Don Questo

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Photographs retained from Divezone’s original Don Questo profile; these are historical views.

Sudan travel and the boat’s status

As checked on 23 October 2026, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises against all travel to Port Sudan and the Sudanese cruising areas described here because of the ongoing conflict. Its advice differs for the disputed Hala’ib Triangle and Bir Tawil. Travelling against official advice may invalidate insurance. These are country-specific restrictions; they should not be applied to the whole Red Sea.

A fundraising appeal organised in April 2024 described the boat and crew enduring the interruption of tourism. That dated account helps explain the gap in departures, but does not establish the vessel’s condition or operating status today. Nor does the absence of a verified sailing prove that Don Questo has been permanently retired.

A trawler turned diving vessel

Don Questo was built at Selby in 1964, converted to oceanographic research in 1984 and adapted for diving in 1998. The operator’s published dimensions are 33.5 metres long and 7 metres wide. Those dates describe different stages of the vessel’s life, not successive launch dates.

The practical diving arrangements are part of its appeal. The long bench gives cylinders their own positions, with storage underneath and filling connections along the bench. Divers board the tenders before a hydraulic platform lowers them to the water, reducing the climbing involved in moving between ship and tender.

Eight cabins, with shared facilities

The documented arrangement is seven two-person cabins and one triple, for 17 guests. Cabins have washbasins; four showers and five toilets are shared. This is an important difference from the ensuite cabins familiar on many holiday liveaboards.

The operator describes air-conditioning, while a 2018 guest mentioned fans in cabins and air-conditioning in the corridors. Neither source establishes today’s room-by-room controls. A solo-sharing arrangement or private-cabin supplement also needs its own written offer.

Between dives: open-air meals and deck time

The original Divezone review describes a large, cosy main salon with a television, DVD player and hi-fi. The open-air dining area seats 20, giving the group a shared place to eat with a view over the water. Upstairs, the sun deck offers mats and loungers for a different pace between dives.

PADI’s boat listing describes Italian cooking, including pasta, seafood, bread, pizza and desserts, with snacks between meals. That is a useful picture of the earlier onboard experience; current provisioning, dietary arrangements and drink inclusions have not been confirmed. Anyone considering a future offer would need the kitchen to agree specific dietary needs before payment.

Charging and camera storage were available in the lounge according to a 2018 guest, but the same account described limited rinsing space. For a photographer carrying a large housing, that practical detail matters more than a broad “camera friendly” label.

The documented Sudan itineraries

Port Sudan was the base described in the operator’s travel information. Its usual cruises lasted one or two weeks, with occasional shorter charters. The families below are historical programmes, not a 2026 availability calendar. No complete present-day sailing sequence, crossing time or berth has been verified.

Central wreck-and-reef interests and a longer southern expedition are different holiday choices. Even if a future sailing becomes available, the named route alone would not establish sea time, actual dive sites or the final return day. Those details belong in the dated itinerary.

Two central reef references

Sanganeb and Shaab Rumi are reef systems, not single fixed dives. The map uses approximate regional positions from the Convention on Biological Diversity’s description. It shows their relationship only, without suggesting a sailing track, anchorage or universal entry point.

Sanganeb: approximately 19°42′ N, 37°26′ E. Shaab Rumi: approximately 19°56.3′ N, 37°24.2′ E.

Experience and diving arrangements

The operator’s historical rules asked for Advanced certification and 50 logged dives for Central, North and South; Deep South and Mini Deep South added certification to 40 metres and 100 logged dives. These are published historical thresholds, not confirmed entry conditions for a future departure.

Its equipment information describes steel cylinders, DIN/A-clamp fittings, rental gear and Nitrox at an extra charge for certified divers. Any new offer needs to confirm actual cylinder sizes, gas service and required equipment. Site conditions and recent experience still matter alongside a certification card.

The published equipment list also includes a single-person recompression chamber. Its current serviceability, medical staffing and evacuation arrangements are unverified. Its presence must not be treated as proof that emergency treatment is available.

A historical Deep South film

▶ Watch the 2015 Deep South film

“Diving Deep South Sudan 2015 on Don Questo”, embedded in PADI’s Don Questo listing. This historical trip film is not evidence of current conditions. Watch on YouTube.

Prices, transfers and what a future offer would need

There is no verified 2026 Don Questo fare or complete trip budget to compare. Reusing an old weekly price would conceal the larger uncertainty: whether a trip can operate at all. A useful quotation would identify the departure, operator, passenger limit, room and occupancy before listing the costs.

The older travel page describes airport assistance and transfers at Port Sudan, but also contains dated flight information. It should not be used to book flights or infer today’s visa process. Final port, meeting point, arrival timing and return arrangements would need fresh confirmation alongside official travel advice.

What guests loved — and what could be better

The accounts below are paraphrased historical feedback. The detailed independent example is Robert Pecoraro’s April 2018 two-week trip, published by Undercurrent; it is not a recent inspection.

Questions about Don Questo

Have you travelled on Don Questo? Write your review with your travel date, cabin, route, crew experience, highlights and limitations.

Editorial information checked 23 October 2026 against the operator’s historical material, PADI, the accounts described above and current official Sudan travel advice. This is a source-based guide, not a new firsthand inspection. The existing Divezone visitor ratings and review form remain below.