Egypt’s Red Sea, dive site by dive site

Sloping reef strewn with the amphora cargo of a wrecked Ottoman-era vessel

drift · 10–30 m

Dense carpet of sea anemones and territorial anemonefish on the shallow shelf at the southern end of the Shark Observatory wall

wall

The beacon-marked southern corner of Sha'ab Mahmud

reef · to 21 m

Gently sloping sandy plateau with a V-shaped stream of sand issuing from a small cave

reef · 12–18 m

The narrowest and most inclined of the three Gardens plateaux

reef · 20–30 m

Southernmost and most sheltered Tiran reef, closest to Sharm. Shallow plateau with a garden-eel bed, a field of dumped metal drums that…

reef

Second wreck lying alongside the Million Hope on the same stretch of Nabq reef, usually dived on the same trip.

wreck

Entered by a white cliff marker

drift

Northernmost Tiran reef. The north wall drops past 40 m onto a garden-eel bed and is the hammerhead station

reef · to 40 m

Shallow, heavily coral-grown wreck on the outer reef wall east of the Straits

wreck · 6–8 m

Shallow lagoon on the eastern, Tiran-Island side of the Straits, split into North and South Laguna by a hard-coral wall. Afternoon is…

lagoon · 10–12 m

Rusting bow section on the surface of the north-east corner of Jackson Reef acts as the reef's landmark.

wreck · to 48 m

Corroded hull sitting on the northern reef top of Gordon Reef, a landmark visible above water throughout the Straits.

wreck

Wreck on the northern edge of the Nabq Protected Area, well north of Sharm and rarely visited from Sharm day boats.

wreck

Large sheltered bay cutting into the Ras Mohammed peninsula, used as a check-dive and bad-weather alternative

bay

Vast sandy plateau running like a white road between table corals, dropping off at about 14 m.

reef · to 14 m

The largest wreck in the Nabq area - Emperor Divers calls it the biggest shipwreck you will ever dive. Bridge and workshops are…

wreck · 15–25 m

Shallow sheltered bay backed by the mangrove fringe of the Nabq reserve

bay

Closest of the Gardens to Na'ama Bay

reef · 14–30 m

Ergs and pinnacles in red, pink and yellow soft coral with caves and overhangs, on the northern side of the Ras Umm Sid wall

reef · 10–25 m

An almost vertical wall said to drop more than 180 m, coated in pink soft corals

wall

Atypical narrow coral plateau just south of Ras Nasrani with small bays and caves

reef · 3–30 m

Cape separating a shallow sandy lagoon from the open sea

drift · 10–26 m

At the northern tip of Marsa Bareika. A wide sandy slope from about 6 m drops to a series of coral pinnacles and a forest of huge…

reef · 6–30 m

Easy sloping reef at the mouth of Sharm el-Maya, used for training and as a night dive

reef · 3–22 m

Porite gardens and large coral heads (ergs) in the shallows give way to walls dropping past 60 m

wall · 8–60 m

The largest gorgonian forest in Sharm, on a wall that falls away below a plateau

wall · 5–30 m

Steep wall with vertical undulations forming chimney-like structures, caves and overhangs, meeting a gentle slope

wall

The large shallow reef and lagoon system in the mouth of the Gulf of Suez on which the Thistlegorm was sunk

reef · 5–32 m

Large barrier reef and lagoon system west of Ras Mohammed enclosing Beacon Rock, Small Crack and the Dunraven wreck.

