Every legendary Red Sea dive site, explained.
From the wreck of the Thistlegorm to the sharks of Elphinstone — depth, conditions, what you'll see and the trips that take you there.
Hurghada & Safaga
Giftun Island reefs
Hurghada
Easy drifts, anthias clouds and frequent turtle and ray encounters.
Read the guideBen El Gebel
Hurghada
A steep wall, a sandy plateau with garden eels, and passing rays.
Read the guideErg Somaya
Small Giftun
Glassfish-filled overhangs, moray eels and swirling anthias.
Read the guideSha'ab Sabina
Hurghada
Coral ergs, lionfish and easy, protected conditions.
Read the guideSha'ab El Erg (Dolphin House)
Hurghada
A resident pod of spinner dolphins and shallow coral ergs — a favourite snorkel and dive.
Read the guideCareless Reef
Hurghada
Moray eels, groupers and the chance of passing reef sharks in the blue.
Read the guideGota Abu Ramada (the Aquarium)
Hurghada
Goatfish, glassfish, masked butterflyfish and easy conditions for all levels.
Read the guideAbu Ramada South
Hurghada
Bigger schools, occasional eagle rays and a relaxed current.
Read the guideUmm Gamar
Hurghada
Soft-coral walls, morays and glassfish, with pelagics passing in the blue.
Read the guideEl Fanadir
Hurghada
Relaxed drifts over healthy hard coral — a great warm-up or beginner dive.
Read the guideAbu Hashish
Hurghada
Seagrass patches, turtles, rays and the odd guitar shark on the sand.
Read the guideGota Abu Makadi
Makadi Bay
Photogenic coral, easy conditions and plenty for beginners and macro fans.
Read the guideEl Mina (minesweeper wreck)
Hurghada
An accessible wreck for the region, wrapped in glassfish and lionfish.
Read the guideShadwan Island
Strait of Gubal
Strong drifts, big schools and the chance of sharks in the current.
Read the guideAbu Nuhas
Strait of Gubal
The Giannis D and Carnatic wrecks, glassfish swarms and resident lionfish.
Read the guideSS Thistlegorm
Strait of Gubal
One of the world's great wreck dives — cargo holds, locomotives, batfish and trevally.
Read the guideSalem Express
Safaga
Vast glassfish schools around an intact hull; dived respectfully as a maritime grave.
Read the guidePanorama Reef
Safaga
Soft coral walls, tuna and trevally, and excellent visibility.
Read the guideTobia Arbaa (Seven Pillars)
Safaga
Photogenic ergs and swim-throughs, ideal for beginners and macro.
Read the guideAbu Kafan
Safaga
Soft corals, big pelagics and reef sharks in the blue.
Read the guideThe Brothers Islands
Offshore (liveaboard)
Thresher and grey reef sharks, the Numidia and Aida wrecks, vivid soft coral.
Read the guideMarsa Alam & the South
Sha'ab Marsa Alam
Marsa Alam
Healthy hard coral, turtles and relaxed conditions for all levels.
Read the guideMarsa Shagra house reef
Marsa Alam
Turtles, octopus and morays in the bay, with walls dropping to 40 m outside.
Read the guideMarsa Nakari house reef
Marsa Alam
Seagrass, turtles and a gentle house reef ideal for training and macro.
Read the guideElphinstone Reef
Marsa Alam
Oceanic whitetip sharks in season, soft corals and big pelagic action.
Read the guideAbu Dabbab
Marsa Alam
Green turtles, guitar sharks and the chance of a dugong grazing the seagrass.
Read the guideMarsa Mubarak
Marsa Alam
Green turtles, guitar sharks and, if you're lucky, a grazing dugong.
Read the guideSharm El Luli
Marsa Alam
Turtles, seagrass and superb snorkelling — one of the prettiest beaches on the coast.
Read the guideSha'ab Samadai (Dolphin House)
Marsa Alam
A resident pod of spinner dolphins, coral pinnacles and shallow ergs.
Read the guideSha'ab Sharm
Marsa Alam
Grey reef sharks, big groupers and schooling barracuda in the blue.
Read the guideSataya (Dolphin Reef)
Fury Shoals
One of the Red Sea's biggest resident spinner-dolphin pods and pristine coral.
Read the guideFury Shoals
Deep South
Hard coral gardens, swim-throughs and a friendly dolphin population.
Read the guideAbu Galawa (Tienstin wreck)
Fury Shoals
A wreck fused into living coral, glassfish and shallow, easy conditions.
Read the guideSha'ab Maksur
Deep South
Soft coral walls, reef sharks and big schools in the current.
Read the guideDaedalus Reef
Offshore (liveaboard)
Hammerhead and thresher sharks, a famous anemone city and pristine walls.
Read the guideSt John's Reef
Deep South (liveaboard)
Caves and swim-throughs at Habili Ali, untouched coral and reef sharks.
Read the guideZabargad Island
Deep South (liveaboard)
Turtles, seagrass beds, coral gardens and a rarely-dived, untouched feel.
Read the guideRocky Island
Deep South (liveaboard)
Dense soft coral, sharks and big pelagics in strong current — advanced only.
Read the guide