Egypt Nga and her husband explored the world under the Red Sea by submarine at a cost of just over one million VND per person.
Egypt, located in northeastern Africa, is world-famous for its ancient Egyptian civilization. Coming here, tourists often do not miss the opportunity to learn and visit the remaining vestiges of one of the world's oldest civilizations such as the pyramid complex - a cultural symbol of Egypt for centuries, admire 100,000 artifacts at the Egyptian Museum, visit temples dating back thousands of years, with intact architectural and historical values.
In addition to the above locations, during their 14-day trip to Egypt (November 13-27), Ms. Do Hoang Nga (43 years old, Hanoi) and her husband, Mr. Nguyen Duy Ni, had another experience, which was taking a submarine to admire the ocean world at the bottom of the Red Sea.
Tourists sit in a submarine cabin to see the sights under the Red Sea in Egypt. Photo: NVCC
Egypt has a coastline along the Red Sea in the northeast. This is a tropical sea located in the north, has a surface area of about 438,000 km2 and is about 2,250 km long with an estimated average depth of about 490 m, according to World Atlas.
"The Red Sea in Egypt has waters ranging from pale jade green to deep emerald green, as beautiful as the Maldives," said Ms. Nga.
Ms. Nga and her husband booked tickets online on the shipping company's website two weeks in advance for $50 per person (about VND1.2 million). "Booking tickets is as simple as booking movie tickets, no paperwork required," she said. The tour includes a shuttle from the hotel to the pier, a shuttle boat to the submarine, and free refreshments on the shuttle boat from the submarine to shore.
On the morning of November 21, Ms. Nga’s family took the shuttle bus of the cruise company from the resort on the outskirts of Hurghada to the waiting area on the beach. There, the couple went to the ticket counter to exchange for a hard ticket, which was a badge with a seat number. Then, the shuttle took the couple and the other tourists to the submarine, about 4-5 km from shore. When arriving at the submarine, the guests would move down to the lower seating compartment through a circular door on the roof of the ship.
Inside the cabin, guests will sit according to the seat number written on the ticket. In front of them is a glass window that allows them to observe the outside. After all guests have settled down, the boat will dive and move to deeper water. The total diving time is 45 minutes. During the dive, guests only need to stay in the same position, there are no special requirements and no need to use equipment.
"Before reading the book 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea', I dreamed of seeing with my own eyes what's at the bottom of the sea," Nga shared. This trip helped her realize her dream, when she got to explore a part of the vast ocean.
The Red Sea is an area with a rich ecosystem and high biodiversity with more than 1,000 species of invertebrates, 200 species of hard and soft corals, and more than 1,200 species of fish, about 175 species of sea cucumbers and 44 species of sharks. In particular, with about 14.7% of the fish species here being endemic, the Red Sea has become one of the areas with the highest level of fish endemism in the world, according to World Atlas.
The coral reefs of the Red Sea are recognized as some of the oldest continuously living coral reefs in the world. The fringing reefs extend for about 2,000 km around the coast, most of which are estimated to be between 5,000 and 7,000 years old.
Looking through the glass window, Ms. Nga can see schools of fish, big and small, swimming back and forth, including dolphins. Coral reefs are lined up close together, "their tendrils waving in the water like a welcome from the ocean." The wrecks of sunken ships lie silently at the bottom of the sea like a past that has been forgotten by humans, she shared.
The company also arranges divers and submarines to use food to lure fish to the window so that visitors can admire them up close.
The submersible was not too deep, so she did not feel any changes in temperature or pressure, had no ringing in her ears or any similar symptoms. "Observing was as simple as sitting in an airplane looking out the window, it did not feel dangerous or demanding on health. The young tourists also participated and enjoyed it very much," she said.
Certificate of participation in submarine diving in the Red Sea of Ms. Nga and her husband provided by the shipping company. Photo: NVCC
The trip impressed her right from the easy and simple registration process, reasonable cost, professional service and friendly staff. The tour guide on the ship greeted everyone and spoke many languages. The friendly ship driver invited everyone to the driver's seat, let tourists wear the captain's hat and took photos to record memories for each person.
The cruise line also has tours with higher prices for tourists to choose according to their preferences such as private tours for two hours ($300), three hours ($400), four hours ($500). Dolphin House Tour ($35); Paradise Island ($50); Extra dive on Boat ($20). For children, the price is lower, ranging from $17 - $25.
Tourists should book tickets about two weeks in advance to avoid sold out tickets. Resorts on the outskirts of Hurghada are cheap, allowing you to swim in the sea and easily call a taxi to the city center for about 40,000 VND for 13 km, Ms. Nga said. In addition, tourists can also refer to some famous resorts in the area such as Marsa Alam, Safaga, El Gouna, Dahab and Taba, according to World Atlas.
Divers lure fish to the window and perform for guests. Video: NVCC
Quynh Mai
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