reef

Sheer soft-coral wall dropping past 90 m below the clifftop shark-watching observatory, riddled with caves and overhangs

wall

Twin mountain-like coral peaks rising from the shelf edge

wall · 5–40 m

Shore-entry canyon and reef

bay · 8–28 m

A narrow break in the Sha'ab Mahmud reef wall through which the lagoon drains and fills

canyon

Straightforward drift along typical local coastline north of Tower

drift · 8–20 m

Heavily coral-encrusted upturned hull

wreck · 15–30 m

The westernmost, roughly quadrangular outcrop of the Alternatives

pinnacle · 10–25 m

Three tall coral pinnacles standing like temple columns, ringed by smaller pinnacles

pinnacle · 10–20 m

A chain of coral towers and outcrops west of Ras Mohammed, used as shelter and as a second dive on Thistlegorm/Dunraven days. Individual…

pinnacle · 10–25 m

Smallest of the four Tiran reefs. A ledge at about 25 m and a canyon dropping to 90 m

wall · 25–90 m

Sheltered bay between Shark's Bay and the Gardens.

bay

Plateau at 14-25 m beside a vertical canyon that drops beyond 120 m

canyon · 14–120 m

Short drift between Amphoras and Paradise

drift

Sandy plateau and a gully with swim-throughs

canyon · 3–40 m

Long, narrow reef with a canyon running parallel to its axis, opening at about 30 m onto a sandy ledge at 14 m. Too narrow for moorings,…

drift · 14–30 m

Densely coralled saddle between Shark Reef and the Yolanda's cargo field

reef · 5–40 m

Scattered cargo of bathroom fittings - toilets, baths, shower trays - plus a container of BMW parts, spread over the shallow saddle at…

wreck · 5–25 m

A semi-circular lagoon with a coral garden and a small canyon-like fissure that gives the site its nickname. The reef drops away steeply…

bay · 5–30 m

A shallow lagoon site north of Dahab suited to all levels, notable for schooling red-tooth triggerfish.

lagoon · 5–15 m

Named for the density of glassfish that fill the coral heads, with some of the largest table corals in the Taba area. About an hour by…

reef · 9–20 m

The sheltered bay fronting Masbat, north of the Lighthouse. A gentle sandy slope with scattered coral heads and resident schools of…

bay · 0–20 m

A near-circular coral sinkhole roughly 70 m across, just over 100 m deep, separated from the open sea by a shallow reef table. Three…

sinkhole · 0–100 m

The shallow breach in the Blue Hole's outer reef rim, about 6 m deep, that connects the sinkhole to the open sea. It is the exit point…

reef · 0–6 m

A shallow, sheltered turquoise lagoon at the far northern end of the Ras Abu Galum coast, beyond the Dahayla entries. Predominantly a…

lagoon

One of the northern entries inside the Ras Abu Galum protectorate, on the stretch of coast running toward the Blue Lagoon.

reef · 0–30 m

The southern of the two mapped Dahayla entries within the Ras Abu Galum protectorate.

reef · 0–30 m

A broad white sand slope at the north end of Dahab bay populated by hundreds of garden eels swaying in the current, bordered by a…

reef · 0–20 m

A boat-access drift along a coral garden south of Dahab named for its dense forest of gorgonian sea fans.

drift · 0–30 m

A remote and largely untouched wall and coral garden roughly 20 km south of Dahab, reachable only by boat (about an hour) or a long…

wall · 0–60 m

Two large hard-coral blocks of golden colour rising from about 10 m to just below the surface, surrounded by smaller coral heads…

reef · 0–30 m

One of the mapped Mashraba-strip house reefs, entered directly off the hotel beach. A shallow coral garden used for training and check…

reef · 0–20 m

A shallow house reef directly off the La Sirene resort's private beach in Nuweiba, used for training and easy shore dives.

reef · 5–12 m

Dahab's large sheltered southern lagoon, best known above water as a kitesurfing and windsurfing area. Underwater it is a shallow…

lagoon · 0–15 m

Dahab's busiest shore dive and the house reef of a dozen dive centres, entered directly off the promenade. An undulating reef with…

reef · 0–40 m

A shallow bay about 25 minutes' drive north of Nuweiba whose defining feature is a dense seagrass meadow - the region's best macro and…

bay · 5–35 m

Described by Red Sea Diving as the richest coral garden in the Taba area, with dense hard and soft coral cover from the reef top down to…

reef · 0–20 m

The reef fronting the Mashraba quarter south of the Lighthouse: a sandy slope leading to a prominent isolated bommie known as Roman's…

reef · 0–20 m

A submerged offshore pinnacle about 500 m from the coast north-east of Ras Amira, rising to 12 m and dropping past 45 m. The most…

pinnacle · 12–45 m

A shore dive following the desalination-plant intake pipes out from the beach, the pipes themselves acting as an artificial reef and…

reef · 5–20 m

A coral garden south of Dahab named for its resident giant moray eels, dived as an easy shallow reef with good coral cover.

