Egypt & the Red Sea

Diving in the Caribbean, where to go and what to see!

Fortunately for the moment, the Caribbean has not been heavily affected by the oil spill, so tourism is still booming!

So there are six main places that re best to visit, and these are where you can have the best experience by far! When arranging your holiday it always helps to know where you can go to enjoy yourself, and what you can expect to find when you get… read the rest of “Diving in the Caribbean, where to go and what to see!”

Basking Shark Seen Breaching Off The UK Coast

The Marine Conservation Society have reported an increase in sightings in recent weeks including 14 from Scotland, 1 from Wales and 23 from the South West of England…

Reef Clean Up in Dahab

We should all be very thankful to anyone who gives up their "holiday" to clean up dive sites in the Red Sea. I always ask myself the same question - is the rubbish they find a result of tourism or is it dumped by locals? Last month a team of freedivers and scubadivers collected "tonnes" of rubbish from the world famous Blue Hole and nearby coastlines in an attempt to cleam… read the rest of “Reef Clean Up in Dahab”

Top 5 Diving Hot Spots - 2010!

One of the most incredible for people to go diving is in the Indian Ocean. With such a large and expansive area it can be difficult to decide where to go. So below are the Top 5 diving locations chosen by Mark at Tropical Sky, to help you make your decision:

• The Maldives! Diving in the Maldives is one of the most

Night Diving at Vilu Reef Beach & Spa Resort Maldives

Before last night I had never been on a night dive, so as I set out into the house reef at Vilu Reef Beach and Spa Resort with Mohamed my dive buddy I had mixed emotions. I was anxious about how I would cope in the darkness but also excited about seeing the underwater world in the dark as I had been told that it is after the sun sets… read the rest of “Night Diving at Vilu Reef Beach & Spa Resort Maldives”

Shark infested drift dive at Olhuveli Beach and Spa Resort

With 35 dive sites within easy boat ride from Olhuveli Beach and Spa Resort, it is no wonder that divers from all over the world flock to this wonderful island in the Maldives. The Sun Diving Centre at Olhuveli is impressively modern, with great kit, big fast dive boats, and good instructors who speak a myriad of languages from English to Japanese. On my second dive we did a reef… read the rest of “Shark infested drift dive at Olhuveli Beach and Spa Resort”

Maldives

I have been lucky enough to dive in many places, from the cold waters of the UK - where you feel anything but lucky - to the azure waters of the Red Sea in Egypt, but no place on God’s green and blue planet comes close to the pleasure of diving in the Maldives. This collection of atolls and islands that string together like teardrops in the Indian Ocean offer… read the rest of “Maldives”

Are we there yet?

The brand new 5 star hotel (Fairmont Nile Plaza) situated in downtown Cairo was a haven of peace and offered the best levels of service I had encountered in Egypt. We were going for dinner after an incredible day of sightseeing at the Pyramids, Sphinx and Egyptian Museum.

The Best Curry in Sharm El Sheikh

I love curry and need very little excuse to visit a restaurant whenever I go away. On a recent trip to Sharm El Sheikh I asked my Egyptian guide where I could find "The Best Curry in Town". He mentioned a few places where the locals eat which is always a very good indication on the quality of teh

Dive Ireland 2010 Update…

Not long to go now until Dive Ireland 2010! For those of you thinking of heading down to Co Cavan, word is out that the suppliers are looking to be giving all sorts of freebies away including some free diving in Sharm! So, to snap up your freebies and to see Hannah from our Scuba  Diving team here, you need to get yourself down there!…

Dive Ireland 2010 - Irelands only Dive Show!!

Date: 27th & 28th February Venue: Slieve Russell Hotel, Ballyconnell, Co Cavan  Slieve Russell Hotel Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan T +353 49 952 6444 F +353 49 952 6046 E enquiries@slieverussell.ie http://www.slieverussell.ie/ Description "DIVE IRELAND 2010", promises to be an excellent show case of the best speakers and new dive equipment available. The aim of this two day conference is to bring together divers from all over the country to share experiences.� The conference aims to provide a list of high… read the rest of “Dive Ireland 2010 - Irelands only Dive Show!! ”

Did you know…

  ...when Parrot fish go to sleep, they build a cocoon nest. It is a mucous cocoon. Mucous is a sticky substance secreted by the skin of the fish. The mucous cocoon of the Parrot fish is transparent. It masks the scent of the fish and protects from predators, while the fish is asleep. If however any predator disturbs the cocoon, the Parrot fish will wake up from its sleep and move away… read the rest of “Did you know...”

Sharm is bigger than you think!

The lastest installment in out Essential Sharm Guide is "Sharm is bigger than you think!" which breaks Sharm down into some of it's individual areas. Sharm El Sheikh has grown into six main areas, the old town where you can buy almost everything for daily life is called Old Market and this is located at the western end and has the internation ferry port, where the cruise ships dock and the… read the rest of “Sharm is bigger than you think!”

