Hamata

. HAMATA DIVE SITE

HAMATA LOCAL TRIP

HAMATA DIVING SAFARI TRIP

• The region of Hamata begins to the north at Ras Honkorab and extends down to the Ras Banas peninsula, 80 km further south. The region has a significantly smaller population and does not offer as well-developed an infrastructure as the regions to the north. Although there are a few resorts along the coast, their density is not comparable to those in the northern regions. Nevertheless, it is obvious that al this region is undergoing continuous development.

• Hamata itself is a small settlement with houses grouped around a mosque. The inhabitants make their living mainly through fishing and from sheep and goat herding. The actual harbour of Hamata is very small but hosts not only the newly constructed buildings of the port authority but also the local decompression chamber. The ride from Marsa Alam International Airport to the port takes about two hours by bus.

• Currently, there are only a few liveaboards that leave from Hamata-a fact that will surely change in the future, since the port is an ideal starting point for tours to the South or Deep South St. John’s reefs can be easily reached overnight from here. Similarly, the Fury Shoals, a reef group with many beautiful dive sites described in the next section, can also quickly be reached. Liveaboards rarely visit the other reefs in this area, since the tour itinerary often does not permit time for a visit. However, day tourists have the opportunity to explore dive sites far away from the house reefs, and although the reefs around the Abu Diab group and the Qulan Islands do not offer such a varied diving experience as the Fury Shoals, you can still count on interesting dives.

• There are two shipwrecks in the area of Hamata. One is SS Turbo, also known as the “Half-Wreck” near Erg Abu Diab on the coast of Ras Banas, and the other is the Hamada, north of Shaab Ranga. Liveaboards rarely sail to the shipwrecks because of their location far away from the usual routes.