Sharks Bay Umbi Diving Village

Overview

Sharks Bay Umbi Diving Village is an authentic Bedouin style family run resort located on the beachfront in a picturesque bay with a friendly, relaxed ambience away from the crowds.

Conveniently located and with easy access to local dive sites and amenities, the resort has a peaceful village vibe and offers a unique experience combining local culture with holidaymakers.

ACCOMMODATION

There are two types of accommodation in resort, the Bedouin village and beach cabins. All feature twin or double bed, a private bathroom, air-conditioning and a mini-fridge.

Individually styled, the 36 Bedouin rooms are built into the cliff above the bay offering amazing ocean views over to Tiran island. The authentic architecture and style means that they are on different levels with walkways and steps leading to the rooms. Some rooms can be configured for triple or quad occupancy. All have a TV and most have a furnished balcony or terrace. Both bath and beach towels are provided.

The wooden beach cabins sit side by side, the front row offering direct access to the beach. There are 18 in total with a second row behind and up a few steps, also with great views. All rooms have a twin bed set-up. These are suited to those on a budget, for families with young children or for those who prefer to be by the water. Beach towels are not provided.

OTHER FACILITIES

The resort offers a wide choice of dining options. Breakfast is served buffet style at the beachside Umbi Seafood restaurant, which in turn offers daily fresh seafood, meat and vegetarian options for lunch and dinner. For those who prefer a light snack and refreshments, there is a beach bar and a Bedouin tent offering shisha pipes. Panoramic views and authentic Bedouin dining are available at the clifftop Howdah Bedouin café.  

Guests have access to a private beach with sun loungers and parasols. Both snorkelling and diving activities operate daily on the house reef. Motorised water sports and excursions are available and Wi-Fi (when available) is free of charge.

FAMILIES

The family run resort is suitable for families looking for a simple accommodation option in a quiet and convenient location, with easy access to the ocean for divers and snorkellers alike.

LOCATION

Located a 15 minute drive from Sharm El Sheikh International Airport, Sharks Bay Diving Village is located on the beachfront in Sharks Bay. The dive centre is on site and boats depart from the local jetty. Taxis are readily available for visits to Soho Square (2 minutes drive) or Naama Bay, only 10 minutes drive away.

Our mini dive safari and small group trip to Sharm el Sheikh stays here and is the perfect holiday for people who like to travel with a group and would normally choose a liveaboard. Contact us to find out more.

Dive info

A Sharm El Sheikh diving holiday offers you a spectacular and diverse range of dive sites that are amongst the best in the world. From the famous Ras Mohammed Marine Park, to some of the most renowned wrecks in the Red Sea, the sheer number of sites means that there is something for all divers. Boat diving is the norm in Sharm and there are also some superb house reefs for diving and snorkelling.

Learning to Dive

Sharm is a good destination for novice and learner divers, with many easily accessible coral gardens that offer safe, shallow water and excellent visibility. This area benefits from the shelter of the land, which means conditions are usually calm to moderate and ideal for those new to diving. Our partner dive centres offer the full range of courses and meet the highest possible standards. Qualifying dives are often undertaken from the shore for convenience, where colourful corals and seagrass meadows play host to a wealth of marine life, including turtles.

Qualified Divers

The exciting dive sites of Ras Mohammed Marine Park are what attract the legions of experienced divers to Sharm each year. Situated at the tip of Sinai, where the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba meet, Ras Mohammed’s strong currents and nutrient waters are packed with schools of snappers, barracuda and jacks, coupled with the sharks that come to stalk them. Steep coastal cliffs are mirrored underwater with impressive vertical walls, which drop off 70m or more.

The Strait of Tiran separates Tiran Island from the east coast of Sinai and is famous for four large reefs that rise from the depths like vast underwater mountains. Here, the strong currents and dense plankton attract an impressive range of reef and deep sea species providing some exceptional drift dives.

Further west, round the southern tip of Sinai, lie some of the best wreck dives in the Red Sea. The legendary Thistlegorm is the most famous - a 415 foot World War II British supply ship which lies in 30m with an amazing cargo of motorbikes, trucks, guns and shells.