reef · 0–25 m

A large madrepore coral tower rising from the sand about 450 m offshore in the Spit area of the lagoon, named for the resident Napoleon…

reef · 5–25 m

A small rocky island roughly 250 m off the Sinai coast, crowned by the restored 12th-century Crusader and Saladin fortress. The…

island · 3–30 m

A protected wilderness coastline about 8 km north of the Blue Hole with pristine, lightly-dived reef: a shallow lagoon, coral garden,…

reef · 0–30 m

A headland reef slope about 50 minutes by boat from Taba, normally paired with the neighbouring Maxwell site on the same trip.

drop-off

A headland and sheltered bay on the Nuweiba-Taba road, fronted by the Basata eco-camp. Easy shore entry over a shallow reef table onto a…

reef · 0–30 m

A headland north of Nuweiba described in the dive-site directory as one of the two Nuweiba marine-park areas, with steep walls and…

wall · 10–30 m

A dramatic headland about 30 minutes north of Nuweiba where the mountains meet the sea. Underwater it is a maze of coral pinnacles,…

reef · 12–40 m

A shallow coral drift between the Canyon and the Blue Hole, dived as an easy one-way drift over coral heads and sand patches.

drift · 5–16 m

A house reef on the Ras Shaitan strip: a shallow reef table at 6-7 m reached by a short snorkel, breaking to a drop-off past 20 m and a…

drop-off · 6–30 m

A line of coral pinnacles on a gentle sand slope at the mouth of the Laguna, descending easily from about 5 m to 15 m. A standard novice…

pinnacle · 5–15 m

An offshore reef listed among the Dahab boat sites

reef

The umbrella name for the reef complex south of Dahab that contains Golden Blocks and Moray Garden - a shallow coral garden of golden…

reef · 0–30 m

A named shore entry on the Nuweiba coast

reef

A southern Dahab-bay house reef entered off the hotel beach

reef · 0–20 m

A narrow vertical chimney in the reef table, entered from a rocky shore ledge, that drops through a bell-shaped fissure onto a sheer…

drop-off · 0–31 m

A deep, narrow fissure in the reef entered through a shallow lagoon and coral garden. The Fish Bowl entrance sits around 20-24 m

canyon · 0–54 m

The southernmost shore site before Gabr el Bint, about 15 km south of town. A shallow cave whose sunlit entrance is the signature view,…

reef · 5–35 m

A deep natural inlet cut into the mountains about 15 km south of Taba, containing a near-perfectly circular hole roughly 20 m across…

bay · 9–27 m

A labyrinth of hard-coral islands and sandy pools formed by an earthquake, threaded by narrow swim-throughs and lagoons. Frequently…

reef · 0–20 m

Three natural shallow sand pools set into the reef table at 3-4 m, opening onto colourful coral blocks and a slope beyond. A classic…

reef · 3–30 m

A less-frequented southern reef with a sandy garden-eel plain, gorgonian fans on the deeper slope and healthy coral cover. Quiet…

reef · 0–30 m

Extensive reef on a flat sand plateau with a steep drop-off, at the southern edge of the Hurghada day-boat range

drop-off · 6–60 m

Caves, overhangs and rock formations on the eastern side of Abu Ramada

reef · 10–30 m

Gently sloping plateau off the northern tip of Abu Ramada island, dropping past 100 m

drop-off · 20–40 m

Terraced plateau with a shallow wall off the southern tip of Abu Ramada island

reef · 5–35 m

Small sheltered reef north-west of El Gouna

reef · 5–20 m

Crescent-shaped (banana-shaped) reef enclosing a coral garden and two pinnacles, off the north-west of Big Giftun

reef · 14–22 m

Wall becoming a stepped slope and drop-off between Big Giftun and the mainland

reef · 0–50 m

Fast, exhilarating wall-and-drift dive along the eastern face of Small Gubal

drift · 5–30 m

Two large pinnacles rising from a plateau at 12-17 m, surrounded by coral garden and dropping into the blue

pinnacle · 12–40 m

Cargo holds still stacked with Italian floor tiles - the source of the site's nickname

wreck · 4–30 m

The specific dolphin-encounter mooring on the Sha'ab El Erg horseshoe

lagoon · 3–15 m

One of the El Aruk cluster of ergs on a sand plain between Giftun and Abu Ramada

pinnacle · 8–16 m

A long north-south fringing reef just off Hurghada - the closest good wall to town

wall · 0–25 m

Middle section of the Fanadir reef with an established mooring buoy

reef · 10–16 m

Northern section of the Fanadir wall, about 60 minutes from Hurghada / 25 minutes from El Gouna

drift · 10–22 m

Southern end of the Fanadir wall, known as a macro-photography site

drift · 5–25 m

Egypt's only readily divable warship wreck near a mainland town - a Soviet-built T-43 class minesweeper

wreck · 19–32 m

Detached pinnacle north of the main Abu Nugar reef

pinnacle · 5–20 m

Detached ergs on the eastern side of Abu Ramada island

pinnacle · 10–30 m

A maze of ridges and ergs off Small Giftun that one guide describes as 'a Japanese garden, with hard coral growing on top of each other'

pinnacle · 8–14 m

Small, intact luxury sailing yacht upright in a sand lagoon - an unusually photogenic and easy wreck

wreck · 4–22 m

Most photogenic of the four Abu Nuhas wrecks - the intact stern section canted at about 45 degrees creates the famous disorienting…

wreck · 4–28 m

The largest island off Hurghada and the heart of Giftun Islands National Park

island · 5–40 m

Spectacular purple soft-coral wall and gorgonian fans - the signature Hurghada wall dive

drop-off · 5–60 m

Shallow, sheltered coral head in the El Gouna house-reef range

reef · 8–11 m

Oval reef small enough to circumnavigate on one dive

reef · 0–14 m

Universally known as 'The Aquarium' for the sheer density of fish over a shallow coral-block field

reef · 10–16 m

The classic Red Sea night dive - the wreck is a moray and crustacean city after dark

wreck · 3–18 m

The larger of the two Gubal islands, guarding the mouth of the Gulf of Suez

island · 5–40 m

Big intact stern section standing on its starboard side with a huge rudder and propeller at 32 m

wreck · 4–32 m

Upright Victorian steamer, shallow enough for a long relaxed dive on a single tank

wreck · 4–20 m

Inshore island group south of Hurghada with shallow sheltered reefs

island · 5–20 m

Ecologically diverse bay combining seagrass, reef and wreck elements

bay · 3–20 m

Named for the small police post on the eastern shore of Small Giftun

reef · 5–30 m

Shallow sandy plateau punctuated by pinnacles and an oval erg on the Sha'ab El Erg system

reef · 9–18 m

Coral formations on a sand slope north-west of El Gouna, described by operators as a hidden gem

reef · 8–26 m

Mid-sized reef between Hurghada and El Gouna with pinnacles, coral gardens and a sheer drop-off

reef · 0–25 m

A submerged triangular coral plateau lying directly across the shipping lane at the mouth of the Gulf of Suez, and the single most…

reef · 0–32 m

Very shallow reef north of El Fanadir, used as an El Gouna training site

reef · 7–13 m

The big horseshoe-shaped reef north of El Gouna and the region's most reliable dolphin site - hence the name Dolphin House

reef · 3–20 m

Compact reef with a sandy plateau ringed by coral formations dropping into deeper water

reef · 9–16 m

Small sheltered reef on the sand plain between Giftun and Abu Ramada

reef · 8–20 m

Two oval ergs separated by about 60 m of coral garden on the north-west side of Big Giftun

reef · 8–30 m

Reef on the north-western side of Big Giftun, close to Banana Reef and Ben El Gebel

reef · 5–25 m

Offshore reef between Fanous and Umm Gamar with good soft-coral cover on the deeper faces

reef · 15–30 m

Long submerged reef south of Umm Gamar island with a plateau, ergs and a drop-off

reef · 5–40 m

The large island that marks the eastern side of the Straits of Gubal, about 3 nautical miles south of Abu Nuhas

island · 5–40 m

An isolated reef on the western edge of the Sha'ab Ali complex, about 6 nautical miles from the Thistlegorm

reef · 5–30 m

Sheltered lagoon anchorage a few miles south of Abu Nuhas, often used for the check dive or night dive on wreck itineraries

reef · 5–30 m

Vertical wall becoming a shelf with sculpted coral formations

drift · 5–60 m

The island that carries Bluff Point, the Gubal Barge and the Ulysses on its shores

island · 5–30 m

Oldest of the Abu Nuhas wrecks and one of the oldest divable wrecks in the Red Sea (lost 1869)

wreck · 18–27 m

Sister ship in fate to the Thistlegorm - bombed by the same Luftwaffe unit two nights later

wreck · 30–50 m

The most famous wreck dive in the world - a WWII armed merchantman with her military cargo essentially in place

wreck · 16–32 m

One of the oldest and most heavily coralised wrecks in the northern Red Sea - the hull is almost a reef in its own right

wreck · 4–28 m

Sheltered reef and sand slope on the north-west of the Giftun group

reef · 5–30 m

Shallow wall rising off a sloping sand bottom with spectacular pinnacles split by cracks and cavities

reef · 8–27 m

Western counterpart of Fanous East, with the same pinnacle-and-crack topography

reef · 8–27 m

Small horseshoe-shaped reef near Fanous East, north of Big Giftun

bay · 2–15 m

A long north-south island about 90 minutes north of Hurghada with a plateau at each end and a dramatic deep wall on the east side

drop-off · 0–40 m

Drift along the sheltered western side of Umm Gamar island

drift · 10–25 m

Entry over the reef top into a 30 m tunnel with a small exit hole, opening onto soft corals and boulders. A committing shore dive that…

reef · 5–30 m

A narrow reef roughly 300 m long running north-south with a plateau at each end and near-vertical walls falling well past 100 m. Widely…

drop-off · 6–50 m

Northern plateau and drop-off of Abu Kafan

plateau · 6–100 m

Southern plateau of Abu Kafan, dived as a drift along the sheer wall.

plateau · 6–100 m

A sandy-entry bay whose bottom slopes slowly to 40 m, with coral gardens down to 30 m on both sides.

bay · 1–40 m

The sheltered coral garden inside the Abu Soma headland: shallow, calm, and one of the best snorkelling sites in Soma Bay.

reef · 5–30 m

Shore-entry house reef in a sheltered bay on the Safaga hotel strip: shallow seagrass grading into coral garden with sunken structures.…

reef · 1–16 m

A small wreck on the Sha'ab Sheer reef complex, usually combined with the adjacent coral garden.

