Divers United (Elite Diving)

Located in the Hadaba district on the hill above Na'ama Bay, Elite Diving (operating as Divers United) has been a fixture of the Sharm El Sheikh diving scene since 2005. The centre is owned and managed by a British team, providing a familiar atmosphere for those looking to explore the Red Sea's most iconic sites.

As a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre, the operation is geared towards both recreational exploration and professional training. Whether you are looking for a relaxed holiday diving local reefs or seeking the adrenaline of a deep wreck or a drift dive in the national park, the centre is structured to handle a wide range of experience levels.

The centre is led by Gwyn, a PADI Staff Instructor and BSAC Open Water Instructor, who manages the professional team. The foundation of the centre rests on the experience of the founders, Alun and Moyra Evans, who have been diving since 1984.

The team operates with a focus on safety and a 'no touch' environmental policy to protect the local reef systems. All instruction and guiding is conducted in English, ensuring clear communication during briefings and underwater training.

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

For divers looking to specialise, the centre offers PADI Deep Diver, Wreck Diver, and Nitrox courses, as well as a Shark Awareness Course. Professional divers can train through the Divemaster and Instructor Development Course (IDC) pathways.

Daily excursions depart for the Straits of Tiran, Ras Mohammed National Park, and various local reefs. The centre also organises dedicated trips to explore the Dunraven wreck at Sha'ab Mahmud and the SS Thistlegorm.

For those looking for more extensive travel, the centre arranges shark safaris and liveaboard cruises. On full-day trips, a selection of refreshments is provided on board, including water, tea, coffee, and a cooked lunch.

The centre provides a full range of rental kit, including BCDs, regulators, wetsuits, masks, snorkels, fins, and dive computers. For those who prefer larger gas volumes, 15-litre Nitrox cylinders are available for hire.

Nitrox is available for all qualified divers. The centre also offers various services for special cylinder requests and shop purchases to ensure you have the right setup for your specific dive profile.

The reefs are teeming with colourful life, including various species of reef fish, snappers (Lutjanus), and colourful butterflyfish (Chaetodon). You will regularly see schools of fusiliers, jacks (Carangidae), and triggerfish (Balistidae) moving through the water column.

Large pelagics are a major draw, particularly between June and August when currents bring in plankton. During this time, you may encounter hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini), silky sharks, thresher sharks, and oceanic whitetip sharks. Manta rays (Mobula alfredi) and whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are also seasonal visitors to the area.

On the sandy bottoms and reef edges, look for eagle rays, stingrays, and various species of turtles (Cheloniidae). You might also spot octopus (Octopus vulgaris), moray eels (Muraenidae), and scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae) tucked into the reef structure.

Macro life enthusiasts can find diverse small creatures, such as nudibranchs, shrimp, and various species of anemonefish. Keep a close eye on the coral heads for pipefish, ghost pipefish (Solenostomidae), and even seahorses (Hippocampus kuda).

Diving in this region is characterised by varying current strengths. While many local sites are suitable for beginners, sites like Ras Um Sid, Ras Nasrani, and the Shark and Yolanda Reefs can experience very strong currents.

Seasonal shifts influence the presence of larger marine life. For example, the concentration of large pelagics and sharks is most notable between June and August, while manta ray sightings are more common in April and during the summer months.