There’s nothing like a dive with ripping current; coral whizzing by, a frenzy of fish and little critters all doing their best to fight and hide from the current. Drift diving really is one of the most exhilarating types of diving on offer and there are some great liveaboard diving destinations where you can dive in and enjoy the ride.
Elphinstone Reef, Southern Egypt
This long sausage-shaped reef sits in the open ocean and is perfect for drift diving. The walls of the reef drop thousands of meters to the inky depths and are covered in hard and soft corals, plus busy with critters. The currents will take you along the walls at ripping speeds of up to 2 knots, with no diving effort needed at all on the right day. Scuba diving in Elphinstone is definitely one to add to the wish list for experienced divers looking for adventurous dives.
Don’t miss the Emperor Elite’s ‘Simply the Best’ itinerary. This safari visits some of the best Red Sea drift diving sites, including Elphinstone Reef, Daedalus and the Brothers. Enjoy the colourful corals and critters but don’t forget to keep your eyes on the blue for passing oceanic whitetip sharks.
Shark & Yolanda Reef, Northern Egypt
Egypt is known for its vibrant and colourful dive sites, and Shark and Yolanda in the gorgeous Ras Mohammed national park is one of northern Egypt’s most well-known dives. This dive site features colourful corals, large schools of reef fish, blue-spotted stingrays, lion fish and fun current diving between two reefs. The currents are easier going than at Elphinstone but are still reasonably strong. This is a great site for intermediate divers who want to give drift diving a try without very strong currents.
The Blue Pearl liveaboard is a great choice for exploring Egypt’s best dive sites, as there are a number of safari routes to choose from. Be sure to check out the Northern routes that include Ras Mohammed and the equally unmissable Straits of Tiran.
The Galapagos Islands
Galapagos Islands scuba diving is considered one of the best dive experiences in the world, thanks to the abundant and unique wildlife found at these special islands. There is no shortage of currents at the Galapagos Islands, which bring in numerous pelagic species to top areas such as Wolf and Darwin Islands. Dive in, go with the flow and enjoy the schools of hammerheads, rays and more that pass you by.
Once you’ve had your fill of sharks, be sure to visit Cabo Douglas. You’re unlikely to see big pelagics there but go Cabo Douglas liveaboard diving and you can watch playful Galapagos penguins, marine iguanas, sea lions and turtles as you drift along in the current.
The Nortada liveaboard is ideal for more personalised Galapagos safaris, as there are only 4 cabins on board and a maximum of 12 guests.
3 More Great Drift Diving Destinations
Read our guide to the Best Places in the World for Drift Diving and you can find out more about these top drift diving destinations:
- Micronesia
- Maldives
- Komodo
This article was written by divers and writers at LiveAboard.com