SHARM MINI DIVE SAFARIS

Get away for a liveaboard short break on one of our Sharm Mini Dive Safaris. To find out more, contact our friendly team.

Land-Based Liveaboard

Join our small group holiday to Sharm el Sheikh where you can enjoy the camaderie of a liveaboard experience based at Sharks Bay Umbi Diving Village.

Dive prices

Regaldive work with three well established dive centres in Sharm:

Emperor Divers are a British-managed dive company who have been operating in the Red Sea since 1992. They are based at the Helnan Marina Hotel in Naama Bay.

Camel Dive Club, founded in 1986, is the longest-established diving brand in Sharm El Sheikh and has won many awards. The main Camel Dive Club is located in Naama Bay.

Sharks Bay Umbi is an award winning dive centre at Sharks Bay Umbi Diving Village and has been operating daily diving activities for many a year. Offering a personal touch, the centre is family run and groups are small.

Emperor Divers

Emperor Divers are a British-managed dive company who have been operating in the Red Sea since 1992, and are one of the most respected names in the diving world.

Emperor Divers is located at the Helnan Marina Hotel in Naama Bay, just a one minute's walk to the Naama Bay jetty. There are over 15 local dive sites and many more in Ras Mohamed and Tiran. Special trips are available to Ras Mohamed, Thistlegorm and Tiran.

Emperor offers a full range of PADI diver training courses from PADI Open Water to Instructor level, as well as snorkelling and introductory dives. Equipment is available for hire. FREE Nitrox is provided for certified divers.

Typically, a 5 day/10 dive package with Emperor Divers Sharm El Sheikh starts from £250 per person excluding equipment rental.

Camel Dive Club

Camel Dive Club & Hotel, founded in 1986, is the longest-established diving brand in Sharm el Sheikh and has won many accolades over the years/ It is located in the heart of Naama Bay.

An SSI Pro Instructor Training Centre, Camel offer SSI training from beginner right through to instructor level. Open Water courses begin in your own time online prior to arriving in resort, by way of E-learning. This allows students to get straight into the practical side of the course on arrival. Spend three days in resort with your instructor putting your new skills into practice, both in the training pool and ocean. Once qualified you'll have more time to start filling your logbook!

Camel Dive Club in Naama Bay has full facilities for disabled divers. Guided daily boat diving is available from a fleet of dive boats including their own boat, Camel Tribe, which leave from the main jetty in Naama Bay.

Camel boats visit sheltered local sites, the Straits of Tiran and Ras Mohammed National Park. Regular trips are scheduled to famous wrecks SS Thistlegorm, SS Dunraven, Million Hope, and to Dahab.

Camel Dive Club offers 250 full sets of Mares diving equipment and Suunto computers to hire, plus plenty of accessories. There is also an on-site dive shop selling clothing and extras. FREE Nitrox is offered for Nitrox qualified divers. The diver to guide ratio here is 6:1 offering small groups with personal service. Camel Dive Club can also cater to Technical Divers – please let Regaldive know your requirements in advance.

Complimentary transfers are offered for all Camel Dive Club guests staying at any hotel in Sharm El Sheikh, between the hotel, jetty, and Camel Dive Club dive centre.

Group Offer - book 10 dive packs and get the 11th for free at Camel Dive Club.

Camel Dive is a Green Fins member helping to protect and conserve coral reefs by following environmentally friendly guidelines that promote a sustainable diving and snorkelling industry.

SHARKS Bay UMBI DIVE CENTRE

The professional and friendly team offer a full range of PADI diver training courses from beginner through to advanced including TDI technical certifications. The onsite centre has a fully equipped classroom and group numbers are kept small with a maximum of 5 students per instructor. Diver training is mainly on the house reef, a gently sloping site with an abundant marine life. It’s a fantastic place for diver training from as young as 8yrs old.

Dive packages include two morning boat dives a day with the option to book a third dive locally. The boats depart from Sharks Bay at 8am and depending on conditions, and diver ability, will head over to the Tiran Strait, explore the local sites near Sharm or discover the marine life in the Ras Mohammed Marine Park. Night dives on the house reef are available to book locally. Nitrox is available (local charge).

