Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25126
The Red Sea hosts the most northern fully-developed reef system in the world, and it's home to more than 1,000 species of marine life. Sharm el Sheikh, at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula on the Gulf of Aqaba, offers spectacular walls and undersea crags and cliffs. At Ras Mohammed National Park, you won't need to ask what you'll find at Anemone City, although you're bound to be surprised by how many you'll see. At Na'ama Bay's Near Garden a few miles up the coast, expect swarms of shark-sized Napoleon wrasse (a bump on their foreheads makes them look like they're wearing the French emperor's tricornered hat). Watch for scorpionfish , crocodilefish and blue-spine unicornfish. Since there are no fresh-river waters feeding into the Gulf of Aqaba, its coral is some of the healthiest anywhere on the planet, and you' ll spend most of your dives surrounded by lush gardens of jewel-colored hard and soft coral. For laid-back land life , head further north to Dahab. For wreck diving, leave the Gulf of Aqaba, and try the "western" waters of the Straits of Suez. The British supply ship SS Thistlegorm was bombed by German fliers in 1941, and it's still home to a cargo of truck tires, motorbikes and artillery shells. Or try the Greek freighter, the SS Giannis D, the fully intact engine room is home to schools of glassfish, while the entire wreck is one big underwater restaurant for hungry groupers and jacks. 52 LEVELS: Beginner to advanced. But be forewarned: the best way to avoid throngs of tourists is to sign up with a live-aboard. WATER CONDITIONS: In SLimmer, this is the warmest salt water you're likely to find anywhere on the planet, starting at the low 60s and peaking somewhere around 80. In winter, expect more sober temperatures in the high 60s. Visibility is usually about 100 feet, although localized plankton blooms can cut it severely. The Red Sea is saltier than most oceans so you'll have to add a few extra pounds to your weight belt. LIFE ON LAND: Camels, Bedouins and stunn ing desert mountains draw adventurers from all four corners of the world, including Egypt proper and neighboring Israel, making for an interesting, peaceful traveler culture. When you get tired of the sea, go climb Mount Sinai in the center of the peninsula. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Passport and visa (although visas can be obtained in Egypt once you arrive). ENTRY POINT: Sharm el Sheikh, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. CONTACTS: www.red-sea.com. and http://interoz. com/egypt/vdc/.