Red Sea Liveaboards

Over the past few years we’ve run back‑to‑back northern and southern Red Sea trips with our group‑trip teams and photo workshops, and the consistent feedback is the same: if you want to see as much as possible in one visit, a liveaboard is by far the best way to do it. Being able to hit Abu Nuhas and Thistlegorm at first light, then wake up two days later on the Brothers or down at St John’s, is exactly what makes the Red Sea such good value for liveaboard diving.

The Red Sea is known for its wide range of high‑end yet affordable dive liveaboards, offering a variety of itineraries. Similar to the Maldives, you can enjoy luxurious amenities at a lower price than in many other world‑class dive destinations. Additionally, there are budget liveaboards that maintain comfortable accommodations and excellent service at lower rates. Almost all liveaboards in the Egyptian Red Sea cost around $150/night or less.

The Red Sea boasts prolific marine life, with over a thousand fish species, one‑fifth of which are exclusive to this region. Expansive coral reefs, wrecks, and deep walls provide experiences for every type of diver, from newer wreck and reef divers in the north to shark‑focused itineraries around Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone. Most liveaboards depart from Egyptian ports like Hurghada, Port Ghalib or Marsa Alam, although it is also possible to dive the Sudanese coastline from Port Sudan. The Red Sea is diveable year‑round, though liveaboard boats often take a break in January when water temperatures are at their lowest.

Red Sea Liveaboard Itineraries

Here are some of the most common dive areas visited by Red Sea liveaboards:

Northern Wrecks And Reefs (Straits Of Tiran)

The best Red Sea wrecks are found in the northern coastal waters around Egypts Sinai Peninsula. Liveaboards exploring this area offer access to many shipwrecks, including the Dunraven, Rosalie Moeller, the Giannis D, and the world-famous SS Thistlegorm. The reefs where these wrecks rest are also vibrant, with healthy corals teeming with marine life. Mild currents and calm conditions make this area ideal for new divers.

Ras Mohammed Marine Park

This protected marine area is located at the southern tip of Sinai, where the waters of the Gulfs of Aqaba and Suez converge. Strong currents bring pelagic species that mix with local reef life, creating dramatic dives along steep drop-offs and walls. Yolanda Reef and Shark Reef are popular sites, where barracuda, jack, and snapper can often be seen in the blue waters.

The Brothers, Daedelus, And Elphinstone Reefs

Located further south, these remote reefs are accessible only by liveaboard. Small Brother plateau offers excellent shark sightings, including oceanic whitetips, threshers, silky, and the occasional hammerhead shark. Daedelus features schools of hammerheads and other large pelagics like trevallies and tuna. Elphinstone is known for its diverse marine life, large gorgonian fans, and sea whips along its reef plateau. These sites feature deep walls and drop-offs, offering more challenging conditions for experienced divers.

Fury Shoal, St Johns Island (Zabargad), And Rocky

The most southerly of the Egyptian Red Sea areas offers relaxed and varied diving, with colorful reefs and plenty of macro life. The vast reef and plateau systems of Fury Shoal and St Johns Island provide gentle drift dives through coral gardens teeming with turtles, dolphins, sharks, and bumphead parrotfish. Just south of the Tropic of Cancer, turquoise blue lagoons host diverse wildlife both above and below the surface, while the southern tip of Rocky attracts pelagic life, including manta rays.

Suakin (Sudanese Deep South)

Departing from Sudan, Suakin offers wild and relatively untouched waters with fewer visitors. Pristine reefs, huge shoals of fish, and plentiful pelagics attract experienced divers seeking a more adventurous experience than the Egyptian Red Sea. Deeper dives and wreck penetration also provide additional challenges.

For those seeking a luxurious diving experience in the Red Sea, the Red Sea Aggressor V liveaboard offers exceptional comfort and access to world-class dive sites.

Red Sea Liveaboard Diving

Diving Season

March to May and September to November are often considered the best times to dive in the Red Sea. However, diving is available year-round, with cooler temperatures from October to May and warmer weather from June to September.

During March to May, you may spot whale sharks, though this peak season can also lead to crowded dive sites. June to August is quieter, but hot temperatures can be challenging. This period offers a good chance of encountering hammerhead sharks. September to November brings comfortable weather and water temperatures, similar to the spring months, which can attract more divers.

See more information in our in-depth guide to diving in the Red Sea.

• Diving Season: Year-round, with March to May as the peak season for whale shark sightings. June to August offers warmer weather, and September to November provides ideal diving conditions.
• International Airports: Sharm El Sheikh International (SSH) and Hurghada International (HRG).
• Local Airports: Multiple local airports are available along the Red Sea, with most trips departing near international airports.
• Water Temperature: 84F (29C) in summer and as low as 70F (21C) in winter.
• Wetsuit: 3mm7mm wetsuit recommended based on season.
• Required Diving Skill Level: Suitable for all levels, from beginner to advanced. While drift dives are available, most sites maintain calm conditions.

Contact us for more details on Red Sea liveaboards like the Blue Fin.

About the author – Gill Flaherty, Group Trips Travel Manager

PADI 651575  |  TDI 25365  |  IANTD 10796

Gill is in charge of all Bluewater Travel's Photo Workshops and is a PADI and TDI Instructor in her free time. She learned to dive in her home country of Scotland and continued much of her dive education in the UK. She quickly expanded her diving repertoire with trips to the Red Sea, Mexico, and Indonesia, and was pleasantly surprised to discover that diving doesn’t always involve poor visibility and chilly water temperatures.

With a strong thirst for travel and adventure, Gill spent a year driving around Europe in a motorhome before settling in Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean. After working full‑time as a dive instructor for three seasons, she now teaches and guides in her free time on the famous Zenobia wreck. When not underwater, Gill can be found paddleboarding, hiking, or rescuing cats.

Contact Gill
Email: gill@bluewaterdivetravel.com
Direct (Call / Text / WhatsApp): +1 (310) 467 0730
Office: +1 (310) 467 0730