Ras Abu Soma, Red Sea, Egypt
The nickname Seven Pillars comes from the pinnacles rising from the sandy bottom. There are five main pinnacles, and two of them are split at the top, which almost certainly explains the name. The coral blocks are arranged from east to west in four rows, and you can move from one pillar to the next without having to search.
Soft corals cover the pillars, which are home to gorgonians, glassfish, giant pufferfish, octopus, blue spotted rays, morays, sergeant majors, scorpionfish, crocodilefish and nudibranchs. Jackfish hunt schools of silversides, and soft coral overhangs gather anthias and glassfish. There is often a turtle. The last pillar to the west hosts many lionfish, which use dive lights to hunt at night.
In Safaga diving runs all year; the water tends to be warmest in summer, and the air tends to be most comfortable in spring and autumn, while wind influences which reefs are open in each season.
Information on this page, including technical data such as depth, current, visibility, access, and recommended level, is informational and may vary. Confirm actual conditions with a local operator before the dive.
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Reviews are from other divers — personal experiences, not guarantees.
