Hi bubblegirl

I think the reef at the coral sea resort is more or less similar to that at the Red Sea Holiday village where I stayed a couple of years ago & not great for snorkelling. I was at HSB last October which is better as you know. I am not sure if Nabq is a particularly good area for snorkelling, maybe it varys from hotel to hotel ?

I've no idea what it is like now, but in 2006 I went to a hotel called the Crowne Plaza, it's on the far garden reef and snorkelling was good there, its near the Hyatt Regency, if that helps you to locate it in your mind.

I beleive it's had a name change & is called (I think) the Ramada Plaza. As lots of new hotels have been built it is no longer one of the favorites with Brits but that means it seems to come up a fair bit cheaper than the really popular AI's.

I was looking on Travel Republic the other day & where hotels like the Hilton Sharks Bay were about £550, I noticed it was about £450 for the week I was looking at. Could be worth a look.

You would need to check out reviews, but it might suit you if a good reef is more important than other considerations.

Doe

Bubblegirl, I have just checked in a brochure that I have and its actually been re-named Sharm Plaza

Doe

I have dived off the reef at HSB and can recommend this. It is quite sheltered and for the main shallow, but there is a gentle slope down to about 22m before it drops off into the blue.