Where to dive in Egypt

Abu Hashish Lagoon

Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Protected Abu Hashish lagoon south of Hurghada; 2–8 m hard-coral cover with clownfish, octopuses and green turtles on seagrass.

Abu Hashish Lagoun

Access point to Abu Hashish lagoon south of Hurghada; sheltered 2–10 m platform used for OW training, diverse reef fauna.

Abu Hashish North

Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Northern section of Abu Hashish reef south of Hurghada; 5–22 m wall with fusilier and snapper schools, well-preserved hard corals.

Abu Hashish South

Southern Abu Hashish section; 5–20 m coral platform with passages, morays, scorpionfish, popular for night diving (octopus, boxer shrimp).

Abu Ramada

Al Hadaba, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Main reef of the Abu Ramada pinnacle system off Giftun; 5–25 m sites with tabletop corals, gorgonians and fusilier schools.

Abu Ramada Island

Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Small island reef south of Hurghada (Giftun); north/south walls to 20–25 m with diverse soft and hard corals and reef fish schools.

Abu Ramada South

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Southern side of Abu Ramada reef complex off Hurghada; 8–20 m with good coral coverage. Often combined with the Aquarium.

Abu Soma Garden

Ras Abu Soma, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Coral garden reef south of Hurghada with a 5-20 m platform, well-preserved tabletop corals, and diverse reef fauna.

Aquarium East

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Eastern face of the Gota Abu Ramada pinnacle near Giftun, 8-22 m, with dense colorful reef fish populations.

Barbarossa

Pinnacle reef off Hurghada (Giftun area), 8-20 m, with soft corals and quieter sightings of Napoleon wrasse and turtles.

Beach Albatros House Reef

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Albatros resort house reef in Hurghada, 5-15 m, accessible from the pier, used for training and night dives.

Beacon Rock

Sinai do Sul

Isolated rock formation near the Gulf of Suez, 5-30 m, with strong currents attracting barracudas and whitetip sharks.

Ben El Gebel

Reef corridor between two rock formations off Hurghada, 5-20 m, suited to drift diving with green turtles.

Bluff Point

Headland reef on Gubal Island, 5-25 m, exposed to tidal currents with whitetip sharks and barracuda schools.

Careless Reef

Shallow reef north of Hurghada, 5-18 m, popular for recreational divers and Open Water courses.

Carnatic

British paddle steamer (1869) on Abu Nuhas reef, 16-27 m, celebrated for yellow soft corals and glassfish schools.

Chrisoula K

Cypriot cargo ship (1981) at Abu Nuhas reef, 17-27 m, with cement cargo and resident barracudas and snappers.

Coral Beach

Coastal reef north of Hurghada, 3-15 m, accessible from the beach with clownfish, octopuses, and moray eels.

Deep Divers House Reef

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Deep Divers center beachfront reef in Hurghada, 5-20 m, used for advanced technical training and night dives.

Dolphin House

Shaab El Erg reef near Hurghada, 5-20 m, home to a resident pod of spinner dolphins, best in the early morning.

Dunraven

British wreck (1876) at Sha'ab Mahmoud, 18-28 m, lying upside down with a penetrable interior full of glassfish.

El Aruk Aruk Giftun

Coral arches and pinnacles near Giftun Island, 8-22 m, with dramatic underwater passages and dense reef fish.

El Aruk Aruk Gigi

Coral pinnacles and arches in the Giftun area, 8-20 m, with passages forming corridors of reef fish.

El Famous

Al Hadaba, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Reef and pinnacle off Hurghada, 5-20 m, suitable for all levels with Napoleon wrasse, turtles, and spotted rays.

El Fanadir North

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Northern section of the Fanadir reef complex off Hurghada, 5-25+ m, with colorful soft corals and reef sharks.

El Fanadir South

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Southern Fanadir reef off Hurghada, vertical wall with yellow/purple soft corals, fusiliers, and whitetip sharks.

El Fanous East

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Eastern face of El Fanous reef off Hurghada, 5-25 m, with mushroom corals, reef sharks, and giant barracudas.