wreck · 5–30 m

A jeep-and-shore site north of El Quseir: entry through a hole in the reef top into a labyrinth of canyons and tunnels, emerging on the…

reef · 5–25 m

The larger of the two islands, about 400 m long, marked by the British-built 1883 Brothers Islands Lighthouse. Sheer fringing reef on…

island · 5–60 m

Sheer soft-coral and gorgonian wall running the length of the island's eastern side, dived as a drift. Grey reef sharks and big…

wall · 5–50 m

The northern tip of Big Brother, described by operators as the magnet for pelagics - hammerhead schools in summer and oceanic whitetips…

plateau · 25–50 m

The classic Brothers shark dive. The plateau starts around 30 m off the southern tip and runs roughly 500 m south, reaching 60 m at the…

plateau · 30–60 m

About 90 minutes by boat

reef · 5–15 m

A canyon-and-cave shore site on the El Quseir coast, described as lying between Beit Goha and Sharm el Bahair and normally dived on the…

reef · 5–25 m

Entry through a hole in the reef roof into a canyon, then out among coral pillars rising from 40 m to just below the surface. A very…

reef · 5–40 m

A coral wall giving onto coral blocks over sand and seagrass, immediately off El Quseir town.

drift · 5–30 m

Minibus shore dive entering through a hole in the reef top straight onto the reef at 6 m, into a coral garden with isolated blocks and…

reef · 6–30 m

The best-known house reef on the El Quseir coast: a broad bay about 4 m deep with a north and a south reef arm dropping from 5-13 m and…

bay · 1–40 m

A shallow reef about 25 minutes from Safaga with excellent light, reliably diveable when the outer sites are blown out.

reef · 3–16 m

About 30 minutes from shore. The main reef tops out around 14 m with the south side dropping to about 20 m.

reef · 3–20 m

One of the easiest shore-accessible sites on the road between Safaga and El Quseir.

reef · 1–25 m

Reported as a Safaga-area reef site, but no source consulted publishes a position, depth profile or description.

reef

The smaller, raindrop-shaped island about 1 km south of Big Brother, oriented north-west to south-east. No wrecks, but the best coral in…

island · 5–60 m

The reef slopes gradually off the northern point to a plateau at about 40 m. The most reliable place in the Brothers to see silvertip…

plateau · 25–40 m

A ledge more than 20 m wide off the island's southern tip where barracuda school and reef sharks patrol the drop-off.

plateau · 20–40 m

One of the oldest known dive sites on this coast and still one of the healthiest, with easy shore entry and coral in good condition.…

bay · 1–30 m

A maze of coral blocks between 5 m and beyond 40 m, roughly 90 minutes out of Safaga. Excellent for one-way drift dives through the…

reef · 5–40 m

The signature Safaga dive: a roughly 400 m long offshore reef with a north and a south plateau (18-32 m, dropping past 40 m off the…

reef · 5–50 m

Northern plateau of Panorama Reef, dropping from the shallows past 40 m. The pelagic end of the reef.

plateau · 0–40 m

The headland forming the northern arm of Safaga Bay: a steep wall ending on a 25 m plateau to the south, carrying some of the largest…

wall · 5–30 m

The elongated drift section of the Abu Soma headland, dived one-way along steep drop-offs and coral formations.

drift · 5–30 m

A heavily overgrown wall dropping to sand with large coral blocks and a seagrass meadow

wall · 5–30 m

A distinctive reef north of Safaga with a pronounced drop-off, plateaus and coral blocks

drop-off · 5–30 m

A small reef with shallow plateaus, sand and scattered blocks

reef · 3–20 m

The most sombre dive in the Egyptian Red Sea. A roll-on/roll-off passenger ferry lying on her starboard side, funnel and the ship's 'S'…

wreck · 12–32 m

Sandy shore entry into a reef riddled with canyons and small caves, opening onto colourful coral gardens. One of the classic El Quseir…

reef · 5–30 m

Entry and exit through a tunnel over the reef top onto a reef noted for its soft coral. The smaller sister of Serib Kebir.

reef · 5–25 m

The large, quiet anchorage on the east side of the horseshoe-shaped Sha'ab Sheer reef, heavily used by liveaboards as an overnight…

reef · 1–30 m

An elongated reef running parallel to the coast south of the main Sha'ab Sheer horseshoe, with several plateaus and scattered blocks.

reef · 5–30 m

Western flank of the Sha'ab Sheer horseshoe, with a bottom between 14 m and 30 m. Suits all levels when the channel is calm.

reef · 14–30 m

A named section of the Sha'ab Sheer horseshoe, a reef over 1 km long, with a coral garden, caves and grottos.

reef · 5–30 m

Roughly 90 minutes from Safaga and rarely dived because it can only be approached in flat conditions, which has left it in unusually…

reef · 5–30 m

A protected bay with an unspoiled fringing house reef reached by road from Safaga or Hurghada

bay · 1–30 m

An Egyptian navy supply vessel lying bow-up on the steep west wall, roughly 100 m from the Numidia. The two wrecks are usually dived on…

wreck · 7–60 m

Arguably the most beautiful wreck in the Red Sea: a 137 m steamer standing almost vertically down the reef face, coated from bow to…

wreck · 8–90 m

The Soma Bay house reef, entered from the dive centre jetty with a shuttle service. The Robinson Club Soma Bay house reef (26.8439,…

reef · 1–25 m

The 'Seven Pillars' - a cluster of coral pinnacles rising from a shallow sand bottom, dived as a circuit between the towers. Classic…

pinnacle · 4–20 m

Depths from 5 m to 40 m in one site, so it suits every level, and the shallow coral garden is one of the better snorkelling spots in the…

reef · 5–40 m

A shallow reef around a central sandbank with small ergs, seagrass and sand patches. The lunch and snorkelling stop of the Tobia group.

island · 3–20 m

The largest of the Tobia reefs, offering three separate dives from one mooring. A reliable bad-weather and training site.

reef · 4–25 m

A small isolated reef with shallow plateaus, steep mini drop-offs, coral blocks and sand patches. Compact and easy to navigate.

reef · 4–25 m

Entry through a hole in the reef top at 6 m into a coral garden with isolated blocks and black coral

reef · 6–30 m

An elongated reef with coral blocks, small ergs, shallow plateaus and occasional overhangs

reef · 5–30 m

Typical El Quseir fringing-reef house reef: a shallow protected inner section over sand and coral blocks merging into a mini-wall, with…

reef · 1–30 m

Sickle-shaped reef with coral columns, gullies and cracks running down to a sandy bottom at 15-20 m

reef · 15–20 m

Coral garden with pinnacles and a cave

reef · 3–18 m

Caves and swim-throughs

reef · 7–18 m

Hard-coral reef with a cave crossing and a coral garden

reef · 6–16 m

Large, less-visited coral garden with pinnacles

reef · 3–22 m

A reef dive site off Marsa Alam.

reef

A reef dive site off Marsa Alam.

reef

The tug lies at roughly 45 degrees against the reef, bow at ~5 m and stern at ~18 m

wreck · 5–18 m

Shallow coral garden and a steeper outer northern wall

wreck · 0–24 m

A wreck dive site off Hamata.

wreck

A wreck dive site off Hamata.

wreck

Isolated oval reef platform about 1,075 x 300 m rising from roughly 550 m of water, with sheer walls all round

wall · 5–40 m

410 m long reef, the southernmost of the St John's group, about 30 km from the mainland

reef · 7–30 m

Described by operators as three distinct reefs collectively known as the Elba region

reef · 22–65 m

North and south plateaux stepping down to ~40-42 m before near-vertical walls dropping several hundred metres

drop-off · 5–40 m

A pinnacle dive site off Marsa Alam.

pinnacle

Large reef over 800 m long that breaks the surface, with plateaux at about 15 m and 30 m+

reef · 15–30 m

One of the two isolated coral heads north-west of the Sataya lagoon

reef

The smaller of the two isolated coral heads north-west of the Sataya lagoon

reef

Small steep-walled reef with the shallows at about 10 m and near-vertical drop-offs with overhangs

wall

A reef dive site off Hamata (liveaboard).

reef

Small oval fully submerged reef in the middle of the St John's archipelago - the group's premier shark site

habili · to 70 m

Small flat submerged reef only about 30 m across, with a ledge at 20-35 m and the reef falling away deeper

habili · 20–35 m

A habili dive site off Hamata / Port Ghalib (liveaboard).

