BEST DIVE SITES

The Egyptian Red Sea offers a fantastic display of marine diversity and an impressive array of different diving conditions and environments. High-speed currents or gentle drift dives, colourful walls with monumental boulders or endless valleys of coral gardens, seamounts and pinnacles or lunar-like seascapes, the Red Sea boasts it all. There are frequent sightings of turtles, moray eels, different kind of rays and once in a while some reef sharks.

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Shaab Marsa Alam

Boat trip reef located very close to the marina at Marsa Alam, a short journey of around 15 minutes brings us to Sha'ab Alam. This offers truly beautiful corals & a huge variety of marine life, including sometimes dolphins.

A small shallow shipwreck next to the reef is also a highlight of the trip. The reef offers shelter from waves and wind so is perfect for all the family.

A full day boat trip all refreshments on board are included plus the lunch and soft drinks , fit for diving and snorkling .

Gotat Shaab Elerg

Gotat Shaab Elerg is a diving site in the Red Sea, located between Hurghada and El Gouna. It is a huge reef with plenty of marine life and a high chance of seeing dolphins all year round. Gotat Shaab Elerg is also known as the Dolphin House, because it is a place where dolphins come to rest and socialize. The reef has a horseshoe shape and harbours several dive sites, with Gota Shaab Elerg being one of the most popular. It is suitable for beginners and experienced divers alike. The depth of the dive site ranges from 9 to 18 meters, and the visibility is usually good. The water temperature is around 29 degrees Celsius. The reef is home to a spectacular variety of moray eels, as well as scorpion fish, groupers, emperor angelfish, blue-spotted rays, and white tip sharks. The coral garden is also colorful and diverse, with table corals, fire corals, soft corals, and anemones.

Umm Gamar

Umm Gamar is a diving site near Hurghada in the northern part of the Red Sea. It is a long-isolated reef formed by an underwater mountain, with a crescent-shaped island at the top. Umm Gamar means Mother of the Moon in Arabic. The site offers a variety of dive experiences, from coral gardens to steep walls, from canyons to caves, and from reef fish to pelagic predators. Umm Gamar is about 90 minutes away from Hurghada by boat, and it has a maximum depth of around 30 meters. The site has a plateau on the south, at a depth of 14 to 24 meters, where divers can see a beautiful coral garden with turtles, batfish, moray eels, and Napoleon fish. The site also has several large coral pinnacles that rise from the sandy bottom, creating a maze of canyons and swim-throughs. The pinnacles are covered with colorful soft corals and fan corals, and host a variety of marine life, such as glassfish, lionfish, angelfish, butterflyfish.

Elphinstone Reef

Elphinstone Reef is one of the world’s most exciting diving destinations. A few small breakers are the only visible sign that just below the sea’s surface is the summit of a subterranean mountain, rich in colorful corals and fish species, and attracting the interest of hungry barracuda, dolphins and sharks.

It is two shark species in particular that attract divers looking for that unique once in a life-time close-quarters encounter with a big sea predator. The scarily curious oceanic whitetip and the oddly shaped hammerhead.

This is one of the few places where divers can regularly come eyeball to eyeball with these feared but fascinating animals. The whitetip is categorized as vulnerable to extinction by the World Conservation Union and the hammerhead one level worse at endangered.

However these encounters are only for highly experienced advanced divers – not primarily because of the sharks who do not actively seek out human prey .

Shabruhr Umm Gamar south

This reef is the tip of an undersea mountain.
The wall drop to 15m on the west side with many small caves. On the southeast lies the wreck of a small Egyptian patrol boat at around 25m depth.

Dolphin House

The Marsa Alam Dolphin House also called the Sha’ab Samadai Reef is a popular and famous dive site of Marsa Alam. It is an offshore reef with a lagoon where a pod of Spinner Dolphins live.

