10 Dives by Boat or by Shore

The exterior does not always reflect needs

Reef Oasis Dive Club, Sharm El Sheikh – Excellent Infrastructure, Disappointing Diving Experience As a PADI Deep Diver with more than 1,000 dives, I chose Reef Oasis Dive Club hoping to discover some of the best diving in the Red Sea. Unfortunately, the overall experience fell well short of my expectations. The good points first: the dive centre has excellent infrastructure, the office staff are friendly and helpful, and the rental equipment looks high-quality, well maintained and far from worn out. The office itself was well organised, without the sense of haste that I experienced elsewhere. Most guides were focused on delivering the service, and the centre clearly has a lot going for it. However, for me, the main problem was the diving itself. The original package price was €349 for 10 dives, but it eventually increased to €380. Before the trip, I also tried to establish how much my wife would pay simply to accompany me on the boat without diving. I could not get a straightforward answer, and only on arrival did I discover that she would be charged the same as a diver. This lack of price transparency was disappointing. I eventually completed seven dives and decided not to continue with the remaining three. This was my own decision: after the experience so far, I simply did not see the value in paying more for diving that was not satisfying me, especially with the additional cost of my wife's place on the boat. Of those seven dives, only two were genuinely worthwhile to me because of the quality of the reefs. Even then, I found the marine life lacking in diversity and saw little of the distinctive wildlife I had hoped to encounter. The dive sites felt rather overused and unremarkable. I missed vibrant, healthy-looking corals, greater biodiversity and, above all, the feeling of a truly rewarding dive. All my dives lasted only around 40–45 minutes, and I consistently returned with more than 90 bar remaining in my tank. Before the trip, I had been told that dive duration would depend on my experience and remaining air supply. With more than 1,000 dives behind me and so much air left after each dive, I had expected greater flexibility and more time underwater. I understand that safety, dive conditions and the needs of the group must always come first, but the consistently short dives left me wondering why my experience and remaining air supply seemed to make so little difference. For an experienced diver, this had a significant impact on the overall value of the diving experience. The overall operation also felt rushed and conveyor-belt-like. On my first boat dive, I entered the water without a briefing because, apparently, the staff had forgotten that I was among the divers. That was not the kind of attention to detail I expected from a centre of this standard. Another incident also left me uncomfortable. After the second day's diving, I went snorkelling with my wife, who is extremely afraid of the water. We were approximately 40–50 metres from the boat when the crew decided to put the boat on drift. I had a difficult time getting back on board. Given the circumstances, this was a particularly unpleasant situation. My impression was that most guides concentrated on delivering the scheduled service rather than finding out whether I had actually enjoyed the dive. I missed a more personal approach and a genuine interest in the quality of the underwater experience, rather than simply completing the day's programme. My conclusion: Reef Oasis Dive Club may be an excellent choice for beginners and divers who value infrastructure, equipment and organised service above all else. For someone with substantial diving experience, however, the quality and variety of the dive sites, the marine life and the overall diving experience may not be enough. This was my first visit to Sharm El Sheikh, and based on this experience, it may also be my last. The Red Sea deserves better than dives that leave an experienced diver wondering why he came all this way. The centre has many positive qualities, but for me, the most important part of a diving holiday — the diving itself — was a disappointment.

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Beautiful dives with great dive master.

Ayman was great! Calm, always helpful, and very knowledgeable.

Response from the operator: Dear Christian, Thank you for your kind words! Ayman will be delighted that you appreciated his calm approach, help and knowledge. We hope to share more beautiful dives with you soon! Reef Oasis Dive Club

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Shore and boat dives with Reef Oasis dive club

Payment was patient, knowledgable and an excellent dive master. Helped us feel comfortable and looking forward to diving each day.

Response from the operator: Dear Cindy, Feeling comfortable and excited for each day’s diving is exactly what we hope for! Thank you for your kind words about your divemaster’s patience and knowledge. We’d love to welcome you back for more shore and boat dives. Reef Oasis Dive Club

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Thank you <3

Nice place to do any diving activity. There are a lot of instructors of all levels. There are a lot of equipment of any size. And more, you get most beautiful place for diving at Earth

Response from the operator: Dear Guest, Thank you for your wonderful review and kind words! We're delighted you enjoyed your diving experience with us. We look forward to welcoming you back for more amazing dives! Reef Oasis Dive Club

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Totally excellent experience with BBRO

Dived with Ash who was teaching my Wife for her open water, Nitrox and AOW. He took the time to help her relax and took her from being a very nervous beginner to a confident capable diver in 10 days. He went above and beyond to ensure she went at a speed suitable to her. Ash is an absolute credit to the BBRO dive team. I would recommend anyone learning to ask to work with him. Six out of five stars. Also organised the Thistlegorm for me which was a lifetime ambition to dive. Brilliant day out. Thanks to the whole team for their help and support.

Response from the operator: Dear Steve, Thank you very much for your fantastic review! We are delighted to hear that your wife had such a positive journey completing her Open Water, Nitrox, and Advanced Open Water certifications with Ash. It’s wonderful to know that his calm, patient, and supportive teaching helped transform her from a nervous beginner into a confident and capable diver in just 10 days. We will be very happy to share your kind words with him. We’re also glad you enjoyed your dive on the Thistlegorm and that it fulfilled such a long-held ambition. Thank you for your trust and recommendation. We look forward to welcoming you both back for more unforgettable dives in the future! Kind regards, Reef Oasis Dive Club

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