THE ESSENTIAL SHARM EL SHEIKH TRAVEL GUIDE

  Over the next few weeks, we will be posting essential information for those of you thinking of or are travelling to Sharm El Sheikh, so keep an eye on the website to view the lastest blogs!   Sharm El Sheikh is a world class holiday destination with almost every major hotel chain in the world and a cosmopolitan population of “Sharmers” who are making it their home. Sharm has developed from a small… read the rest of “THE ESSENTIAL SHARM EL SHEIKH TRAVEL GUIDE”

Is Sharm on course for another great Manta & Whale Sharm season?

Last year saw some spectacular activity from the whale sharks. The now famous “bait ball” dive occurred at the end of July and signs are already auguring well for similar “big fish” encounters. Anticipation is growing of another impressive pelagic year in the Red Sea after many sightings from guides and guests of a manta in mid-January in Sharm and a 7m whale shark this month is Hurghada. Not only was… read the rest of “Is Sharm on course for another great Manta & Whale Sharm season?”

SS Thistlegorm

Why was Thistlegorm in the Red Sea and what is her historical importance? The wreck of S.S. Thistlegorm is the “Jewel in the Crown” of the diving delights of Sharm-el-Sheikh.  It is recognised as one of the best wreck dives in the world and attracts more divers than any other dive site in the world.  It is only a few hours by boat from Sharm-el Sheikh and, with a maximum depth… read the rest of “SS Thistlegorm”

5 Tips & Tricks for Better Drift Diving

If you can’t beat them, join them. This is what started off the thrilling drift dive which makes the currents work for you instead of against you. There is nothing more exhilarating than to be shot off along a strong current and watch the reef pass you by as you sail along effortlessly. It’s almost the equivalent of sky diving underwater. Here are a few pointers that will help you… read the rest of “5 Tips & Tricks for Better Drift Diving”

How to successfully take your diving equipment on flights – without getting charged!

This has been a real grey area for divers over the years and a controversial subject on many diving forums. The simple fact to remember is that airlines are in the business of making money and view anyone taking their own diving equipment on their flight as a potential way of making money – if you go outside

Mozambqiue Mantas

I was completely blown away by the recent BBC 2 programme - "Andrea, Queen of Mantas". It got me dreaming of my first encounter with Mantas in the Maldives all those years ago! Manta Point just 30 minutes south of our base at Barra Lodge has year round sightings of these magnificent, gentle giants…

News from the Dive Show

So another dive show has come and gone. The usual faces were there and the hall at the NEC was packaed with UK divers looking for a bargain holiday, discounted equipment or inspiration for their next diving holiday adventure. I really felt that consumer cofidence has returned to members of the diving public, hoteliers, dive centres and tourist boards. So where is the next "Hot" diving destination for Tropical Sky… read the rest of “News from the Dive Show”

British Airways to fly to the Maldives and Sharm El Sheikh

British Airways have recently announced two new routes to the Maldives and Sharm El Sheikh from the 25th October. Each route will have 3 flights per week. This is great news for divers as BA currently allowing your diving equipment to be taken free of charge. Call Tropical Sky Scuba Diving now for a quotation using BA to the "divers paradise" that is the Maldives and Sharm El Shiekh…

Shark Fin on the menu with All Nipon Airlines

Worrying news in the fight against Shark Finning. A Business Travel Magazine published a letter from an outraged reader who reported that All Nipon Airlines (ANA) served porridge with "gently simmered sharl fin". Diving website www.scubadviser.com wrote to ANU to voice their concern and received the following response. 'ANA works hard to offer the best in service while making an impact on the environment with initiatives such as our global reforestation projects, coral planting… read the rest of “Shark Fin on the menu with All Nipon Airlines”

Learn To Dive With The Worlds #1 Dive Centre

The recent Diver Magazine awards have become an established part of the diving industry over the years. Each year winners for best liveaboard, dive destination and dive centre are voted for by readers of Diver Magazine and presented with the coveted bronze trophy. I was delighted to hear that our dive centres in Sharm El Sheikh have once again been awarded for the excellent customer service and training.

Tropical Sky Scuba Diving… read the rest of “Learn To Dive With The Worlds #1 Dive Centre”

Sun, Snorkelling and Seafood in Sharm El Sheikh

This summer I spent a fabulous week in Egypt. My friends and I wanted a sun holiday away from the crowded shores of the Mediterranean however weren’t keen on dealing with jet lag either. As part of our group had recently acquired their PADI certificates we settled on the Red Sea for a week of well earned rest and relaxation. Sharm El Sheikh was a new experience to us all and… read the rest of “Sun, Snorkelling and Seafood in Sharm El Sheikh”

10 Great Reasons to Visit Egypt

Egypt is a country rich in ancient history and packed with things to do that will suit almost every interest. A holiday to Egypt provides so many options we’ve run through the top ten reasons to visit this fascinating country.

1. The Pyramids An absolute must see - the Pyramids at Giza and the Great Sphinx are part of the ancient Giza pyramid comple. x – a site which has been granted UNESCO World