# The Best Things to Do on the Water in Egypt > We rounded up Egypt's best water activities: diving, surfing, sailing and beaches. Find out how to discover this desert country from the water. - URL: https://langandtrip.com.ua/en/article/zaynyatysya-na-vodi-u-yehypti/ - Language: en - Published: 2023-04-21 - Categories: Beaches, Tours, Egypt, Sailing, Surfing & Diving, Swimming, Seas & Oceans --- There's no getting around the fact that Egypt is a dry place. Wedged between the Sahara and Arabia, roughly 95% of the country is unforgiving desert. But Egypt is also blessed with a watery abundance. The ancients called it the gift of the Nile. Yet it's about far more than one mighty river. Egypt can also boast one of the longest coastlines in Africa and the Middle East. Between the river and the sea, there are almost limitless opportunities for getting out on the water and enjoying the outdoors, from cruising the Nile and cooling off in an oasis pool to adrenaline-fueled water sports and marine wildlife safaris. Ever since the 1950s, when underwater legends Jacques Cousteau and Hans Hass revealed the riches lying beneath the surface, Egypt has been considered one of the best places on the planet for scuba diving and snorkeling. The combination of high temperatures and a harsh environment has kept people from living along most of the coastline. As a result, there was never any industry or agriculture here to spoil its pristine ocean waters. Egypt's coral reefs and marine life have flourished for millennia, and they're still thriving today. "While other popular dive destinations around the world are suffering the effects of climate change and marine pollution, Egyptian reefs remain largely healthy," says Ornella Ditel, a PADI rescue diver and one of the managers at Camel Dive Club & Hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh. "Thanks to such incredible biodiversity and the accessibility of the dive sites, from famous shipwrecks to sheer walls and reefs, there's something here for everyone, whether you're drawn to wrecks, megafauna or macro species, and whether you're a certified diehard or a first-timer." The Red Sea alone is home to more than 220 species of hard and soft coral, forming an ecosystem that feeds and shelters over 1,100 species of fish, nearly a fifth of which are endemic species found only in local waters. Read on to discover a dozen different ways to dive into Egypt. ## Scuba and Snorkeling ![Scuba diving in Egypt's Red Sea](/storage/image/prev/Egipt-1-Akvalang-1024x640.jpg) Egypt is often called one of the best places in the world for scuba diving and snorkeling. "From Sinai to the Sudanese border, the Red Sea offers endless diving adventures," writes Dive Magazine, which ranked Egypt sixth on its list of the world's top 10 dive destinations. Beyond the pristine coral reefs and large marine animals, divers can explore shipwrecks such as the SS Thistlegorm (sunk by German bombers during World War II) in the Red Sea, and ancient underwater ruins in the Mediterranean near Alexandria. The Thistlegorm is one of nine Egyptian dive sites included in Scuba Travel's list of the world's 100 best places to explore underwater. ## Beaches With 2,450 kilometers (1,522 miles) of coastline, more than Florida, Egypt offers plenty of places to soak up the sun, sea and sand. Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada have been popular getaways since the 1980s, when the first waterfront resorts appeared. But newcomers like Marsa Alam, Dahab and El Gouna are winning over beach lovers from both home and abroad. Mahmya Beach on Giftun Island (just off Hurghada), with its soft white sand and warm turquoise water, often tops the list of Egypt's best beaches. ## Wildlife ![Marine wildlife in the Red Sea](/storage/image/prev/Egipt-2-Priroda.jpg) The dugong, a rare sight in the Indian Ocean, is one of the big animals you can swim with in Egypt. The Red Sea is the underwater equivalent of Africa's Serengeti, a place known for both the quality and the quantity of its wildlife. Sharks, dolphins, sea turtles, manta rays and the rarely seen dugong of the Indian Ocean are the big animals that round out the more than a thousand species of fish living in the sea. While diving is probably the best way to get acquainted with these marine residents, much of the wildlife can also be spotted through snorkeling, glass-bottom boats and sightseeing submarines. ## Water Parks As in other parts of the world, Egypt's water parks offer a fun alternative to a sandy day at the beach. Giant water slides, lazy rivers and wave