A diving trip to El Quseir will allow you to discover fabulous reefs and one of the oldest cities in Egypt.
140 kilometers south of Hurghada, El Quseir with its village-like appearance is, in fact, an especially important port. It was for a long time a strategic point for the transport of spices, pilgrims to Mecca, or Bedouins to the Nile.
During your diving stay in El Quseir, do not miss visiting the historical remains of the city.
Now it is a quiet seaside resort with beautiful beaches, protected coral reefs, and mangrove forests.
The Quseir reefs have the particularity of being close to the coast and are therefore accessible from the shore. They constitute a real reserve of multicolored fish and steep drop-offs. The major sites are within a radius of 20km to the south of our selection of hotels and are reached by boat or 4×4 (or “Truck”, a truck fitted out for divers) for shore dives.
For a quiet diving holiday away from the crowds, El Quseir awaits you with its multitude of angelfish, butterflies, coachmen, and its crowd of anthias.
With a little luck, you may see a dugong lazing lazily, or schools of dolphins, common in this area.
Diving in El Quseir
Most El Quseir dive sites are accessible from the shore or close. Almost all the beaches are bordered by fringing reefs.
The area is very protected; they limit the number of divers on each reef.
To access the dive sites, you will leave either from your hotel’s reef, or by boat, minibus, or truck.
El Quadim bay
El Quadim is near the Movenpick Hotel. The sites are many. The reef that surrounds the bay is covered with coral and gorgonians, and wildlife is very present.
A boat from the Extra Divers center will drop you off at the site of your choice.
Sites around Mangrove bay
Sham Fugani, is the house reef of Mangrove Bay. It is very protected; it is by far one of the best spots in the region. There are blocks of coral, a superb coral garden, and a very present fauna. This site allows many dives.
Erg Fugani. 5 minutes by boat, accessible only in pleasant weather, the site is characterized by beautiful underwater architecture and lots of hard corals.
Torfa Lassal North and South. To the North 45 minutes by boat. This large bay includes several dive sites. The underwater architecture is impressive, sometimes flat, sometimes canyons or caves where a multitude of fish roam, including groupers and surgeons.
Erg Lassal. This site presents a beautiful pinnacle where all around the fauna is very present, with many anthias and large schools of reef fish. Coral is everywhere, and visibility is often excellent.
Balans, we can see the remains of a wreck entirely colonized by coral. A colony of “glassfish” inhabits the place. The visibility and the multitude of fish and colors make this dive one of the most beautiful in the area.
Torfa Tany is a more distant site, this time in the South. You will need 80 minutes by boat to get there. During this long journey, dolphins will accompany you. The dive begins with a beautiful coral garden, then you will arrive on a herbarium where a dugong lives. There is a prime chance of seeing it.
Serib Kebir and Serib Soraya
These are 2 accessible dive sites, either from Mangrove Bay (by boat) or from Movenpick or Flamenco (by minibus). They are located south of El Quseir.
Serib Kebir is a protected site inside the bay, there are many caves and canyons with still beautiful coral gardens. Barracudas and moray eels live alongside turtles, dolphins, and a multitude of reef fish.
Serib Soraya. We dive along the reef to arrive on a large sandy plateau. We observe a superb coral garden, then garden eels in the sand. We will also notice beautiful anemones inhabited by clownfish.
Diving on the Elphinstone Reef
Elphinstone Reef is the most famous reef in Egypt. It is 12km from the coast, opposite Marsa Alam. Whether on a diving holiday or a diving cruise, Elphinstone is one of the most popular sites in the Red Sea.
This dive site is famous for its currents which attract a very abundant fauna, including hammerhead sharks and longimanus sharks.
Diving on Elphinstone
In 1830, a British captain who charted the Red Sea for the British East India Company gave it this name in honor of Lord John Elphinstone, Governor of Bombay and Madras.
This long reef stretches for nearly 300m, it skims the surface of the water. Each side is extended by plateaus (north and south). It is precisely on these plateaus that the dives begin.
On the east and west of the reef, the vertical walls are superbly covered with gorgonians. The alcyonarian is impressive. Do not forget to take a look in the blue, life is very rich all around. The North plateau descends on a level, while the South plateau descends gently. You will therefore do mainly drift dives.
Elphinstone is famous for its hammerhead sharks and longimanus sharks.
Diving on the North Plateau
It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful dives on the site. We observe swarms of orange anthias, fusiliers, jacks, large wrasse, and large schools of barracudas. At the end of the plateau, the corals are superb. Going up, you can admire the gorgonians-whips and alcyonarian. The place has a few cleaning stations. Choose the morning dive to spot hammerhead sharks.
Diving on the South Plateau
The southern plateau slopes gently down to end with an arch (not accessible because of its depth). This dive is done in the afternoon to get the best light. Longinamus sharks and silky sharks are quite common. In the sheltered area, it covers the wall with hard corals and soft corals. There is a multitude of butterflyfish and trevally, and exceptionally large wrasse and moray eels. It is the favorite spot for photographers and the flutefish who follow divers.