Learn to Dive Soma Bay

Occupying an enviable spot around 45 minutes south of Hurghada, Soma Bay is an excellent choice for those looking to obtain their Open Water Certification. This stylish development boasts beautiful beaches, an outstanding onsite dive centre and easy access to the Red Sea, including a colourful jetty on which to learn.

We recommend staying at the award-winning Breakers Hotel, where our partner dive centre is based. For those that prefer, the 5-star Sheraton Soma Bay is next door.

WHY BOOK YOUR OPEN WATER DIVE HOLIDAY THROUGH REGALDIVE

Calling on over 30 years’ experience, you can trust that a learn to dive holiday with Regaldive will be safe, enjoyable and fun. We only work with the most professional dive centres and offer 100% ATOL protection, so you can enjoy your learn to dive holiday with absolute peace of mind.

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS

• Wonderful location with easy shore diving in front of the resort
• Peace of mind; we only work with the most professional diving centres
• Excellent standard of tuition
• 100% ATOL protection
• A great location for snorkelling too

Typical Itinerary

Day 1: Depart for the Red Sea

Arriving to the resort city of Hurghada, just four and a half hours’ flight from the UK, you’re met on arrival by a Regaldive representative and transferred 45 minutes south to Soma Bay.

A stylish development of upmarket hotels, Soma Bay is a popular choice for divers. Convenient to reach, it also offers access to some super dive sites for all levels of diver, plus a lovely house reef, the perfect environment in which to learn!

Our partner dive centre are onsite at The Breakers Soma Bay hotel, and provide state-of-the-art facilities from the purpose-built dive centre, including air-conditioned classrooms.

When not learning to dive, Soma Bay is blessed with beautiful beaches, and is also a popular spot with kite surfers.

Day 2: Start your Open Water diving course in the beautiful Red Sea!

After breakfast this morning, it's time to head to the onsite dive centre and begin your Open water course. You meet the friendly dive team, your course instructor and your fellow guests.

If you've completed the popular e-learning version of the Open Water course, you review the knowledge you have learnt in advance of your holiday with your instructor, and then move onto the practical elements of the course.

Much of today is spent in the swimming pool or undertaking confined water dives as you learn the basic principles of scuba diving, and get familiar with your diving equipment. You’re shown all the skills you need to know with clear demonstrations, have time to ask questions, and then have the opportunity to practice and hone these new skills yourself, all in a relaxed and friendly environment. All equipment is provided for your course, which is serviced and maintained by professionals for your safety and peace of mind.

Orca Dive Club in Soma Bay are an SSI training facility that have been operating safe, enjoyable diving since 1991. They're one of the most established diving centres in the Red Sea, with an outstanding reputation for safety and professionalism. A PADI course can also be taught for an additional supplement.

Day 3: Enjoy your first scuba dives!

Today, it's time to take your skills from the pool to the ocean as you enjoy your first dives! You make two dives this morning directly from the resort jetty. On each dive, you first practice the skills learnt already in shallow water, before gently embarking on your first dives to a maximum depth of only 12 metres. 

While most of these dives are spent getting comfortable with a very new environment and your scuba gear, you also have a chance to see lovely coral gardens and magical marine life such as stingrays, angelfish, bannerfish, and maybe even a passing turtle!

After your dives, you head back to the resort dive centre for a review. The rest of the day is yours at leisure.

Day 4: Continue your Open Water course

Your diving course continues today, making dives three and four of your Open Water course. 

Once again, there's an opportunity to practice the key skills you need to be able to dive safely, all under the careful guidance of your professional scuba diving instructor. Once you've completed all the necessary skills, it's time to head off on a dive, hone your in water buoyancy and see some magical marine life. Possible sightings include blue spotted glassfish, angelfish, turtles, and maybe even dolphins from the boat!

Once back at the dive centre, it's time to wrap up the final elements of your Open Water course and start celebrating with your fellow students. You’ve earnt your stripes and a whole new world lies waiting to be explored!

Days 5-7: Dive, or relax. The choice is yours.

There’s a lot to take in on an Open Water course, so after your course is finished, you may wish to simply relax, soak up some sunrays and enjoy the beautiful setting of Soma Bay.

However, we suspect you’ll be desperate to get back in the water and explore more of the incredible new world you have discovered. If that’s the case, your dive centre will be only too pleased to take you out on more fun dives over the next days for an additional charge. Simply speak to the friendly dive centre staff locally if you're keen to get back in the water for more scuba diving. Soma Bay's house reef is also perfect for snorkelling.

If you’d like to explore any local excursions, you can also speak to the hotel tour desk, or contact your local Regaldive representative.

Day 8: Depart the Red Sea

After a relaxing morning, you’re collected from your hotel this afternoon and transferred to the airport for your flight home, all arranged for your peace of mind by the Regaldive team. We're sure you will be sad that your first diving adventure is coming to an end, but the good news is, you can get in touch with us straight away to start planning your next scuba diving escapade!

About your Open Water Diver course

This is your passport to the amazing underwater world! Once completed, your internationally recognised certification allows you to dive with any qualified diver to a maximum of 18 metres. The course duration is three or four days, as we understand that each individual learns at a different pace and that some skills and techniques may take a little more practice to reach a comfortable and confident level. The course consists of five theory and five pool sessions, plus four open water dives. This course teaches you a range of skills, which enables you to dive in a safe and enjoyable environment as a buddy pair. Equipment rental is usually included for the course duration.

Please note that all those taking the SSI Open Water course or the PADI e-learning course need to purchase an e-learning study materials. 

Additional information on this itinerary

In order to participate in an Open Water course, you need to complete a medical questionnaire to ensure you are fit to dive. If the answer to any of the questions is 'yes' you need to obtain a letter from a doctor confirming that you are fit to dive. We recommend that you review this medical assessment in advance of booking your holiday. For further information, and to download the latest diving medical assessment form, please visit the UK Diving Medical Committee website at www.ukdmc.org.

If you'd prefer to take a PADI Open Water Diver course, this is available at a supplement. We also offer learn to scuba dive holidays around the world, and in Egypt to Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada plus Advanced Open Water Courses for beginners looking to further their diving experience.