Mini liveaboard safaris are available, departing from resort, please enquire for details.

marine park fees

From 27 November 2019 the following Marine Park Fees will be applicable to all diving operations from Sharm El Sheikh. Fees are paid locally upon check out.

• Ras Mohamed National Park: €7 per person, per day
• Strait of Tiran: €7 per person, per day

DIVE PRICES

Book your dive pack or course with Regaldive prior to departure, and benefit from lower prices than those in resort.  Please discuss your requirements with the Regaldive team, who will prepare a quotation suited to your needs.

Resort info

Sharm El Sheikh is situated on the most southern tip of the Sinai peninsula. It is a lively resort with a wide choice of bars, restaurants and shops to enjoy in addition to diving.

Getting Around

The resort is centred on Naama Bay where the hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and beach are all within walking distance. The jetty is the busy centre of activity for dive boats. The dive centres provide transport between hotel, dive centre and jetty for dive trips.

Climate

The hottest time of the year is July and August with air temperature of over 30ºC. The coolest time is January with the temperature at around 20ºC. Rainfall is negligable and it is invariably sunny but breezes can be cool.

Time

Egypt is 1 or 2 hours ahead of GMT depending on the season as Egypt does not operate Daylight Saving Time.

Currency

Egyptian pounds or LE. Approximately £1 = 20LE

We recommend that you take some money in cash to Egypt. There is a currency exchange desk available at the hotel.  Please note that Scottish notes are not accepted in Egypt.

Tipping

Although entirely voluntary, tipping is a recognised part of life in this region of the world. Some local staff will look to travellers for personal recognition of the services offered. We would advise that you allow approx. £10 for gratuities for local staff for the duration of your stay.

Rough Price Guide

• Local beer: 65LE
• Snack meal (pizza / sandwich): 130LE
• Bottle of mineral water: 25LE
• Soft drink: 35LE

Travel info

Flight Information

Flights are available to Sharm El Sheikh (SSH) from a number of UK airports. Please refer to the tables below for typical flight schedules, or speak to our friendly travel consultants for the latest information.

Typical Annual Schedule

SSH = Sharm El Sheikh Airport

Key: * = Winter only (November to April), ** = Summer only (May to October), *** = Irregular schedule ask for more information

Flight duration: Approx 5 - 5½ hours

Transfer: Varies according to hotel. Minimum transfer time approx. 10 minutes, maximum transfer time approximately 30 minutes.

Departure tax:  N/A

Passports

Passengers travelling to Egypt must have six months valid on their passport from the date of departure from Egypt.

Visas

A single entry tourist visa for Egypt is required for all nationalities. For British passport holders with British citizenship, Egyptian visas can be obtained conveniently and inexpensively on arrival at Hurghada airport, or in advance via the new e-visa portal - Visa2Egypt. If you’re travelling to Sharm el Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba resorts for up to 15 days, you will receive a free entry permission stamp upon arrival. If you intend to travel out of these areas or stay longer than 15 days, you must get a visa. The Thistlegorm wreck is considered to be out of this area however, so if you plan to dive there, it is advisable to obtain a visa.

Other nationalities should check with consular office.

Vaccinations

There are no compulsory vaccinations for travel to Egypt, but we recommend protection against typhoid, tetanus, hepatitis A and polio. Although malaria does exist in Egypt, it is generally not present in the Sinai.

Vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure.  For the most up to date advice please consult your travel clinic.

Further information regarding vaccinations for travel to this country can be found at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk and from your local healthcare provider.

Prices

The price panel above provides an indication of a lead-in price for your holiday, based on the cheapest time to travel. Prices shown are per person, and based on two persons sharing. 

As flight prices vary from day to day, Regaldive will prepare a quotation for you based on current flight prices available. This ensures that you receive the most competitive price for your chosen travel dates. Flights from regional UK airports may be available, depending on your destination and date of travel.

Please call 01353 659999 or e-mail Regaldive, using the link below, for a quotation.

Our Price Promise

At Regaldive we are committed to offering you the best possible value for money on all our diving holidays. That's why we offer you a price match promise. Learn more about our promise to you.

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