Dive Sites

UMM SID

Just a little further south and nestling at the foot of the mountains Umm Sid also offers a splendid dive for all levels. Entry is also from a small beach then following a sandy slope down where you can find many Garden Eels. Continuing down to 30m you come across a magnificent Gorgonian Fan coral. From there you start heading up a slope with many sizable table corals, giving shelter to Groupers and other reef fish, and then rejoin the reef at around 12m and head south over the corals towards the exit. There is a large pinnacle conveniently situated for the safety stop, look out for the Giant Moray!

THREE POOLS

A very pretty dive with an easy beach entry in front of a Bedouin restaurant, you start the dive swimming through 3 shallow (3m) sandy lagoons and exiting into the sea where a sandy slope meets a beautiful hard coral reef dropping slowly to 30+ meters. Heading North over an extensive coral reef or along the edge of a drop off at 19m you will encounter many reef fish and maybe Napoleon Wrasse, Morays and Rays. Returning at around 10m over some superb corals with Giant Pufferfish and barracuda then exiting back through the lagoons.

GOLDEN BLOCKS

The first of the southern sites. There are 2 entries offering various possibilities. A sloping sand and coral reef with drop at around 25m, there are 2 small canyons in the reef, one is home to a huge Gorgonian Fan coral. A good site for many species of Nudibranch as well as Rays, Moray Eels, Octopus and maybe something larger. As you come up to your safety stop you will come to 2 large coral pinnacles covered by Golden Anthias hence the sites name. The drift dive It is also possible to enter at Golden Blocks and follow the reef South for a leisurely dive to Moray Garden.

LAGUNA

Also known as ‘7 Pinnacles’, a shallow shore dive over sand from 5 – 15m where you can find octopus, peppered morays and nudibranches.

NAPOLEON REEF

Best reached by boat, the reef is some 450m from the shore. At the end of a reef peninsular, a huge coral tower starting from the sand at around 20m which is often visited by Napoleon Wrasse.

THE ISLANDS

One of the most beautiful dives in Dahab, there are more different types of corals here than you could wish for. The dive comprises of two reefs just off shore providing a real labyrinth of corals to explore with a profusion of marine life including rays, napoleon wrasse, turtles, morays and a large school of yellow-fin barracuda. With a max depth of 17m and an average of around 9m it is available to all levels. A must see dive spot.

HOUSE REEF AQUA DIVERS

A long stretch of reef with a superb variety of corals and reef fish. All this right on your doorstep, with an average depth of around 12-15m. Please avoid entering the water at low tide as new corals are growing on the fringe.

LIGHTHOUSE REEF

At the north end of a sheltered bay, this popular site is suitable for all levels as the reef starts from 0.5m and drops down to 40+. An easy entrance in all conditions and offers a wide variety of sea life, many reef fish including napoleon wrasse, morays, turtles, dolphins and whale sharks have also visited. This site is perfect for night dives when you can often find Spanish dancers, anemone crabs, and shrimps, moray eels and octopus are also active at night there.

EEL GARDEN

ABU HELAL

‘Cape of the growing moon’. Entrance via a 10m deep lagoon created by a crescent shaped reef that opens out onto a sloping hard coral reef dropping down to a small canyon at 30m (only for the experienced divers). A school of yellow-fin barracuda are often seen on the reef as well as Napoleon Wrasse and sometimes turtles feeding on the tender broccoli corals.

ABU TELHA

One of the most beautiful, colorful coral gardens in Sinai. Entrance through a small lagoon, the site can be dived left or right and at any depth although the best corals are in 5-15m. This is the only site to find Red Tooth Triggerfish, sometimes in great numbers.

RICKS REEF

A very pretty drift dive starting 300m north of The Canyon and heading south along the reef at around 16m you will encounter a variety of marine life and corals and end your dive at The Canyon.

THE CANYON

Another highlight of Dahab, entrance is through a turquoise lagoon that opens to the sea. Created by an earthquake the canyon is a long crevice in the reef starting from 16 meters to 54 meters. There is a wide entrance at around 19 meters which drops down to 30 meters with a stunning view of the canyon. You exit thru a chimney where a school of cave sweepers live. On the top of the canyon barracudas and trevellys are often found playing with the divers’ bubbles. Returning along the edge of the drop off you arrive at Coral Garden, a large stretch of hard coral reef with an excellent array of flora and fauna offers your second dive of the day.

Ras Abu Galum

The Abu Galum protected area is 8km north of the Blue Hole and is approached via a camel safari along the coastal path. You can spend a relaxing day diving and snorkeling the colorful reefs of the area and enjoying lunch with the Bedouin that live here.

THE BELLS

250m north of the Blue Hole. The dive starts descending a gully in the reef, with the sun providing some ethereal lighting, leading to a small arch at 25m. The dive continues along a very impressive wall which descends several hundred meters with some dramatic overhangs offering shelter to various fish and corals. The dive then comes up to the outside reef at 10m where you enter and finish the dive skirting the inside of the Blue Hole.

BLUE HOLE

Another beautiful dive starts entering the Blue Hole and then heading south along another impressive wall covered with hard and soft corals and many fish. It can be dived at any depth and makes an ideal second dive.

GABR EL BINT

Situated to the South and part of the Nabq national park, a days safari will bring you to this superb reef. You can arrive by boat or, for a true Sinai experience, by camel! An amazing wall dive with a fantastic array of corals and marine life including a forest of Gorgonian fan corals. Coming over the top of the wall will bring you to a shallow sandy lagoon with many table corals where the stingrays and crocodile fish are taking shelter.

CAVES

When the sea is calm, this most southerly site of Dahab is a fantastic option. A stride entry off the edge of the reef table drops you on to a sand slope, heading north a large cave starts at 5m and drops down to 17m, you can continue north along a coral reef then return to the sand. To the South another cave is situated at around 5m with many Black corals. Next to this cave you will find a small crack which leads up to the surface providing some very pretty lighting effects. You can even continue south along the reef wall and exit a little further down.

MORAY GARDEN