Camel Dive Club Blog

All our staff is proud that Camel has been voted as Dive Centre of the Year 2011 by readers of the prestigious British magazine DIVER. Hesham Gabr, who founded Camel Dive Club in 1986, flew to the London International Dive Show on 31st March to receive the award from Nigel Eaton, Editor-in-Chief of DIVER Magazine (pictured here). By receiving the award a delighted Hesham Gabr commented "We’re especially proud to have won the Award for 2011, as this is the same year in which we celebrated Camel Dive Club’s 25th birthday. Our divers have shown us huge loyalty during what was also a momentous year for Egypt, and I’d like to thank all who have supported us.” Ask to see the Oscar-like statuette next time you visit us!

It is a great honour for us to announce that Daniel Lish and his team at Bossa Studios have just won a BAFTA award for their work on Monstermind, Facebook’s first real-time Player vs Player game. Daniel is the designer of our funky t-shirts featuring a hammerhead, jelly fish, octopus or turtle which were launched last year and have quickly become the top sold item at Camel’s Tribe Shop. Daniel is a multi-disciplined artist who has worked on world famous projects such as Playstation games Guitar Hero and DJ Hero. Don’t lose the opportunity to wear one of our 100% Egyptian cotton trendy t-shirt, available for men and women in red, khaki or black. And remember: if you choose the hammerhead one, we will donate 10% of the price to support Shark Trust.

We’re thrilled to have been voted Dive Centre of the Year 2011 in the prestigious DIVER magazine awards! We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who voted for us – the award is based exclusively on individual votes so we couldn’t have won, without you! A delighted Hesham Gabr, Camel's founder and chairman, commented: “We’re especially proud to have won the Award for 2011, as this is the same year in which we celebrated Camel Dive Club’s 25th birthday, and in which Sharm El Sheikh received the accolade of World's Leading Dive Destination in the World Tourism Awards. Our divers have shown us huge loyalty during what was also a momentous year for Egypt, and I’d like to thank all who have supported us.” We’ll receive the award (pictured here) at the London International Dive Show, after which we’ll put it on display at Camel for all to admire!

After a break in his native India, our Chef Abhay has returned to Sharm El Sheikh with a mission: to make Camel's Tandoori the only Indian restaurant in Egypt offering food that is both delicious and good for your heart. To achieve this aim, since 1 February Chef Abhay uses top-quality olive oil in all dishes which previously contained butter. Health professionals recommend that we replace saturated fats in our diet, such as butter, with unsaturated or ‘heart-healthy’ fats like olive oil. Saturated fats are linked to high cholesterol levels, which can lead to heart disease, whereas unsaturated fats can actually lower cholesterol levels. According to Chef Abhay, “There is growing evidence of the health benefits of cooking with olive oil. I’m delighted that the dishes I prepare are now heart-healthy as well as tasty.” Chef Abhay counts Chicken Madras, and for those who like milder spices, Lamb Kebab and Chicken Tikka Masala, amongst his signature dishes. Guests dining at Tandoori may now enjoy these and other delicious dishes on the extensive menu, including freshly baked naan breads and mouth-watering vegetable items – without heart-health worries.

Now divers may reach the world-famous coral reefs of the Straits of Tiran in Sharm El Sheikh in less than 20 minutes via our new express speedboat service. We run up to three dive trips and three separate snorkelling excursions every day by speedboat. The ‘early bird’ dive trip at 7am provides an ideal opportunity to explore the famous Tiran reefs, and a chance to spot the schooling hammerhead sharks near Jackson Reef – at a time when most other divers will still be having breakfast. All departures are from the private jetty at Grand Rotana Resort and Spa, near Sharks Bay, and we offer free air-conditioned transfers to/from all hotels in Sharm El Sheikh. At 8.5 metres long, the purpose-built speedboat accommodates comfortably six passengers with full diving equipment. The speedboat’s twin 175 hp engines provide a rapid ride, at a cruising speed of 26 knots (approximately 50 km per hour). We’re really excited about the extra choice and flexibility the new speedboat gives our guests. As more and more divers come on holiday with family members or children who aren’t divers yet, they can still do fantastic dives in Tiran, while leaving time for other activities. The speedboat is also proving popular with guests seeking a more exclusive trip, since it can also be hired for private diving and snorkelling excursions. One dive by speedboat costs 15 Euros supplement in addition to the daily diving charge, and may be booked directly with us at the dive centre. Private rental of the speedboat for diving costs 275 Euros.

We're honoured to have received the PADI Green Star Award. This Award, presented by the PADI Retailer and Resort Association, recognises our commitment to conservation initiatives and our efforts to reduce the environmental impact of our daily operations at Camel Hotel, at our dive centres and in our restaurants. Fortunately, more and more divers check the environmental policies of the operators they're choosing, before booking their holidays. At Camel, our eco achievements both below and above the water wouldn't be possible without the enthusiastic support of our guests and instructors. A big THANK YOU for your support, which proves that divers can make a difference in creating a better world. Read more info about our eco activities in our Camel Eco Tribe section.