Red Sea briefing: Safaga and Soma Bay

Safaga
A former commercial harbour, Safaga has become an increasingly popular choice for visiting divers because of its close proximity to excellent wreck and high-energy reef wall dives. Situated 53km south of Hurghada, it offers shallow and sheltered dives ideal for beginners, as well as sheer reef wall drop-offs and wrecks for more experienced scuba enthusiasts.
Located in a wide sandy bay, the beach resorts cater mainly to divers, windsurfers and families with children. The resort is also famous for its black sand dunes and mineral springs, which are thought to have specific characteristics for the remedy of rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.
Many liveaboard trips running out of Hurghada visit the best of Safaga's dive sites, particularly the wrecks. The busy commercial port has seen a number of ferry sinkings over the years, creating wrecks for divers to explore. This includes the Al Kafhain car ferry that capsized in 2005 close to Safaga's shore.
The wreck of the Salem Express also lies near to the port of Safaga. This vessel ran aground and capsized in 1991 with the tragic loss of hundreds of lives. A controversial wreck to dive because of the number of lives lost, nevertheless, it continues to be visited by many underwater explorers.
The marine life here is vibrant and varied. The centre of the bay is where you will find a beautiful, shallow coral garden perfectly suited for beginners. In other areas, more experienced divers can explore many reef wall systems, where large pelagic creatures are often seen cruising by.
A protected marine area, Safaga's dive centres must comply with strict environmentally friendly procedures. Since 1995, local authorities, non-government conservation organizations and international bodies such as USAID have worked together to preserve and protect the underwater environment here. Regular monitoring ensures the presence of mooring buoys on all its main dive sites.