It is possible to go Swimming and Snorkelling with the Dolphins. It is really one of the few places in the world where you can meet them in such great conditions. The day trips to Sha’ab Samadai can be organized from Marsa Alam by local dive operators. Many Liveaboards exploring the South Red Sea also visit Samadai Reef.
However, the Dolphins are not always there and even if you have the chance to spot them they usually won’t stay long around you as they swim very fast!

In addition the Marsa Alam Dolphin House offers great dive sites with good visibility, wonderful coral and a great reef life. You will have to choose between wonderful swim-throughs, beautiful drop-offs and several pinnacles with great coral formations. The spot generally has good and easy conditions for everyone

Carnatic

Carnatic diving site is a popular wreck dive in the Red Sea, near Shadwan Island in Egypt. The Carnatic was a British cargo ship that sank in 1869 after hitting the Abu Nuhas Reef. The ship was carrying wine, mail, and gold, some of which are still inside the wreck. The wreck lies at a depth of 20 to 28 meters and is accessible to intermediate divers. The Carnatic is covered with soft corals and sponges, and hosts a variety of marine life, such as batfish, glassfish, lionfish, moray eels, and turtles. The wreck is divided into two parts: the bow and the stern. The bow is still intact and offers a spectacular view of the coral-encrusted hull and the wine bottles inside. The stern is more damaged and collapsed, but still worth exploring. The Carnatic is one of the oldest and most beautiful wrecks in the Red Sea, and a must-see for any wreck lover. The best time to visit the Carnatic is from March to November, when the visibility is good and the weather is calm.

Giannis D

The Giannis D is a popular wreck diving site in the Red Sea, located near the reef of Abu Nuhas. The ship was a cargo vessel that ran aground on the reef in 1983 and broke into two sections. The bow and the stern are still intact, while the middle part is a jumble of steel and wood. The wreck lies on its port side, with the depth ranging from 10 to 28 meters. Divers can explore the bridge, the engine room, and the accommodation areas of the ship, but they should be careful of the disorienting angle and the possible currents. The Giannis D is home to a variety of marine life, such as moray eels, lionfish, scorpionfish, batfish, and barracuda. The wreck is also very photogenic, especially the stern section with its A-frame and funnel. The Giannis D can be reached by day boats from El Gouna or Hurghada, or by liveaboards touring the northern Red Sea. The dive site is suitable for advanced divers who have experience in wreck diving.

Salem Express

The Salem Express is a dive site that offers a glimpse into a tragic maritime history. The Salem Express was a ferry that carried pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Egypt after visiting Mecca. On December 17, 1991, the ferry hit a reef and sank quickly, taking hundreds of lives with it. The exact number of casualties is unknown, but estimates range from 470 to 1000. The wreck lies on its starboard side near the Hyndman reef, at a depth of 12 to 30 meters. The Salem Express is a large wreck, measuring 100 meters in length, and requires at least two dives to explore. The wreck still contains cars, luggage, and personal belongings of the passengers, making it a very emotional and respectful dive. Penetration inside the wreck is forbidden, as it is considered a maritime tomb. There is little coral growth and marine life on the wreck, except for some groupers, surgeonfish, and crocodilefish.

Carless Reef

Carless Reef is the most famous coral shoal in the coastal area of Hurghada. This dive site is situated one hour of Hurghada, it is a mid sea reef plateau pushing up from the Abyss.
The reef itself centers on two peaks or pinnacles which brush the surface in an otherwise open sea. The valley between these pinnacles is about 12 m deep, and offers a wide range of dive possibilities for those not interested in deep diving. A few meters east of the saddle, a steep wall drops well beyond 40m, with a contoured profile offering many caves and coverlets for the more experienced diver. Large gorgonians, pushing black corals, coral fish and moray eels (large population of semi-tame moray eels), and some white tip sharks.

El Fanous East

El Fanous Easter coral reef is a beautiful dive site in the Red Sea, near Hurghada, Egypt. It is part of the El Fanous Reefs, which are divided into two sections: El Fanous West and El Fanous East. The Easter coral reef is located in the El Fanous East section, which is characterized by its vibrant coral gardens and diverse marine life.
The Easter coral reef is a shallow dive site, with a depth of 8-12 meters close to the reef and a drop-off of 19-27 meters. The site is suitable for divers of all levels, and offers a tranquil and relaxing diving experience. The site is also ideal for underwater photography, as the corals provide a spectacular backdrop and the fish create a colorful and lively scene.
The Easter coral reef is home to various coral species, including staghorn, brain, and table coral. The corals are in good condition and display vibrant colors and diverse shapes. The reef also attracts a wide range of fish, such as butterflyfish, angelfish, parrotfish, triggerfish.

El Fanadir North

One of the most wonderful diving sites in Hurghada and where you can make all kind of dives (draft – deep – beginner dives). Many dive spots possible!

Abu Nugar

This “T” shaped reef has a shallow plateau to the west with many small ergs and two small sub reefs.

Shabrur Umm Gamar North

Shabruhr Umm Gamar is situated about 1 kilometer at the south of Umm Gamar and it is the tip of an underwater mountain, submerging at the surface. On the west side of the dive site is a nice shallow reef wall that will be dropping to 15 meters and a coral garden. The wall has many small crevasses where the sunlight is playing and creates beautiful colors reflecting on the reef and filled with glassfish. The coral garden is the perfect spot to see tunas, mackerels, trevallies, and barracudas if you look into the blue. On the wall scorpionfish, stonefish or crocodile fish are playing hide and seek. Sometimes eagle rays can pass by. On the southeast toward the drop off lies a wreck of a small Egyptian patrol boat at around 30 meters depth scattered all around. The wreck falls further down the slope. There is not much else to see that a little debris and the machine.

Small Giftun

With the current carrying you, this dive is a relaxing exploration along a magnificent wall.
This dive leads you to a sandy plateau dotted with numerous coral formations.

Abu Ramada South

The south end has a shallow plateau where the moorings are positioned, this location is the most used.

Gotat Abu Ramada East

Reef with a shallow, flat and sandy seabed surrounding it.
Huge amount of marine life. 3 ergs with an abundance of hard and soft corals.

Abu Hashish

Abu Hashish means “father of grass” in Arabic, named because of the sea grass found at this site. Sandy plateau between 10 and 20m depth, followed by a drop off to the deep.

El Mina

The El Mina was bombed by the Israelis in 1969 in Hurghada bay, but still has a sister ship afloat nearby which is worth looking at to compare to what you are about to dive. The wreck now lies on its side and there are a lot of small holes to peer into and penetration is possible, although tight, through a significant amount of the wreck. Sea urchins are abundant on the wreck and a very large moray was found living in one of the holes. An interesting dive.

Gotat Abu Galawa

Reef with a sandy bottom from a side and rocks ( Corals Pinnacles ) mountains from the other.
You can find some ergs outside the reef.

Hamda (Stone Beach)

Northeast side of big Giftun Island. The reef wall drops to about 12m and then there is a slope to the top of the drop off at about 40m.

Shaab Sabina

Ben El Gebal means “between the mountains” in Arabic. Situated between the Big and the Small Giftun you can explore 4 famous dive spots named: Shaab Sabina, Shaab Torfa, Banana reef and Erg Sabina.

Ras Mohammed

Ras Mohamed Reef is a coral reef system that is part of the Ras Mohamed National Park, a protected area in Egypt at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula. The reef is home to a rich diversity of marine life, including over 1,000 species of fish and hundreds of species of coral.

Seyoul Kebir

This site extends East and West around the island of Seyoul Kebir. The reef has an extremely varied profile.
Another name - SIYUL KEBIRA

Gotat Abu Galawa North

Gota Abu Galawa is a nearly small circular reef surrounded by a platter with several coral towers and a coral garden with interesting hard corals. Here you will also find an abundance of marine life. Gota Abu Galawa can be dived at 2 sides, the east and the west side. You will find nice and beautiful corals on both sides. On the east side, you can explore huge brain corals and encounter turtles, schools of goatfish and baby barracudas as well as a lot of table corals, schools of unicornfish and sweet lips.

Gubal

Entry takes you straight to a sand eel garden, which you must approach with care in order to prevent the eels hiding under the sand. There is a lot of life here including thousands of tiny fish in the water near the reef, octopus, clownfish, parrotfish, and butterfly fish.

Blind Reef / Shaabruhr Seyoul

Shaabruhr Seyoul is an elongated oval-shaped reef located to the southwest of Shaab Abu Nuhas.
It has become commonly known as Blind Reef due to its location (totally below the surface).

Marsa Abu Galawa

Abu Galawa is located in the diving area north of Hurghada and has 6 dive sites that can be dived at Abu Galawa, Shaab Abu Galawa, Sachwat Abu Galawa, Habibi Abu Galawa, Gota Abu Galawa, and Marsa Abu Galawa. It is about 1 hour sailing from Hurghada. At the begin of the dive, you can explore a coral block where you can spot some stonefish. Before you reach the drop-off, you will encounter some nice table corals. The closer you will get to the drop-off, the more underwater life you will find. The edge of the drop off is at 16 meters depth where small pinnacles of hard corals are hanging down the slope.

Panorama reef

Huge coral formations with wall dropping to over 200m. Panorama is also the home of Anemone city, ranging from 14m up to 5m, ideal for your safety stop.

Abu Kifan

A 300m long and narrow barrier features a “plateau” in both north and south extremes. Superb wall diving dropping off to over 300m with overhangs covered in soft and black coral and giant gorgonians.

Brother`s Island

The Brothers are a pair of tiny Islands: actually they are the exposed tips of two massive reef pillars that rise from the abyssal depth. Good chance to see sharks.
A - Big Brother: The larger of the two, is easily identified by its Victorian stone lighthouse, a legacy British rule. Many dive locations possible.
B – Small Brother: Small Brother is inferior in size only. Like Big Brother, this site attracts numerous sharks, including grey reefs, hammerheads, tigers and even the ominous oceanic white tip.

Elshabha Elsouryrh

Small reef and several smaller pinnacles. You could find here Glass fish, Big groupers and Angels fish.

Shaab Samadaï

A horseshoe shaped reef creates a shallow turquoise water lagoon where a large school of spinner dolphins can often be seen. Several dive spots can be found.

Elphinstone

This long finger like reef runs from north to south in the open Red Sea. Steep walls drop to the depths on the reef’s east and west sides, while the north and south ends of the reefs are marked by submerged plateau. Sharks often swim by the spot to feed on the abundant reef fish population.

St Johns

This massive reef system is located furthest south, 10 miles from the Sudanese border. There are dozens of excellent dives. Its reefs rise up from a gigantic underwater plateau hidden in the inky blue water.

Dolphin Reef

A horseshoe shaped reef creates a shallow turquoise water lagoon where a large school of spinner dolphins can often be seen. Several dive spots can be found.

Wadi Gimal

With a width of 350m and a length of just over 3km, Dahra Wadi Gimal is an elongated reef that runs out over several blocks in the north into almost independent reefs. It is well suited for overnight stays and is 5 minutes away from Shelaniat.

White Rock

White Rock is a breathtaking dive site in St. John's, Egypt, famous for its stunning coral formations and diverse marine life. In this article, we'll take a closer look at what makes White Rock one of the most popular dive sites in the Red Sea.

Zabargad

This site lies on the south side of Zabargad Island, the only large island in this stretch of the Red Sea. It is commonly used as a base for exploring nearby Rocky Island, so it is a popular overnight stop for live-aboards, which take advantage of its excellent shelter. Zabargad offers an excellent range of reef features in relatively shallow water.

Rocky Island

With a profile ranging from inshore coral playgrounds to sheer walls and open plateau exposed to raging currents and a range of inhabitants from glittering tiny reef fish to massive hammerhead sharks, this site promises an amazing dive, and almost always delivers.

Gotat Abu Nugar South

Part of the Abu Nugar , this is a sand bottom with scattered coral heads. Very interesting for seeing little fish and branches since there is enough sand that you can ground yourself withoug worrying about hitting the coral here.

