Dive Right In -- When people think of diving in Egypt, they think of the Red Sea, but that might be about to change. The seabed around Alexandria is littered with debris from not only the Greco-Roman period, but the late-18th-century Franco-British conflict over control over Egypt and World War II. Most sites along the coast are shallow, with much to see in less than 10m (33 ft.) of water. However, visibility can be a challenge. Consult with local guides on both the best months to dive specific sites and also on what sites are open.
Jars, off the Montaza district of Alexandria, offers, well, dozens of jars -- Greco-Roman amphorae, to be precise -- as well as other artifacts from this extremely busy port site, including anchors and other debris from ships and the remains of some small work boats that were used around the harbor. Depth is around 7 to 10m (23-33 ft.), and the site is an easy swim from the shore.
The remains of the Pharos lighthouse is a boat dive but close to the harbor. A big debris field is all that remains now of one of the Seven Wonders of the World -- columns, some broken statuary, and a few pieces of hieroglyph-bearing stones laying about on the bottom of the Mediterranean.
The remains of Napoleon Bonaparte's fleet, sunk by ships under Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson in the 1798 Battle of the Nile, lie in about 10 to 14m (33-46 ft.) of water a few kilometers off Aboukir, a small town to the east of Alexandria. Three boats are known, and one, the French flagship l'Orient, is intact enough to be an interesting dive.
There is also at least one reasonably intact World War II airplane and a landing craft off Alexandria, though the history, and even nationality, of these remain an open question.
The recently discovered Greco-Roman cities of Herakleion, Menouthis, and Canopus also lie submerged off Aboukir. Not only are amphorae, millstones, old wells, and other urban artifacts to be found, but around the site of Herakleion lie intact walls, complete temples, and massive statuary.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.