El Fanous West

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Western face of El Fanous reef off Hurghada, 5-25 m, with purple/orange soft corals, Napoleon wrasse, and turtles.

El Gilwa East

Eastern face of El Gilwa reef between Hurghada and the Gulf of Suez, 5-25 m, less visited with high biodiversity.

El Mena

Coastal reef north of Hurghada near the port, 5-15 m, used for training and recreational diving.

El Mina & Mohamed Hasabella

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Two adjacent reefs north of Hurghada, 5-20 m, often dived together as a single drift with parrotfish and butterflyfish.

El Minya

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Coastal reef north of Hurghada, 5-18 m, suitable for novice divers with moray eels, octopuses, and lionfish.

El Torfa

Long narrow reef off Hurghada, 5-20 m, popular for gentle drift dives with green turtles and Napoleon wrasse.

Erg Abu Ramada

Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Pinnacles and mushroom corals near Giftun Island, 12-15 m, with moray eels, spotted rays, lionfish, and turtles.

Erg Iris

Offshore pinnacle and mushroom corals north of Hurghada, 8-25 m, less visited with frequent reef-tip shark sightings.

Erg Somaya

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Mushroom corals and pinnacles in the Giftun area, 8-25 m, with orange/yellow soft corals and Napoleon wrasse.

Erok Tacat

Mushroom-shaped pinnacle reef in the Giftun area, 8-20 m, with good soft coral coverage and reef fish.

Eruy Gifftun

Dive site within Giftun Island National Park, 5-20 m, with well-preserved corals and good visibility.

Eshta

Reef north of Hurghada, 5-22 m, with walls and pinnacles, endemic Red Sea butterflyfish, and barracuda schools.

Fana Dir Beach

Snorkeling and shallow dive beach in the El Fanadir system off Hurghada, 3-12 m, with good visibility on calm mornings.

Giannis D

Greek cargo ship (1983) at Abu Nuhas reef, bow at 6-8 m descending to 28 m, with penetrable bow and stern.

Giannis D. Wreck

Greek cargo ship Giannis D (1983) at Abu Nuhas, 6-28 m, with penetrable bridges/holds and yellow and purple soft corals.

Gota Abu Makadi

Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Conical pinnacle in Makadi Bay south of Hurghada, 0-20 m, with soft corals, clownfish, and dolphins in the outer area.

Gota Abu Nugar

Conical coral pinnacle north of Hurghada, 8-25 m, with soft corals, Napoleon wrasse, turtles, and fusiliers.

Gota Abu Nugar North

Northern face of Abu Nugar pinnacle north of Hurghada, 8-25 m, current-fed dense soft corals, well preserved.

Gota Abu Ramada

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Isolated pinnacle near Giftun Island, 5-25 m, famous for anthias schools, soft/hard corals, and visibility above 20 m.

Gota Abu Ramada East "Coral Garden"

Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Coral Garden pinnacle near Giftun Island, 10-18 m, with tabletop corals, dense reef fish, and visiting green turtles.

Gota Abu Ramada North (Drift)

Drift dive on the northern face of Abu Ramada, 5-25 m, with soft corals, reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse, and turtles.

Gota Abu Ramada West "Aquarium"

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Aquarium pinnacle off Giftun Island, max 18 m, with lush soft corals, dense reef fish, and visibility above 20 m.

Gotta Abu Ramada East Aquarium

Eastern side of the Abu Ramada pinnacle system off Giftun, 8-20 m, combining Coral Garden and Aquarium features.

Gotta Abu Ramada North

Northern face of the Abu Ramada system south of Hurghada, 5-22 m, current-fed soft corals with Napoleon wrasse and turtles.

Gotta Abu Ramada South

Southern face of the Abu Ramada system off Giftun, 8-22 m, less crowded with developed soft corals and green turtles.

Gubal Island

Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Main island of the northern Gulf of Suez (Abu Nuhas), 5-30 m, with celebrated wrecks and 20-25 m visibility.

