Diving Sharm El Sheikh in 2026
Is It Safe, Is It Open, and Is the Diving Still World Class?
I've just come back from Sharm El Sheikh with my son, and I can honestly say we felt entirely safe throughout the trip. Sharm is open for business, Camel Dive Club looked after us brilliantly, and the diving was some of the best I've experienced in years.
Planning your own Sharm trip? Check out Camel specials and the gear we used on this trip.
Is Sharm El Sheikh safe for diving right now?
If you've been watching the news and wondering whether Sharm El Sheikh is still safe for a diving holiday, all I can do is tell you exactly how it felt for us on the ground. From our own recent first-hand experience, we felt entirely safe from start to finish.
Flights were arriving, boats were going out, hotels were fully operating and Naama Bay felt relaxed, welcoming and very much alive. Sharm is open, functioning normally and still one of the easiest and most rewarding dive destinations for UK divers looking for warm water, reef life and iconic wrecks.
A Red Sea dive trip I'll remember for years
Some dive trips are enjoyable. Some are memorable. And then every now and again you get one that reminds you exactly why you fell in love with diving in the first place.
On our very first dive we saw a whale shark. That alone would have made the trip. Then on day two we had a dolphin encounter, which was another one of those magical Red Sea moments that never gets old.
The whale shark we encountered on our very first dive — an unforgettable moment.
Then came the mighty Thistlegorm.
I first dived the Thistlegorm 34 years ago, so to return all these years later and dive it with my son was genuinely special. It was one of those full-circle moments that stays with you. What made it even more surreal was the conditions: no wind, no waves, virtually no current and somehow we were the only boat there. Anyone who knows the Thistlegorm will understand just how unheard of that is.
Why Camel Dive Club deserves a real boost
We stayed and dived with Camel Boutique Hotel and Dive Club, and I genuinely wanted to give them a proper mention here because they deserve it.
There are dive centres that are competent, and then there are dive centres that make your whole holiday feel effortless. Camel is very much the latter. They have been doing this for 40 years, and it shows in every part of the operation. The logistics are smooth, the atmosphere is relaxed, the staff are warm and professional, and the whole experience feels polished without ever feeling stiff or over-managed.
Camel understands divers. They understand that a good dive holiday is not just about getting you on a boat. It is about making the entire process easy and enjoyable from the moment you wake up. Good coffee, well-run boats, quality food, calm organisation, strong guiding and zero unnecessary stress — that is what makes a dive trip feel properly enjoyable, and Camel gets all of that right.
Our guide was Muhammad Maher, who by now feels like part of the family. He is a true professional: calm, knowledgeable, reassuring and quietly excellent at what he does. Diving with someone like that changes the whole tone of your holiday because you can simply relax and enjoy the diving.
The boats were excellent, the crews were brilliant, and the food was outstanding both onboard and back at the hotel. From the best coffee and breakfast in Naama bay at the Pomodoro Restaurant offering everything from a full English right through to home baked granola and yoghurt.
Thinking of booking Camel?
We also have dedicated Camel offers and specials here:
Photo highlights from our Sharm trip
Thistlegorm Wreck Motorcycle
Dive briefing with Muhammad Maher
Suunto Nautic Dive Computer making each dive even better
School of spade batfish on a reef in Sharm El Sheikh
A very special return to the mighty Thistlegorm.
Harris and Emiko demonstrating perfect bouyancy skills learnt from their time at TRACC in Borneo!
The new generation at Ras Moh!
Canyon at Marsa Bareka
Emiko loving the Seac Clear Anti-Fog Mask!
The gear I used in Sharm El Sheikh
One of the real pleasures of a trip like this is properly testing gear in the water rather than just reading a spec sheet back at the shop. A few pieces really stood out.
Mares Planet 88X regulator – unexpectedly brilliant
I've always been a Scubapro man, so I do not say this lightly, but the Mares Planet 88X TBP regulator really impressed me. The breathing resistance felt almost non-existent regardless of depth or effort. It simply delivered air effortlessly.
Scubapro Hydros Pro 2 – even better than the original
I loved the original Hydros, but the Scubapro Hydros Pro 2 BCD feels even more streamlined. In the water it is so clean and comfortable that you almost forget you are wearing a BCD at all. The new weight system is quick, simple and confidence-inspiring.
DiveVolk housing – underwater photography made easy
I also used the DiveVolk housing range, and as somebody who is no underwater photography expert, I found it incredibly easy to use. If I can get good results with it, that tells you a lot. It also felt properly robust around the boat.
Fourth Element Xenos ARC 5mm – warm, comfortable and better for the planet
Me, my son and his girlfriend all dived in the Fourth Element Xenos ARC range, and even in 22°C water we were all warm and comfortable. It is also nice to know you are making a more environmentally conscious choice than standard neoprene.
Suunto Nautic – the dive computer that won me over instantly
I also had the chance to dive with the Suunto Nautic, and honestly, wow. Many of us reach the stage where smaller digits need an extra moment of focus. With the Nautic, all it takes is a glance. The screen is so bright, clear and large that your brain has already registered your depth, NDL and tank pressure before you have fully looked at it.
Suunto Ocean – perfect for the next generation
My son was more than happy diving the Suunto Ocean. He loved the watch-style format and the app integration. It lets you review dives in impressive detail, including entry and exit mapping and a visual record afterwards. He could even pinpoint the exact moment we saw the whale shark on the app.
Featured gear from this trip
Large-screen dive computer Suunto Ocean
Watch-style dive computer Mares Planet 88X
High-performance regulator Hydros Pro 2
Streamlined BCD DiveVolk
Underwater smartphone housings Xenos ARC
Eco-conscious wetsuits Seac Clear Anti-Fog Mask
Crystal-clear visibility mask
Would I recommend Sharm El Sheikh right now?
Yes, absolutely.
All I can do is speak honestly from our own experience, and our experience was overwhelmingly positive. We felt safe, we were brilliantly looked after, the diving was world class, and the quieter conditions made iconic sites like the Thistlegorm feel even more magical.
For me, the trip was made even more special by sharing it with my son. The whale shark, the dolphin, the wreck, the boats, the guiding, the food and the gear all came together into one of those dive trips that stays with you for years.
If you are sitting on the fence, my honest view is simple: Sharm is open, Camel is doing what Camel has always done brilliantly, and the Red Sea is still producing unforgettable diving.
Frequently asked questions about diving in Sharm El Sheikh
Is Sharm El Sheikh safe for divers right now?
Based on our recent first-hand experience, yes. We felt entirely safe throughout the trip and found everything on the ground operating normally.
Is Sharm El Sheikh still open for diving holidays?
Yes. Dive centres, hotels, restaurants and boats were all operating during our stay.
Who do we recommend diving with in Sharm El Sheikh?
We had an excellent experience with Camel Dive Club, who made the whole trip feel effortless, relaxed and very professionally run.
What marine life did we see on this trip?
We saw a whale shark on the first dive and a dolphin on day two, alongside the usual beauty of Red Sea reefs and wreck diving.
What gear stood out most on this trip?
The Suunto Nautic, Suunto Ocean, Mares Planet 88X, Scubapro Hydros Pro 2, DiveVolk housing and Fourth Element Xenos ARC wetsuits all impressed us for different reasons.
Planning your own Red Sea dive trip?
If you are thinking of heading to Sharm El Sheikh and want advice on the best kit for the trip, explore the links above or get in touch with us at Mike's Dive Store. We know the destination, we know the gear, and we are always happy to help divers get properly set up.