El Fanous West

Fanous means a kind of lighthouse in the Arabic language. They call this dive site Fanous because of the small light point located on the eastern part of the dive site. The reef itself is approximately 300 meters long and extends on the west side.

Hassabala

This wreck is lying completely intact on the bottom at 34 meters in the harbor of Hurghada. This is the wreck described as the “fishing boat” which lies just to the south of another wreck, the better-known EL Minya.

El Fanadir South

One of the most wonderful diving sites in Hurghada and where you can make all kind of dives (draft – deep – beginner dives). Many dive spots possible!

Gottat Abu Nugar North

Abu Nugar is a fascinating dive site located off the coast of Hurghada, Egypt in the Red Sea. It is a unique and challenging dive site that is ideal for experienced divers looking for something different from the typical coral reef.

Shaab Iris

Shaab Torfa, Banana reef and Erg Sabina.

Halg Umm Gamar

This site lies off the island of Umm Gamar, or "mother of the moon" in Arabic. Good dive site for deep dive . It has nice drop off and reef wall.

Anchor Abu Galawa

Dive site with some pinnacles where you can find a large ship anchor and its chain.

Elfasmah

A huge calm lagoon, The lagoon itself and the enclosing reef wall is relatively uninteresting and naturally lifeless but on the seaward side the area bursts with all manner of sea creatures. Swim through the gap between the first erg and the reef wall and head across the coral garden to the second erg, home to hordes of glass fish and the very occasional frog fish.

Turtle Bay

This is a not so well known dive site off the north tip of Grand Giftun island. It's a small horseshoe reef with a shallow swim through to a bowel reef that is absolutely filled with fish and coral.

Habat Alla

In November 2004 the Hebat Allah was ready to be sunk in the area between Giftun Island and Gota Abu Ramada. The intention was to send it to the bottom in a depth of 30m, in order to allow the access to recreational divers of nearly all levels. However, the right point was missed and finally it ended up in a depth of 46m, therefore more suitable for technical diving.

Manta Point

Manta point, which is part of the Shaab El Erg reef, in the north part of Hurghada, is located at the north side of the main reef close to a lighthouse.

Lighthous Shaab Elerg South

Southeast side of Shaab Elerg. The reef wall drops to about 17m and then there is a slope to 30m.

Saab Elerg South

The whole area teems with life, unicorns, scorpion fish, groupers, morays, emperor angel fish, blue spotted rays underneath the table corals.

Shaab Mary

Reef with a shallow, flat and sandy seabed surrounding it. Huge amount of corals and shells . Hard coral garden.

Gotat Abu Ramada West

Reef with a shallow, flat and sandy seabed surrounding it. Huge amount of marine life. 2 big ergs, sea garden with a lot of fire corals.

Aruk Gotat Abu Ramada

Gota Abu Ramada is a medium-sized, oval-shaped reef, surrounded with a shallow, flat, sandy seabed, situated at about 1 hour sailing by boat, south of Hurghada. It is one of the most popular dive sites around Hurghada and it is also called the Aquarium, due to the diversity and a large number of fish species.

Umm Gamar North

Umm Gamar is a long-isolated reef formed by an underwater mountain, near the island having the same name as the dive site and about 90 minutes away from Hurghada. Umm Gamar means Mother of the Moon, a reference to the crescent-shaped wedge of the island at the top of the reef.

El Fanous South West

Reef with a shallow, flat and sandy seabed surrounding it. Huge amount of marine life.

Umm Gamar North West

Elsakhwa

Shallow dive with coral garden and plenty of marine life.

Daedalus Reef

Daedalus Reef (also known as Abu Kizan) is a 400-meter-long and 100-meter-wide (1,310–330 ft) standalone reef in the Egyptian Red Sea situated about 90 kilometers from Marsa Alam. There is a small artificial island in the center of the reef, which hosts a lighthouse constructed in 1863 and rebuilt in 1931.