Salem Express Diving at this Tragic, Historic Site - Safaga
The Salem Express sits upright on the seabed, a somber monument to a terrible night in 1991. You’ll find her at a depth accessible to most advanced divers, though entering the wreck itself demands experience and respect for the site. Sunlight still filters into some of the upper decks, illuminating passenger belongings, even a few toy cars, scattered as if the ship might sail again. It's a poignant dive, definitely not one for chasing big fish or pristine coral, but for those who appreciate maritime history and a dive that resonates long after you surface.
- Location
- Safaga, Egypt, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 26.640000, 34.020000
Best Time to Dive in Safaga
The warmest water temperatures in Safaga occur in August, averaging 29.2°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 22.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 23.1°C
- February: 22.3°C
- March: 22.1°C
- April: 22.8°C
- May: 25.0°C
- June: 26.5°C
- July: 27.7°C
- August: 29.2°C
- September: 28.6°C
- October: 27.4°C
- November: 26.7°C
- December: 24.9°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Safaga
- Abu Hamra - 21m
- Abu Kafan - 15-40m (wall)
- Abu Kafan North - 25m
- Abu Kafan South - 25m
- Abu Saaf ED - 21m
- Abu Sawatyr - 19m
- Abu Soma Paradise House Reef (reef)
- Aida
- AIDA - 40m (wreck)
- AL KAHFAIN - 50m (wreck)
- Al Kahfain (Wreck) - 22m (wreck)
- Aluminium - 15-30m (wreck)
- Anemone Garden - 22m (reef)
- Aquarium - 19m
- AQUA SAFARI - 34m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Salem Express Diving at this Tragic, Historic Site
- Aquastars Dive Centre & Dive Safaris - ["PADI"]
- Atlantik Diving Center - ["PADI"]
- Club Ras Soma Diving Center
- Coraya Divers
- Coraya Divers Naga Bay - PADI, SSI, CMAS
- Coraya Divers Red Sea
Marine Life in Safaga
Home to 32 recorded species including 22 reef fish, 5 whales & dolphins, 2 seagrass & algae, 1 sharks & rays, 1 sea cucumbers, 1 hard corals.
Notable Species
- Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) - Whales & Dolphins
- White Dolphin (Sousa chinensis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Long-beaked Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) - Whales & Dolphins
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- Slender grouper (Anyperodon leucogrammicus) - Reef Fish
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Desjardin's Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma velifer) - Reef Fish
- Diagonal Butterflyfish (Chaetodon fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Dapple coris (Coris variegata) - Reef Fish
- Blue Trim Parrotfish (Scarus ghobban) - Reef Fish
- Brownbanded wrasse (Halichoeres scapularis) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Stethojulis interrupta) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Cheilinus trilobatus) - Reef Fish
- Klunzinger's wrasse (Thalassoma rueppellii) - Reef Fish
- Banded thicklip (Hemigymnus fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Bottleneck Sea Cucumber (Holothuria (Thymiosycia) impatiens) - Sea Cucumbers
- Dusky Wrasse (Halichoeres marginatus) - Reef Fish
- Crested Sabretooth Blenny (Petroscirtes mitratus) - Reef Fish
- Bridled Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) - Whales & Dolphins
- Armed Squirrel-fish (Neoniphon sammara) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Salem Express Diving at this Tragic, Historic Site
Based on average water temperature of 25.5°C, currents 16 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 26°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories