Marsa Bareika

The name Marsa Bareika is often translated as "Blessed Dock" or "Calm Big Pond". Larger than neighbouring Marsa Ghozlani, the bay reaches about 2.8 miles inland and forms the Ras Mohammed peninsula, which in 1983 became Egypt's first national park. In the bay, the sandy beaches serve as nesting grounds for sea turtles, and several stretches are protected for this reason. Because turtles nest on the northern beaches, the inner area of Marsa Bareika was once closed to diving and boats.

Below the surface, the bay has colorful coral heads all around, many soft corals and a good variety of Red Sea fish. Heading north, the wall has big overhangs and dark gullies, swathed in red sea fans, along with gorgonians and the odd sprig of black coral. The sandy basin where the dive starts is good for macro, with sand divers, razorfish, blennies, nudibranchs and sea moths, and eagle rays and schools of wide-mouthed mackerel also pass through. On a sandy plateau, also great for macro photography, look for nudibranchs, shrimp and the sea moth. Lionfish patrol the entrance to the canyon, which is often packed with glassfish. The site is also good for spotting octopus, moray eels and scorpionfish, and the safety stop is made next to a red anemone.

In the summer months, the site is known for pelagic sightings such as sailfish, and it is worth keeping an eye on the blue, where eagle rays may pass. In winter, groups of dolphins and stingrays tend to appear.