This is Egypt
Safaga, Soma Bay, El Quseir & the BrothersAdvancedisland

Big Brother

Also known as Big Brother Island; El Akhawein; El Ikhwa; North Island; Al Akhawain Kebir

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

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A close-up reef map of Big Brother will appear here when available.

The larger of the two islands, about 400 m long, marked by the British-built 1883 Brothers Islands Lighthouse. Sheer fringing reef on every side, two major wrecks (Numidia and Aida) stacked on the north-west flank, and a southern plateau that is the classic shark station. Depth 5–60 m; liveaboard only; Strong and the defining hazard. Flow normally sets north to south along both walls, can reverse or split mid-dive, and can accelerate hard off the points. Every dive is a drift with a boat pick-up; a personal SMB is mandatory and night diving is prohibited. current; visibility 20-30 m. Within the Egyptian Red Sea Protectorates…

Highlights

  • The larger of the two islands, about 400 m long, marked by the British-built 1883 Brothers Islands Lighthouse. Sheer fringing reef on every side, two major wrecks (Numidia and Aida) stacked on the north-west flank, and a southern plateau that is the classic shark station.

Marine life

  • oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) - most reliable autumn and winter, often in the shallows under the boats
  • scalloped hammerhead - schooling on the plateaus, mainly summer, deep and early morning
  • thresher shark - autumn and winter, deep, rarely seen
  • grey reef shark
  • silvertip shark
  • whitetip reef shark
  • great barracuda schools
  • dogtooth tuna
  • giant and camouflage grouper
  • Napoleon wrasse
  • anthias, glassfish and sweeper clouds
  • gorgonian fans and black coral
  • manta ray (occasional)
  • grey reef and hammerhead sightings decline in the hottest months

Good to know

Best season
Diveable year-round in principle, but liveaboard itineraries cluster March-November because the crossing is exposed. Hammerheads mainly June-September; oceanic whitetips most reliable October-January; threshers autumn and winter.
Protected status
Within the Egyptian Red Sea Protectorates offshore-islands regime, administered by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency with the Chamber of Diving and Watersports (CDWS). Closed to dive boats for roughly 3.5 months over the winter of 2018-19 after four non-fatal oceanic whitetip bites; reopened 29 March 2019 under CDWS rules that remain the governing regime: no overnight mooring at the islands, diving permitted only 06:00-16:00 after which all boats must leave, a daily cap of 18 vessels (12 at Big Brother, 6 at Small Brother), a CDWS coordination record required before the coast guard will issue a sailing permit, and a ban on discharging organic waste within 5 nautical miles. Night diving prohibited; SMB mandatory. Operators and guides required to complete shark-awareness training.
Fees
Government reef / marine-park tax payable in cash on board, in USD or EUR. Master Liveaboards quotes USD 90 per person for a 7-night Brothers/Daedalus/Elphinstone itinerary; Red Sea Aggressor IV lists USD 105 marine park + USD 45 port = USD 150 per person for the same itinerary. Amount is set by government decree and changes.

More sites in Safaga, Soma Bay, El Quseir & the Brothers

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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…

Abu Kafan North

Northern plateau and drop-off of Abu Kafan

Abu Kafan South

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

Helwa Ya Baladi

Dalida