About Taba
Red Sea Diving • Come to Taba and Scuba Dive in the Warmest Sea in the World • PADI Courses • Scuba Diving Holidays • Open Water Diver to Divemaster
Pharoah’s Island, Taba. Photograph courtesy of Red Sea Lenses.
Taba, the aptly named ‘Gateway to the Sinai’, nestles beside the Egyptian/Israeli border and offers some of the best of Red Sea diving. A stone’s throw from the famous Israeli diving town of Eilat, Taba has surpassed its distinguished predecessor, flourishing as one of the Red Sea’s top destinations for scuba diving holidays.
The waters fronting Taba have been awarded Marine Park status, and rightly so, for this vicinity has some stunning sea life to offer. With its year round temperate climate and sheltered location, the Gulf of Aqaba makes the perfect winter retreat for experienced divers, and is perfect for the beginner.
This stretch offers some very rare marine life in an untarnished environment and some of the best of Red Sea diving. The frogfish is a frequent find, along with many types of seahorse – a species growing rarer and rarer in the rest of the Red Sea. Schools of lionfish are often observed in Taba, with puffer fish, barracudas, turtles, octopi and dolphins frequently spotted, making Taba one of the top destinations for scuba diving holidays.
A few of Taba’s most famous dive sites are:
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A lagoon rich in reef life with 4 separate dive sites.
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Comprising a drift dive dropping to a shallow coral bed. A huge variety of marine life can be observed.
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With it’s fantastic range of sea life, tranquil waters and little current. Yellow tailed barracuda are regularly spotted, along with blue spotted rays and giant puffers. This dive site features a deep sinkhole for experienced divers.
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Maxwell’s Reef
A seamount starting at 12m, dropping away to approximately 60m. There are some superb table corals and a huge population of anthias, with batfish and red-toothed triggerfish frequent finds.
Please click on our “About Taba: Dive Sites” tab at the top of the page for further information.
For Non-Divers
Taba Heights, a short car ride away, boasts an impressive US Championship level golf course, and the village and marina are well worth a visit. There are beach activities aplenty to keep the children occupied, such as snorkelling, canoeing, glass-bottom boat rides and banana boats, together with windsurfing and sailing. Taba Heights also features some wonderful gardens and parks to take a stroll in, not forgetting the Nabq and Ras Abu Galum nature reserves where hyraxes, Nubian ibexes, gazelles, foxes, herons and ospreys can be spotted.
Not far away awaits St Catherine’s Monastery, and its collection of illuminated manuscripts, second only to those of the Vatican. Pharoah’s Island fort, Salah El Din Citadel, is also well worth a stop. The fort was built as a safehouse for pilgrims en route to the Monastery. Visit the spellbinding Coloured Canyons to marvel at the surreal Canyon walls and dramatic rock formations. Mount Sinai (‘The Mountain of Moses’) makes for an unforgetable day out. Climb the 3000 Steps of Repentence (to truly comprehend the name’s meaning!) to enjoy spectacular views of the sunset.
Taba’s location makes it an excellent base for trips further afield, and the Pyramids at Giza, Jerusalem and Petra’s Treasury are all well within striking distance. Click on our “About Taba: Non-Diver Excursions” tab at the top of the page for more details.
If you have any questions about Red Sea Diving and scuba diving holidays in Taba or would like to make a reservation, please complete the form below and we’ll get back to you asap. Red Sea Diving don’t ask for payment of course fees in advance, but if you’re interested in taking a PADI course or boat trip or need a dive guide, please do get in touch and we’ll be happy to make a reservation for you. Places can run out quickly and we would hate to disappoint.
We look forward to diving with you and if you have any queries whatsoever, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
