Family Diving
Family Diving in Marsa Alam
Two parents. One little diver-in-waiting. Nobody has to give up diving.
You don’t have to choose between diving and your family holiday
A couple with a baby or young child comes to Marsa Alam. Both parents are certified divers. They want to dive, but they don’t want to leave their child with a babysitter, spend the entire day apart as a family, or force one parent to give up diving during the holiday.
Our solution is an alternating-parent diving schedule. One parent dives while the other stays with the child. Then they switch. Both parents can potentially enjoy two dives per day while their young child always remains with one of their parents.
How It Works
An alternating-parent diving schedule
07:00
Parent A Goes Diving
We pick up Parent A from the hotel. The child can remain comfortably at the hotel with Parent B — and may even continue sleeping. Parent A completes two morning dives at suitable Marsa Alam dive sites.
10:00
Switch Parents!
Around 10:00, Parent A returns to the hotel. We pick up Parent B and we go diving!
10:00
Parent B Goes Diving!
Parent B completes two dives while Parent A stays with the child.
13:00
Family Time
Around 13:00, Parent B returns to the hotel. From lunchtime onward, the entire family is together again.
These times are a standard example, not an unconditional guarantee. Actual pickup times, dive sites and logistics depend on hotel location, sea and weather conditions, diver experience, chosen dive sites and operational requirements. Boat diving may also be possible by prior arrangement when the selected trip and logistics make the alternating-parent schedule feasible.
Your child is always with mum or dad
The model is designed so parents do not need to leave a baby or young child with an unfamiliar babysitter simply because both parents want to dive. While one parent is in the water, the other is with the child. This is not a childcare service — it is a way of organising diving so that your child always stays with one of you.
Two dives each. Family afternoons together.
With a conventional full-day diving schedule, one parent often spends the entire day on the boat while the other stays behind with the child. The diving parent is away from the family from early morning until late afternoon.
The alternating-parent schedule means both parents can potentially complete two dives per day, and the family is back together by lunchtime. No babysitter is required. No parent has to give up diving for the entire holiday. The family does not have to sacrifice every full day to diving logistics.
Why Marsa Alam makes this possible
Marsa Alam has numerous excellent shore-accessible reefs, bays and dive sites along the coastline. This geography makes flexible diving logistics possible in appropriate circumstances — a parent can be picked up, complete two dives at a nearby site, and be back at the hotel within a few hours. This is what makes the alternating-parent schedule realistic in a way that is not possible at destinations where every dive requires a full-day boat commitment.
Abu Dabbab
A sheltered bay with shore entry, shallow seagrass meadows and rich marine life — one of the most accessible dive sites around Marsa Alam.
Marsa Mubarak
A large, sheltered bay with shore access, seagrass habitat and reef edges — suitable for all levels and close to Marsa Alam town.
Marsa Egla
A compact shore-accessible bay with coral formations and reef life — practical for shorter dive schedules.
Shore diving — and boat diving when we can make it work
Shore diving is particularly suited to the alternating-parent concept. The parent enters from the beach, completes two dives, and returns to the hotel — all within a manageable timeframe. No full-day boat commitment is required.
Boat diving by prior arrangement
Boat diving can sometimes be organised in advance, depending on the destination, schedule and logistics. We will not promise boat trips that cannot realistically fit the alternating-parent timetable. If a boat trip can be made to work within the schedule, we will arrange it. If not, shore diving remains the flexible backbone of the concept.
Who is this for?
Certified diving couples travelling with a baby
Certified diving couples travelling with a toddler
Parents of young children who are not diving
Families where both parents want to continue diving
Actual dive planning always depends on certification, experience, conditions and normal dive-centre safety procedures. This service is about the parents alternating their dives. It is not a service where we supervise your child.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to dive as a family?
Tell us about your family, your certifications and your dates. We’ll plan an alternating-parent diving schedule that works for you.
Enquire Now