Dive Review of New Son Bijou Dive Center/Marriott in
Red Sea/Hurghada

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New Son Bijou Dive Center/Marriott: "New Son Bijou Diving Center", Jun, 2018, by Ellen Marie Smith, MN, US ( Sr. Contributor 26 reports with 12 Helpful votes). Report 10332 has 1 Helpful vote.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	This is the second time I’ve been to Hurghada, Egypt and diving with New Son Bijou. (First time was 5 years ago) The dive center now has their own boat (Prince Adam) which is a big improvement. Lidija Cupar is the Eastern European wife of the owner, Ahmed Bijou. Lidija is helpful in a myriad of ways - arranging transfers to and from the airport and the Marriott. Last time I stayed above their dive shop (also a good option, esp. if you have a large group, as it is very cheap!) Since the dollar is very strong, we opted to stay at the Marriott. This made our transfer to the Blue O Two liveaboard safari we were doing easier, since they dock a the Marriott. Something to note: things are cheaper if you pay cash in dollars. A two tank dive and launch will cost you $36 a day and we ate a huge dinner out for $10. Most shops and dive companies don’t take credit cards but cash machines are available. Prices are cheaper if you pay with dollars. My husband and I walked to a shopping area 10 mins from the hotel and had no safety issues. The people are very poor for the most part and appreciate the tourism. Many Germans and Brits (a few Norweigens too) on our boat, plus a few Koreans and a couple from Argentina. Truly an international vacation destination. About the boat: there are NO CAMERA facilities. They think you are crazy if you ask for a bucket of water (which won’t be big enough if you have lights). The dive crew is not going to set up your gear (I like this) but aren’t particularly available for problems (like I have a yoke, not a din) unless you assert yourself. However, once needs were made clear, then all went smoothly. The boat is comfortable with lots of space to hang out and sleep or visit with new friends. The fish life has declined since my last visit but many of the sites were free of trash and fishing line. I spoke with some of the Brits who live in Hurghada year round and they are helping with this effort. There is still a huge Napoleon Wrasse at Small Giftun but I wasn’t lucky with dolphins this time at the Dolphin House. There were no currents to speak of and the water was 80-81 degrees with a few thermoclines that were a bit cooler.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Red Sea, Galapagos, Hawaii, Caribbean (Cozumel, Belize, Turneffe, Utila, Turks & Caicos, St. Martin, Nevis & St. Kitts), California, Cocos, Socorro, & Ustica (Italy), Yap, Palau, & Truk, Thailand (Surin Islands).
Closest Airport	Hurghada	Getting There	US to Cairo (I went thru Paris). Egypt Air to Hurghada. Transfers in Cairo can be crazy, I used a “helper” recommended by dive center.
Dive Conditions
Weather	windy	Seas	no currents
Water Temp	80-81°F / 27-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness
Water Visibility	75-150 Ft/ 23-46 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Dive with Divemaster, some of whom were young and did dumb things like shine their light in our eyes during a night dive and hurry through the dive sites.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	As I said—no facilities on the New Son Bijou boat (Prince Adam, named after his son, who is now 5). I wouldn't recommend bringing a big rig to Hurghada, as it is my understanding that no dive op has camera facilities.

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of New Son Bijou Dive Center/Marriott in Red Sea/Hurghada

New Son Bijou Dive Center/Marriott: "New Son Bijou Diving Center", Jun, 2018,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of New Son Bijou Dive Center/Marriott in
Red Sea/Hurghada