Nuweiba Diving Review

Diving in Nuweiba has something for everyone; calm and relaxed shore diving provides the perfect conditions for students and new divers, whilst the variety of special marine life around holds the interest of experienced divers. For technical divers there is the opportunity to dive pristine and newly explored technical sites.

Most dives are made from shore over sloping coral gardens and the surrounding sea grass, where current is rare, with a few deeper areas offering wall dives and technical diving.

With only a few diving centres in the area, one of the best things about diving in Nuweiba, is that you are unlikely to see any other dive groups in the water with you.

In this page you will find more detailed information about scuba diving in Nuweiba.

Dive Summary

Nuweiba is known to underwater photographers as a macro and wide-angle paradise, which when coupled with the relaxed pace of diving gives you time to take some great photos.

Special marine life in the area includes the Mimic Octopus, Giant, Freckled and Painted Frogfish, and the Randall’s Frogfish has even been seen in Nuweiba in the first ever sighting of its kind in the Red Sea.

Different varieties of Ghost Pipefish can be seen year round, as can more than fifty kinds of Nudibranches, (which can also be seen mating throughout the summer).

There is a large population of resident Female Green Turtles, the largest of which has a shell length of close to two metres, and Dolphins and Rays are frequent visitors in the winter months. Unlike other Red Sea areas, Shark and Manta Ray sightings are a rarity but this is more than made up for with the number of smaller species.

Prices

Average cost of a single dive – 27.50 Euro.

Average cost of a 5 day dive package – 220.00 Euro

Average cost of an Open Water Diver Course – 330.00 Euro.

Best time to Dive in Nuweiba

Scuba diving in Nuweiba is possible the whole year round, though some of the creatures that make Nuweiba special are most likely to be spotted in either the summer or winter.

If there is something in particular that you want to see, the diving centres in the area will be able to help you to plan the best time to visit.

• In the winter months, from January to May, there can be some wind which makes the outside temperature feel colder, so come ready to wrap up in between the dives.
• The summer can be very hot, so if you are not a fan of the heat, avoid the months between July and October.

Hot Tip:

• To get a better idea of the fish that are seen and when they are around, have a look at Sarah’s Fish Watch http://fishwatch.dive-nuweiba.com/ where the daily fish sightings in Nuweiba are photographed and described.

Scuba Diving conditions

• Current: It is rare to have strong current in Nuweiba, and on most days there is little to no current. Current is most likely to be strong at new moon and full moon.

• Average visibility is 20 to 30 meters.

• The water temperature in the winter months, from January to May, can be as low as 22 degrees centigrade. In the summer the water can reach 28 degrees in the deeper areas, and be 31 at the surface.

• Depth Range: Dive sites range from 8 meters to 40 meters for recreational diving, and technical dive sites drop down to over 100 meters.

Snorkelling in Nuweiba

Snorkelling in Nuweiba is very good, with snorkelers having frequent encounters with Rays and Turtles from their hotel beaches. Most of the dive sites and hotel beaches offer interesting snorkelling where snorkelers can expect to find large numbers of small fish and very good corals.

There is a snorkelling boat operating in Nuweiba, so day trips for snorkelling can also be arranged.

Fishes and Coral

The coral in Nuweiba is mostly hard corals, with sections of soft corals. The coral is unbleached and generally healthy, though some areas have been damaged by careless snorkelers or fishermen.

Nuweiba is home to all of the more common Red Sea fishes, but is not the best place to come for large Pelagics such as Sharks or Manta Rays. Instead, Nuweiba is a muck diving and macro paradise.

The most unusual and interesting marine life to keep your eyes open for in Nuweiba are the Mimic Octopus, Frogfish, large variety of Nudibranches, Turtles, Rays, Dolphins, Ghost Pipefish and Sea Horses.

Article and pictures by Sarah L. Pikarski, PADI, EFR & SDI Instructor at AFRICAN Divers Nuweiba

Travel Guide

Now that you know all about the underwater world, you might want to start planning your scuba holiday! Check out our Nuweiba Travel Review for information about how to get there, activities and excursions, where to stay, and more.