habili

A habili dive site off Marsa Alam.

habili

Broken into clear, well-lit, fully accessible sections with easy swim-throughs - a classic first wreck dive

wreck · 0–18 m

A reef dive site off Hamata (liveaboard).

reef

Sits upright and largely intact, making it the more substantial of Zabargad's two wrecks

wreck · to 24 m

Large sheltered sandy bay with an extensive seagrass meadow - the best-known dugong and green-turtle site in Egypt

bay · 0–20 m

Shallow, easy-access sandy bay (Red Sea Diving Safari description)

bay

Seagrass bay divided into a north and a south reef system

bay · 5–22 m

Large seagrass bay just south of Port Ghalib with north and south fringing reef arms

bay · 0–25 m

Operator describes 'interesting landscape inside the bay and beautiful coral'

bay · 0–30 m

Described by the operator as 'one of the richest and most pristine house reefs in the south'

bay · 0–30 m

A island dive site off Hamata (liveaboard).

island

Large island off Ras Banas with fringing reef

island · 30–50 m

Shallow, broken-up wreck in the sheltered western anchorage, usually done as a check dive or night dive

wreck · 0–15 m

Submerged reef about 900 m long with a shallow section over a shallow seabed

reef

Sheltered fringing reef either side of the Port Ghalib marina entrance, used for check-out and night dives

reef

Mangrove-fringed island and lagoon group off Hamata inside Wadi el Gemal National Park

island

A tiny barren rock ringed by sheer walls and small plateaux - the most southerly regularly dived Egyptian site

wall · 5–40 m

Sheer eastern wall

wall

The exposed northern point, worked in the blue for sharks

drop-off

The southern point, with steep walls and soft coral

drop-off

The lee side, normally where boats moor

wall

A reef dive site off Hamata.

reef

A reef dive site off Hamata.

reef

A network of interconnecting caverns, tunnels and swim-throughs pierced by shafts of sunlight - 'the ultimate sunbeam dive'

reef · 0–25 m

A reef dive site off Hamata.

reef

Long north-south reef with sheer walls on both flanks and plateaux at the northern and southern tips

wall · 18–40 m

A dense cluster of towering coral pinnacles forming narrow, high-walled corridors - the name means 'playground'

reef · 0–22 m

A reef dive site off Hamata.

reef

Offshore reef directly east of Marsa Alam town, a standard day-boat stop

reef

A reef dive site off Marsa Alam.

reef

Northern Fury Shoals reef with separate north and south heads

reef

Horseshoe/U-shaped offshore reef ~1.4 km long by 1 km wide enclosing a sheltered lagoon 350 x 400 m at 6-7 m

reef · 5–25 m

Crescent/horseshoe reef roughly 5 km long enclosing a large sheltered lagoon

reef · 5–40 m

Submerged reef with an eastern plateau at 17-35 m dropping beyond 200 m

plateau · 17–45 m

Sheltered white-sand bay inside Wadi el Gemal National Park, mainly a snorkelling destination

bay

Shallow reef and sand-cay system inside Wadi el Gemal National Park, a common Hamata day-boat and snorkel stop

reef

A island dive site off Shalatin (liveaboard).

island

A maze-like system of shallow tunnels, caverns and canyons pierced by shafts of light - one of the Red Sea's best-known cavern dives

reef · 0–15 m

Largest island of the Wadi el Gemal group

island

Large sheltered mangrove-backed bay

bay

A pinnacle dive site off Marsa Alam (liveaboard).

pinnacle

A drop-off dive site off Marsa Alam (liveaboard).

drop-off

A 4.5 km2 island rising to 235 m - geologically a fragment of uplifted sub-Red Sea mantle, the source of the peridot (olivine) known in…

island · 5–30 m

A drop-off dive site off Marsa Alam (liveaboard).

drop-off