Diving the Blue Hole from Sharm el Sheikh
Yes, you can dive the Blue Hole on a day trip from Sharm el Sheikh. It is about 90–100 km by road, roughly 1.5 hours each way by car, and the dives are shore dives you start straight from the beach. You need Open Water for the rim and Advanced or 30 m training for the classic Bells to Blue Hole route.
How far is the Blue Hole from Sharm el Sheikh?
Dahab is about 85–92 km from Sharm el Sheikh by road, depending on where in Sharm you start, and the Blue Hole is a short drive further north of Dahab town. Allow about 90–100 km and around 1.5 hours each way by car.
The road runs inland through the South Sinai mountains, and there are police checkpoints on the way. Carry your passport, because you will usually be asked for it.
How to get there: taxi, organised transfer or bus
By taxi or private car, you leave when you want and drive straight to the Blue Hole. This is the most flexible option for divers, because you can arrive early, before the busiest hours, and your gear rides with you.
By organised transfer, a hotel, tour desk or the people you dive with arrange the car for you. Ask exactly where you are picked up, what time, and whether you go straight to the dive site or into Dahab first.
By bus, East Delta runs services between Sharm el Sheikh and Dahab, taking just under 2 hours, but timetables change and some services have been cut. The bus stops in Dahab, not at the Blue Hole, so you still need a taxi for the last stretch. It works for travellers staying a few nights, less well for a same-day return with dive gear.
What the day looks like for divers
An early start makes the day. Leave Sharm early, and you can be kitted up at the Blue Hole before the big day-trip groups arrive in the late morning.
The classic first dive starts a short walk north at The Bells. You drop down a narrow chimney in the reef to about 26–28 m, follow the outer wall south, rise to the saddle at about 6–7 m and cross into the Blue Hole to finish along its inner wall. A long surface interval on the beach follows, with time to eat and rehydrate at the cafés on the shore.
The second dive is usually shallower: the rim and saddle of the Blue Hole, or another shore site on the way back south, chosen around the wind and your air. You are back in Sharm by evening.
What level do you need?
Open Water divers can dive the Blue Hole rim and saddle within 18 m, which is a beautiful dive in its own right. The Bells to Blue Hole route goes to around 27–30 m, so you need Advanced Open Water or another 30 m certification.
Divers must go with a qualified guide. Wikipedia notes that a policeman is stationed at the site to check that divers have a certified guide. The Arch, a tunnel whose top lies at about 55 m, is a technical dive and never part of a recreational plan.
If you have not dived for a year or more, a refresher or check dive first is the smart move. It can be done at an easy site before the Blue Hole.
Is the Blue Hole dangerous? Honest answers →
Private guide or big bus tour?
Many Sharm hotels sell Blue Hole day tours on large buses. They are good value and easy to book, but the schedule is fixed, the stops are shared with everyone on board, and most arrive at the Blue Hole at the same time.
Diving with a private guide in Dahab gives you a plan built around your level, your air and the conditions on the day. You choose the dive order, the time in the water and the second site, and you are not waiting for a full bus to leave.
Either way, the dive itself happens with a local guide, tanks and gear from an established Dahab dive center, and a briefing on the beach before you go in.
💬 Ask on WhatsApp whether a pickup can be arranged for your date
A snorkel option for partners
Not everyone in your group dives? The Blue Hole is also one of the best-known snorkel spots in the Red Sea. The inner rim has coral and reef fish right at the surface, so a snorkeling partner can be in the water at the same time as the divers.
Stay along the inner edge of the hole rather than swimming out over the deep water, and wear fins and a well-fitting mask. Snorkelers have died at the surface here, usually after getting tired, so a guide or a buddy and a calm pace matter.
Non-divers who want to try scuba can ask about a first try dive on the same day, in calm, shallow water.
Snorkeling in Dahab: the best spots →
Fees, gear and flying home
The Blue Hole is inside a protected area, and a protectorate fee applies. The amount changes, so check the current fee when you book.
Bring your certification card and logbook, swimwear, a towel, sunscreen and a hat. Ask what gear is available for your date if you are not bringing your own.
If you fly home soon after the trip, plan around the no-fly time. DAN recommends at least 12 hours after a single no-decompression dive and at least 18 hours after multiple dives in a day or multiple days of diving.
Dahab or Sharm el Sheikh for diving? →
Staying in Dahab instead?
One day gives you a taste. If the Blue Hole is the reason you came, staying in Dahab for a few nights turns a long day into easy mornings: dive early, rest in the afternoon, and add the Canyon, Lighthouse or a Ras Abu Galum day.
Send me your dates, your level and where you are staying, and I will tell you honestly what fits.
Questions
How far is the Blue Hole from Sharm el Sheikh?
About 90–100 km by road, roughly 1.5 hours each way by car. Dahab is about 85–92 km from Sharm, and the Blue Hole is a short drive north of Dahab town.
Can you do the Blue Hole as a day trip from Sharm el Sheikh?
Yes. Many visitors go for the day by taxi, organised transfer or on a bus tour, and do one or two shore dives or snorkel before returning in the evening.
Is there a bus from Sharm el Sheikh to Dahab?
Yes, East Delta runs buses between Sharm and Dahab, taking just under 2 hours, but timetables change. The bus stops in Dahab town, so you need a taxi to the Blue Hole.
What level do I need to dive the Blue Hole?
Open Water divers can dive the rim and saddle within 18 m. The Bells to Blue Hole route goes to about 27–30 m and needs Advanced Open Water or a 30 m certification.
Can non-divers snorkel at the Blue Hole?
Yes. The inner rim is a popular snorkel spot with coral right at the surface. Stay along the edge, not out over the deep water.
How long should I wait to fly after diving the Blue Hole?
DAN recommends at least 12 hours after a single no-decompression dive, and at least 18 hours after multiple dives in a day or several days of diving.