Latest news

We would like to say a huge "thank you" to all our guests who signed an online petition demanding stronger protection of sharks worldwide. For the whole of July we provided a dedicated laptop at our Naama Bay dive centre, to encourage divers to sign the petition. The petition was launched by Project AWARE Foundation and AWARE divers worldwide, after the conference of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), held in Qatar in March, failed to agree on proposals to restrict trade in eight shark species. It's not too late to show your support by signing the petition. Check back with us for details of our events during European Shark Week, 9-17 October 2010.

Every diver visiting Sharm El Sheikh is familiar with the practice of using a strip of adhesive tape around the tank valve to indicate a full tank. Finally, we have applied a more environmentally-friendly solution to all our cylinders: plastic caps secured to the base of the tank valve. Cap on indicates a full tank, cap off, an empty one. Based on the number of tanks we fill, we estimate that the new caps should save over 12km of adhesive tape per year!

On July 23, a team of eight Camel Dive Club instructors joined forces with PADI Regional Manager Terry Johnson and son Thomas, to clean up Naama Bay beach. The event was part of a "Go Green" initiative organised by Marriott Resort and CDWS. In just one hour, the team collected 70 kilos of debris, among which were plastic bags, empty beer cans, clothes, and a plastic bucket. After the dive, participants were presented with Project AWARE certificates by our Course Director Bianca, who initiated the clean up. All were then invited to enjoy a well-deserved ice-cream at Vanilla!

We have the pleasure of hosting a two-week visit by marine biologist Dr Andrea Marshall. During her stay with us, Dr Andrea, who is a global expert on mantas and founder of the Foundation for the Protection of Marine Megafauna, aims to gather data on Giant Manta Rays, Manta birostris. We are fortunate to see these majestic creatures almost daily along the coast of Sharm El Sheikh during summer. Dr Andrea has also given two presentations about mantas and their conservation, to staff from local diving centres. She gained her nickname ‘Queen of Mantas’ after featuring in a BBC documentary about her work. Dr Andrea is pictured here photographing another ray species, the Feathertail Stingray, at Yolande Reef. Read more on Andrea's blog.

This month we opened our fifth dive centre in Sharm El Sheikh. Our new centre is located on the beach at the five-star Royal Grand Azure Resort in Nabq. Managed by Premier, Royal Grand Azure offers guests a ‘deluxe all-inclusive’ system. Our dive centre works in collaboration with neighbouring Camel centres at Laguna Vista Resort and Grand Rotana Resort & Spa. It offers the full range of PADI courses, diving and snorkeling trips, snorkel equipment hire, and has its own Tribe shop.

The new-look Camel Bar reopened on 11 June, just in time for the World Cup. If you’re a football fan, join us for full live coverage of all games, on six big screens in the fully air-conditioned bar. The new chic décor provides the perfect surrounding in which to enjoy our new bar meals and drinks menus. These include an expanded selection of favourite dishes from our restaurants, plus new cocktail selections, shooters, beers, wines, mixers and juices, all at competitive prices. Or if football is not your passion, relax instead at our Roof and Terrace bars with a cool drink and birds-eye view of the promenade.