pools are especially appealing to families with children or teenagers. Makadi Water World and Sinbad Aqua Park are among the half-dozen water theme parks in Hurghada. But Sharm el-Sheikh and Marsa Alam boast their own versions too. ## Boating From sleek motor yachts in Hurghada to speedboats in Sharm el-Sheikh and glass-bottom boats in Marsa Alam, Egypt offers no shortage of boating options. Charters usually come with a crew or skipper rather than bareboat. On a rented vessel you can go scuba diving and snorkeling, try deep-sea fishing, picnic on a remote stretch of coast, take a romantic sunset cruise or simply take in the sights. Egyptboats offers a whole range of different boat tours, from a two-hour snorkeling trip to a 24-hour safari on a private charter boat. ## Windsurfing ![Windsurfing in Dahab](/storage/image/prev/Egipt-3-Windserfing-1024x682.jpg) Dahab is the holy grail of Egyptian windsurfing. About an hour's drive north of Sharm el-Sheikh along the Gulf of Aqaba, Dahab is the holy grail of Egyptian windsurfing. The conditions here are close to perfect: more than 300 windy days a year, including plenty of force-four winds on the Beaufort scale. Dahab also has two windsurfing centers, professional courses, the latest equipment and three windsurfing zones, including a "speed strip" for experienced surfers and a nearly enclosed lagoon that's perfect for beginners. Dahab Stars offers windsurfing courses. ## Kayaking Feel like an ancient Egyptian and glide down the Nile, though not on a reed boat, but on a modern kayak. The Nile Kayak Club offers short paddling trips in Cairo, as well as five-day kayak expeditions along the river between Aswan and Luxor. Other outfitters offer fishing and birdwatching, along with paddling trips on the Nile in Luxor. ## Desert Oases Far from the rivers and seas, Egypt's oases offer a completely different kind of water experience: a chance to escape the intense desert heat by relaxing in a cool pool. The most famous of them is the legendary Cleopatra's Pool in the Siwa Oasis in the Western Desert. Cleopatra never ventured this far, but there's a good chance Alexander the Great took a dip in Siwa during his visit to the oracle. Other spots where you can get wet in the desert include Wadi el-Weshwash in Sinai and Wadi el-Rayan in Fayoum. ## Submarines ![Sightseeing submarine in the Red Sea](/storage/image/prev/Egipt-4-Podvod-Lodka-1024x768.jpg) For those who'd rather not dive into the sea themselves, submarines are a wonderful way to see the underwater sights. Why get wet and strap on a bulky breathing apparatus when you can view the underwater wonders of the Red Sea from a bright yellow submarine? Panorama Submarines in Hurghada offers two- and three-hour trips aboard a 75-meter (250-foot) semi-submersible with panoramic windows that descends to depths of up to 22 meters (72 feet) below the surface. Royal Seascope offers a similar trip to the bottom of the sea from Sharm el-Sheikh. ## Kitesurfing While there are several spots with favorable conditions, Hurghada and neighboring El Gouna are the hotspots for kitesurfing along the Egyptian coast. The season of steady 20-knot winds, blowing off the desert mountains and funneling through the Red Sea, runs from March to November, peaking in autumn when gusts can reach 30 to 35 knots. The Hurghada and El Gouna area has several kite schools, kite rental shops and hotels that cater to kitesurfers. Osmosis Kiteboarding Club is located at the Club Paradisio hotel on the Red Sea and offers kiteboarding lessons and equipment rental. ## Sailing on the Nile Egypt's ubiquitous feluccas have been around for at least 2,000 years, dating back to Roman times, when their signature lateen (triangular) sail was first developed. In the past they were used mainly to haul cargo and for fishing. But today the vast majority of feluccas are used for tourist trips. Cruises range from a day of sailing among the islands at Aswan and a simple ferry across the river in Luxor to elegant dining on the water in Cairo and multi-day journeys along the Nile, during which passengers sleep on the wooden decks. Viator offers a two-hour felucca ride on the Nile from Cairo with an Egyptologist guide on board. ## Wakeboarding "If you build it, they will come" applies to more than just baseball. Wakeboarding wasn't even on the radar in Egypt until Sliders Cable Park opened in 2014 among the artificial lakes and islands of El Gouna. Since then it has become a winter training ground for professional wakeboarders and an annual stop on the IWWF Wakeboard Grand Prix tour.