Halgel Desha

Reef between Hurghada and Umm Gamar Island, 5-25 m, with turtles, Napoleon wrasse, and groups of spotted rays.

Hilton Long Beach House Reef

Long Beach, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Hilton Long Beach beachfront reef in Hurghada, 3-15 m, with clownfish, octopuses, moray eels, and turtles.

House Reef Pharao

Pharao resort beachfront reef in Hurghada, 5-15 m, suited to leisure dives, macro photography, and night dives.

Hurghada Havn "Suzana" Vrag Af Turbåd

Tourist vessel wreck in Hurghada harbor, 12-20 m, being colonized by corals with moray eels, octopuses, and cardinalfish.

Makadi Bay Reef

Beachfront reef of Makadi Bay, south of Hurghada, accessible from shore or boat between 5 and 20 m, with reef fauna including turtles, lionfish and moray eels.

Malac

Sahl Hasheesh, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Coastal reef south of Hurghada near the Abu Soma resort area, with a 5–18 m coral platform and good hard coral cover.

Marcus

Cypriot cargo wreck sunk in 1981 on Abu Nuhas reef, resting between 17 and 28 m with hull colonized by soft corals and schools of barracuda and snapper.

Marsa Abu Galawa

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Sheltered lagoon north of Hurghada with a wind-protected fringing reef, 2–8 m lagoon and outer platform to 20 m, with occasional dugong sightings in seagrass.

North Abu Ramada

Northern face of Abu Ramada reef, south of Hurghada, with a 5–22 m wall exposed to moderate currents and abundant soft corals.

Police Station

Famous pinnacle reef south of Giftun Seghir Island, between 5 and 20 m, frequented by large napoleon wrasse, fusiliers and occasional green turtles.

Poseidon Reef

Offshore reef north of Hurghada on the way to Gubal, with a 5–30 m wall, whitetip reef sharks, spotted moray eels and resting stingrays.

Premier Romance Beach The Old Marina

Sahl Hasheesh, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Coastal Hurghada reef accessible by shore or boat, with a 3–12 m platform popular for recreational diving, snorkeling and certification courses.

Premier Romance Old Marina (Drift)

Gentle drift dive on the coastal reef south of Hurghada, with a 5–18 m platform, abundant reef fish and occasional turtle sightings.

Ras Abdallah

Sahl Hasheesh, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Reef promontory south of Hurghada at Makadi Bay, with a drift wall to 25 m, moray eels, napoleon wrasse and spotted rays on the sandy bottom.

Ras Disha

Sahl Hasheesh, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Reef promontory south of Hurghada near Makadi Bay, with gentle drift along gorgonian walls to 25 m, suitable for all levels.

Ras Henrik Gamil

Reef promontory south of Hurghada near Safaga, with a 5–20 m coral wall, hard coral cover, spotted rays and green turtles.

Ras Katy

Reef promontory in the Egyptian Red Sea (27°N/34°E) with a 5–25 m wall, good visibility and reef fauna including turtles and napoleon wrasse.

Rosalie Moller

British collier sunk in October 1941, resting between 42 and 55 m in the Gubal area; a challenging technical wreck dive for advanced and technical divers.

Roug Talata

Offshore Hurghada pinnacle reef between 8 and 20 m, with soft coral cover and butterflyfish, parrotfish and small sharks.

S.S. Dunraven

Sinai do Sul

British wreck sunk in 1876 on Sha'ab Mahmoud reef, resting upside down between 18 and 28 m, with snapper, barracuda and glassfish in the inverted hull.

S.S. Ulysses Wreck

Wreck of British steamer Ulysses in the Gubal area, with hull between 15 and 28 m, colonized by soft corals and home to moray eels, barracuda and fusiliers.

Sabina Garden

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Pinnacle reef near Giftun, south of Hurghada, with lush soft and hard coral cover between 5 and 20 m and patrolling whitetip reef sharks.

