the main centre for Sharm. Armies of people stopping you in the street trying to get you to go into their shop/restaurant. Neon-lit streets full of pubs, clubs etc. Loads of diving-centred bars, e.g. the Camel Bar or the Pirates Bar. Hoards of holiday-makers there for the sun - notably unfeasibly glammed-up Russian women.

Personally, I found it an odd place to be. When I'm on a diving expedition, I normally feel too washed-out to go out clubbing etc. So it was weird wandering into a place which resembles Magaluf, when all I wanted was to eat and go home to bed.

[Kip]

Hey

I have literally just come back from Sharm and stayed in Naama Bay.

Didn't do the wreck dives but Dunraven and Thistlegorm are very popular!

I dived Ras Mohammed and the "local" sites (local being around Naama Bay) and found the local sites to have far better aquatic life than Ras Mohammed.

The local house reef is also not a bad dive if you fancy a easy dive with some great fishy's about!

Managed to get up close to a massive manta (it's choice to come and have a look at the bubbles). Mind you, I didn't think it was possible to shriek with a regulator in but it is!

Make sure you go with a decent dive operator as it does make a big difference!

There's some decent places to eat / drink but you have to be careful of making sure you're getting what you've asked for and any "specials" are applied (ie 2 for 1 beers can mysteriously end up being 1 for 1 if your not checking).

Expect to be hassled with "Come and sign my guest book", but that's not isolated to Sharm admittedly.

I was thinking I might post a trip report or something a bit more detailed shortly but not sure if anyone would be interested. Unfortunately, I'm straight back to work but if you want to ask anything more feel free!

Cheers

[Steve in Sharm]

Hi just booked a last minute trip to Naama Bay, Bay view Hotel, 17th-24th May. Until now all my Red Sea diving has been on live aboards. Does anyone have any views on what to expect ie, which wreck sites, life around Naama Bay ect.

thanks harry

Hi Harry,

The "Bay View" hotel is what was, until recently the "Ocean Bay" hotel run by Explorers and Ocean College.

AFAIK the original management and staff are still there and the hotel has been spruced up as even after just 2 years of being built it was starting to look rundown. The DC there is called Oxygene but I am at a loss to tell you anything about them, sorry.

You are within 2 minutes walking distance of 2 of the best DC's in town, Ocean College and Camel Divers, suggest you check them out on the web before making your choice:

www.ocean-college.com
www.cameldive.com

Feel free to PM me if you want any other info.

Regards

[Maria CM]

You brave person! So hot compared to liveaboard and so much more hard work! I'm sure you'll have a fab time though. Ditto the comments about party animals.... too busy for me.

I have stayed in Kiroseiz (not actually in Naama) and their house reef was good but only snorkelled there, did all the rest as boat dives. As I recall did Middle Garde, Fiddle, Temple, Jackson, Thomas, Ras Mohammad and Ras Ghozlani - no wrecks on that holiday but didn't do so much diving as had children with me that time.

Only stayed in Naama on last night of liveaboards other than that.

best wishes,

Maria