Sea Turtles of the Red Sea: Species, Habits, and Where to Find Them

For many visitors, a sea turtle is the encounter they remember most — a large, ancient, unhurried creature gliding past or grazing peacefully, utterly at home in the blue. The Red Sea is a wonderful place to meet them, with turtles found at famous bays and reefs up and down the coast. Here's a friendly guide to the species you'll see, how they live, where to find them, and how to share the water without disturbing them.

The short answer: the Red Sea is home mainly to green turtles (often grazing seagrass in bays like Abu Dabbab) and hawksbill turtles (around coral reefs), among others. They're seen while snorkelling and diving, and the golden rule is always to keep your distance.

The main species

Two species are the ones you're most likely to meet:

• Green turtle. Large and herbivorous as adults, green turtles graze on seagrass and algae. They're the classic sight at seagrass bays, where you'll find them cropping the meadows and surfacing to breathe. Calm and often relaxed around respectful snorkellers, they're a highlight of bays like Abu Dabbab.

• Hawksbill turtle. Smaller, with a distinctive pointed, hawk-like beak and beautiful patterned shell, hawksbills favour coral reefs, where they feed on sponges and reef life. You'll often spot them moving among the coral on dives and snorkels.

Other turtle species can occur in the wider region, but greens and hawksbills are the ones visitors usually encounter.

How they live

Sea turtles are air-breathing reptiles that spend their lives at sea, surfacing periodically to breathe. They're long-lived, slow to mature, and migratory, travelling between feeding grounds and (for females) nesting beaches. Green turtles feed on seagrass and algae; hawksbills on sponges and reef organisms. Their grazing actually helps keep seagrass meadows and reefs healthy, making them important to the ecosystem. They reproduce slowly and face many threats, which is why their conservation matters so much.

Where to find them

Turtles are seen at various spots along the Egyptian Red Sea:

• Seagrass bays (for green turtles) — Abu Dabbab near Marsa Alam is the most famous, a shallow bay where greens graze close to shore, easily seen while snorkelling. Other seagrass bays along the coast host them too.
• Coral reefs (for hawksbills and greens) — turtles turn up at many reefs and house reefs up and down the coast, encountered while diving and snorkelling.
• House reefs — many resort and eco-village reefs have resident or visiting turtles, so you might see one on an ordinary morning swim.

Sightings are common at the right spots but never guaranteed — these are wild animals.

How to share the water respectfully

Turtles may seem relaxed, but disturbance harms them, so behave well:

• Keep your distance. Never chase, touch, or ride a turtle — it stresses them and is harmful (and, for protected species, prohibited).
• Don't block their path to the surface — they need to breathe.
• Don't surround or crowd a turtle; give it space and let it move freely.
• Stay calm and move slowly, letting the turtle set the terms.
• Protect the seagrass and coral — keep your fins off, since these are the turtles' habitat and food.
• Never feed turtles.

Respectful behaviour keeps turtles in the bays we love them for.

Why they need protecting

Sea turtles are threatened worldwide by habitat loss, pollution, entanglement, disturbance, and slow reproduction. In the Red Sea, protecting their seagrass meadows, reefs, and nesting areas — and giving them space — is vital. Responsible tourism plays a real role: every visitor who keeps their distance and protects the habitat helps these ancient creatures survive.

Practical tips

Visit seagrass bays like Abu Dabbab for green turtles and reefs for hawksbills, with realistic expectations. Go with respectful, conservation-minded guides. Keep your distance, protect the habitat, and prioritise the animal over photos. Bring reef-safe sunscreen and good snorkel gear, and go early for calm water and active turtles.

Meeting a sea turtle in the Red Sea is one of those moments that stays with you — a glimpse of an ancient, gentle traveller in its own world. Find them at the right bays and reefs, keep a respectful distance, and you'll treasure the encounter while helping ensure there are turtles here for generations to come.

Dreaming of swimming with turtles? Find the best turtle spots and book responsible snorkelling and diving trips on packnplan, and meet the Red Sea's gentle reptiles the respectful way.