Anthias Divers

Anthias Divers has been a fixture of the Sharm El Sheikh diving scene since its founding in 1999 by Hubert Minihuber. Situated within the Sharm Reef Hotel in Naama Bay, the centre serves as a professional hub for divers looking to explore the diverse marine ecosystems of the Red Sea.

The centre operates as a PADI 5 Star IDC facility, meaning it is equipped to handle everything from initial entry-level training to professional instructor development. Whether you are looking for a day trip to a famous wreck or a multi-day liveaboard safari to more remote reefs, the operation is built on decades of local expertise.

The team is led by experienced professionals, including General Manager and PADI Course Director James Wilkinson, who has logged over 9,000 dives. Wael Elshahat also serves as a PADI Course Director, ensuring that the high standards required for an Instructor Development Centre are met.

Instruction is delivered by a multilingual team, making the centre accessible to an international community of divers. The atmosphere is designed to be convivial, providing a space where divers can gather and share experiences after returning from the water.

The training programme is extensive, covering the full spectrum of PADI certifications. Beginners can start with Discover Scuba Diving or the Scuba Diver course, progressing through to Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver.

For those looking to specialise, the centre offers a wide array of PADI specialty courses, including Deep Diver, Wreck Diver, Drift Diver, and Night Diver. They also provide skills-focused training such as Peak Performance Buoyancy and Underwater Navigator.

As an IDC centre, Anthias Divers is a destination for professional development. They host the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC), Divemaster training, and various specialty instructor courses, including Assistant Instructor and Open Water Scuba Instructor programmes.

Daily boat excursions are the primary way to access the surrounding dive sites. These trips cover the most celebrated locations in the area, including the reefs of Tiran Island and the national park at Ras Mohammed.

For those seeking more extensive exploration, the centre organises liveaboard cruises. These safaris allow you to reach more distant reef systems that are not accessible via daily boat trips from the shore.

The centre provides a full range of rental kit for divers who do not wish to carry their own equipment. This includes regulators, BCDs, and wetsuits, as well as essential accessories like fins and masks.

Nitrox is available for use, catering to divers looking to extend their bottom times on multi-dive days. The facility is set up to support both recreational diving and technical training requirements.

The reefs are teeming with life, from large pelagics to colourful reef fish. You will frequently encounter schools of fusilier, snapper, and jacks, alongside various species of tuna and mackerel. Larger residents such as barracuda, trevally, and groupers are common sights around the walls and wrecks.

Sharks and rays are regular visitors to these waters. Divers can look out for whitetip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, and blacktip sharks, as well as various rays including blue spotted stingrays and eagle rays. Occasional sightings of hammerhead sharks or oceanic whitetip sharks add to the excitement for experienced divers.

The hard coral (Scleractinia) and soft coral (Alcyonacea) formations provide the essential structure for this ecosystem. You will see diverse gorgonian fans, sea fans, and sponge (Porifera) colonies covering the reef slopes, alongside massive Porites coral heads.

For those interested in macro life, the crevices and sandy patches offer plenty to discover. Look for nudibranchs, octopuses (Octopus vulgaris), scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae), and various species of shrimp and crabs. Garden eels (Gorgasia) can be found in the sand, while anemones (Actiniaria) host colourful clownfish (Amphiprion) and sea anemone fish.

Diving in this region is characterised by the varying currents found around the offshore reefs of Tiran and Ras Mohammed. Some sites are better suited for drift diving, where the current carries you along the reef structure.

Seasonal changes can influence the presence of certain pelagic species, but the Red Sea remains a reliable destination for year-round diving. The availability of boat trips and liveaboards allows you to choose between sheltered reef dives and more exposed offshore locations.