Colona Divers

Colona Divers traces its origins to 1977, when Norwegian entrepreneur Freddy Storheil began running liveaboard operations in the Red Sea. The Hurghada base opened in 1999, joining an earlier centre in Sharm El Sheikh established in 1992, with El Gouna following in 2001 and Marsa Alam in 2010. That lineage makes Colona one of the longest-operating dive businesses on the Egyptian Red Sea coast.

The centre works from Zahabia Beach, where a house reef provides shore diving independent of the daily boat schedule. Full-day boat trips run with two to three dives, with sites chosen based on conditions and the group's certification level. Boats carry standard safety equipment including oxygen, first aid kits, and marine radio. Specialty excursions cover the Abu Nuhas wreck complex and dolphin spotting areas, while liveaboard safaris extend to more remote Red Sea destinations.

Colona holds PADI 5 Star IDC status, awarded in 2023, and runs the full PADI curriculum from Discover Scuba through to Instructor Development. The multilingual team operates in seven languages, reflecting Hurghada's international diving clientele.

The centre holds a 4.8 out of 5 rating from over 500 reviews, ranking first among nature and parks activities in Hurghada. Divers consistently highlight the wreck trips, particularly excursions to the Abu Nuhas area, as standout experiences.

Some older accounts note past inconsistencies with nitrox supply and occasional site selection that favoured less experienced groups when snorkelers were aboard. These observations date from over 15 years ago, well before the centre's current PADI IDC accreditation, and the volume of recent positive reviews suggests the operation has evolved considerably since then.