Dahab, South Sinai, Egypt

Eel Garden Dahab

Eel Garden is one of the best-known shore dives north of Dahab town, named for a colony of several thousand spotted garden eels (Heteroconger hassi) that emerge from a sandy plateau at 12–18 metres. Divers enter from a Bedouin camp shore and follow a sandy gully out to the open reef before turning north along the wall toward the eel field. Approached slowly, the colony tolerates divers within a metre or two before retracting. Beyond the eels the reef drops past 30 metres and is decorated with hard corals, gorgonians and table corals. Resident species include lionfish, scorpionfish, blue-spotted ribbontail rays, masked pufferfish and a colony of unicornfish. Turtles and eagle rays pass regularly. Currents are typically mild. Visibility 20–25 metres. Suitable from Open Water level and a popular night dive.