El Ghaneimi/Sharm El Naga, November 1995, Lanky Velez, Bedford, TX. "Shore dive recommended by El Ghaneimi Dive Center in Hurghada. Relaxed, only 4 other divers. Different corals, unusual fish. Descended to 127 ft. Saw a crocodile fish vis: 80­100 ft. water: 76°­78°. Uses common sense, makes safety stops. Sharm El Naga was great fun, walked the beach and found red coral, shells and other treasures. Packed our lunches."

Embarak Diving, June 1995, Leslie Chow, San Francisco, CA. "Sharks Bay (5km. South of Sharm El Sheikh airport) has simple and clean two person bungalows overlooking a beautiful bay, with a dive operation and separately operated dive boats from the new dock. Very good shore diving, best snorkeling ever, good food, (bring Immodium anyway). Very inexpensive, shared shower/bath.. Rented tanks to do shore dives at Ras Um Sid, Ras Mahamed (shark observatory and sharks reef). Boat dives Tiran Islands with Camel Divers was less magnificent than shore dives - except a school of spinner dolphins escorted us. Simple, clean lodging, flexible diving. For western style accommodations and A/C go to Na'ama Bay."

Holiday Inn Yanbu, Tom O'Rourke, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. "Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, an oil port, is north of Jeddah on the Red Sea coast. Excellent diving 10 KM north or south of the port. Sites vary from beautiful soft coral to sheer walls. Shore entries vary difficulty, soft corals surpass that at Jackson Reef off Sharm El-Shiekh, Egypt. Critters vary; schools of barracuda, rainbow runners, butterfly fish, reef sharks, mantas. Only residents of Saudi Arabia can dive here. No tourism allowed. Strict Islamic law is followed. If it is ever opened up to tourism, jump at the opportunity."

Royal Dive Center, May 1995, Paul Price, AM Embassy Rome, APO, AE. "I rented soup to nuts, but they don't rent booties, for morning and afternoon dive. Clean and well maintained facilities. Equipment in decent shape. Diving OK. Vis: 60'. Little current. Plentiful but small marine life. Beautiful reefs. Divemasters need to tighten up with all the novices."

Sinai Divers/Fayrouz Village Hilton, October 1995, Rod Kossack, Fountain Valley, CA. "Great variety of tropicals. Fed large humpback wrasse. Ras Muhammed the best dive with largest variety of tropicals (eel, stonefish, lion fish, rays); great profusion of fish. Red soft corals. . . . I called the hotel and was told to book dives when I arrived. When I got there, all shops were booked. I was asked "How much do you want to pay?" I responded "The going rate." Most shops are allowed 1 or 2 boats and they hold 16 people. I complained to the Hilton manager and finally got on 2 "Day" dives for 4 dives. Would not take me to Ras Mohammed, so I hired a taxi. Great place. Best dive ever! Strong currents near Tiran Island. I was only American on the boat. Most from Europe. . . . Hotel books a dolphin trip! A 3-hour drive to Nuweiba. A deaf man befriended a dolphin and had total control over it. For $60 you can swim or dive for a hour with the dolphin; it's free to leave, but doesn't. vis: 40­50 ft. Water: 78°­79°."

Sinai Divers/Ghazala Hotel, February 1996, David and Elaine Reubush, Yorktown, VA. "Nice hotel, beautiful setting, well organized dive operation, good guide, lots of room on comfortable boat, good food on boat. Slow boat; no waste holding tanks - sewage dumps directly into water, boat crew not helpful when climbing out of water, no big fish except Napoleons. Wish I had known that a 2 tank dive means all day - one dive before lunch and one after; wife and I were prepared for Caribbean pace and would have liked to get more in, although pace was relaxing and there was plenty of space on boat to relax. High salt content of Red Sea means lots of lead. . . . Sharm shore-based diving is no better than good spots in Caribbean - just different fish and coral. Missed Cayman sponges - virtually none in 11 dives. vis. 60­70 ft. water: 70°­75°."

Subaqua/Utopia Floating Hotel, September 1995, Evelyn Stearns, Naperville, IL. "Utopia (Alias Pensee) built as a Nile cruise boat, but now is anchored in a bay. Dive from the hotel boat on excellent shallow reefs, or do two tank boat dives from a fleet of three dive boats. Lunch is cooked onboard, head onboard, inside lounge, sun deck. Egyptian boat crew and cook, English divemaster, two German divemasters. Corals and fish in abundance! Water 81 deg. Current at times. Good colorful diving at 50'­30'. Computer OK. Night diving. Oxygen and radio onboard. Were first Americans - Germans have been diving area for several years. Isolated! September 90­100 deg. F. No mosquitoes, plenty of flies. Valid passport for at least 6 mo. after return, entry VISA required from U.S. Egyptian consulate; have DAN or overseas med. ins. Great diving, but no creature comforts."

Subaqua/Utopia Floating Hotel, September 1995, Penny Salvesen, West Chicago, IL. "Moored 20 miles south of El Qasr. 50+ rooms, queen size bed, bath with shower, small closet and refrigerator, large windows facing outside deck. The dining room, lounge and bar are impressive. Food Egyptian and European; good and plentiful. Wonderful experience. 3 dive boats tied up to pier. Beautiful untouched destinations. Morning dive, a tasty hot lunch prepared by the crew, and an afternoon dive returning to about 3:00. Computers encouraged and you can follow your own profile. Staff knowledgeable, friendly, and playful. Lots of fish, beautiful soft coral and little current. Beautiful reefs just off rear of ship for snorkeling, diving and night dives."

Tentoria/Aida Hotel, October 1995, Lester Licht, CT. "Hotel OK, but in old Sharm. Better to stay in new Sharm, aka Na ama Bay. Walk from Aida to Tentoria dive shop. Boats leave at 9am, return about 5pm - 2 dives. Bring a book for a 2­3 hour surface interval. No operators offer ´ day trips. They cook a substantial lunch and provide cola and bottled water. Lunch and drinks: $7.50. Boats slow. Sharm is loaded with Italians and Germans. Few Americans. Diving great, but a long day.

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