Sakwa Abu Galawa

Reef north of Hurghada at the entrance of Abu Galawa lagoon, with a 5–18 m platform, good reef diversity and green turtles in the inner seagrass.

Sandy Island

Small sandy island in the Safaga/Hurghada area, with shallow coral formations between 5 and 20 m, spotted rays and occasional small sharks.

Sha'ab Abu Nuhas

Reef in the northern Gulf of Suez harboring four wrecks (Giannis D, Carnatic, Chrisoula K and Kimon M) between 6 and 30 m — the world's most accessible ship graveyard.

Sha'ab Abu Ramada

Main reef system around Abu Ramada, south of Hurghada near Giftun, with pinnacles and walls between 5 and 25 m and exceptional biodiversity.

Sha'ab El Erg

Additional point in the Shaab El Erg system north of Hurghada, with a 5–22 m outer platform and occasional dolphin sightings near the central pinnacle.

Sha'ab El Erg (Dolphin House)

Famous dolphin reef north of Hurghada, home to over 100 resident spinner dolphins on an oval 5–20 m reef; best in early morning before tour groups arrive.

Sha'ab El Erg Dolphin House

Another point on the Shaab El Erg oval reef north of Hurghada, with resident spinner dolphins and a 5–20 m platform 35–45 minutes by boat from the city.

Sha'ab El Fanadir

Long Fanadir reef offshore Hurghada, a 5–28 m barrier with multiple dive sites, healthy napoleon wrasse and reef sharks, plus occasional oceanic whitetips.

Sha'ab Iris

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Isolated reef north of Hurghada with walls from 5 to 30 m, massive coral formations and well-preserved whitetip reef sharks, turtles and moray eels.

Sha'ab Talata

Additional point in the Talata reef system offshore Hurghada, with walls and pinnacles between 5 and 22 m, good visibility and varied reef fauna.

Shaab Adel

Offshore reef north of Hurghada with a 5–25 m wall, well-preserved hard and soft corals and occasional whitetip reef shark sightings.

Shaab El Erg

Mar Vermelho (Egito)

Oval reef north of Hurghada with a resident pod of spinner dolphins, one of the most visited sites in the region; 5–20 m platform, best in early morning.

Shaab El Erg (Dolphin House)

Another anchorage on the Shaab El Erg oval reef north of Hurghada, with resident spinner dolphins between 5 and 20 m and rich complementary reef life.

Shaab El Erg (Dolphin House, West Erg)

Western face of the Shaab El Erg dolphin reef north of Hurghada, with the same resident spinner dolphins in 5–20 m and slightly stronger drift currents.

Shaab Iris

Long reef north of Hurghada with walls from 5 to 28 m on both sides, often dived as a drift, with napoleon wrasse, barracuda and excellent visibility.

Shaab Petra

Reef north of Hurghada near Umm Gamar, with walls between 5 and 30 m, excellent soft corals and regular whitetip reef shark sightings.

Shaab Ruhr Umm Gammar

Outer northern reef of Umm Gamar Island north of Hurghada, with a 5–35 m wall, occasional hammerheads, large whitetip sharks and giant barracuda.

Shaab Rur Umm Gamar

Outer southern reef of Umm Gamar Island north of Hurghada, with a 5–30 m wall, occasional oceanic whitetip sharks in summer and yellowfin trevally schools.

Shaab Sabina

Long reef south of Hurghada near Giftun, with 5–22 m walls covered in soft corals, gentle drift diving and napoleon wrasse, barracuda and green turtles.

Shaab Saiman

Reef south of Hurghada near Safaga, with pinnacles and walls between 5 and 22 m, lionfish, moray eels and Red Sea endemic butterflyfish.

Shaab Saimon

Reef between Hurghada and Safaga with a 5–20 m coral platform, good Red Sea reef fish diversity, often used as a second dive on Safaga itineraries.

Shaab Talata

Hurghada, Mar Vermelho (Egito)

System of three reefs offshore Hurghada with walls and pinnacles between 5 and 25 m, excellent coral diversity and napoleon wrasse, spotted rays and sandbar sharks.