Northern Red Sea – Egypt

The northern Egyptian Red Sea runs from Dahab on the Gulf of Aqaba, around the southern tip of the Sinai at Ras Mohammed, across the Strait of Gubal to Hurghada and Safaga on the African coast. Fringing reefs drop straight into deep water close to shore, so many sites are reached on short boat trips or even from the beach. The Strait of Gubal holds some of the best-known wrecks in the world, including the SS Thistlegorm and the ships lost on Abu Nuhas reef. Classic northern liveaboard routes combine the wrecks with Ras Mohammed and the Tiran reefs.

Facts

• Best season: Year-round; warmest water and calmest seas from about May to November, winter is cooler and windier
• Water temperature: About 21–23 °C in winter, 27–29 °C in late summer
• Visibility: Usually 20–30 m or more on the reefs; less inside wrecks and in plankton blooms
• Getting there: Fly to Sharm el-Sheikh (SSH) or Hurghada (HRG); liveaboards leave from Hurghada, El Gouna or Sharm el-Sheikh
• Protected areas: Ras Mohammed National Park and the Tiran area are protected; park fees and rules are handled by the operator
• Currents: Mild on sheltered reefs, strong at exposed points (Ras Mohammed, Tiran, Gubal); carry a surface marker buoy

Season

• Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov
• Acceptable: Jun, Jul, Aug, Dec, Jan, Feb
• Water temperature: 21–29 °C

Diveable all year; spring (Mar–May) and autumn (Sep–Nov) are the sweet spots. Winter water cools to about 21–23 °C and can be windy, summer reaches 28–29 °C.

Dive sites (58)

Hurghada & El Gouna

• Abu Hashish – 5–30 m, beginner
• Banana Reef – 5–20 m, beginner
• Carless Reef – 5–40 m, intermediate
• El Fanadir – 3–30 m, beginner
• El Fanous East – 5–19 m, beginner
• El Mina Wreck – 25–32 m, intermediate
• Erg Somaya (Small Giftun Drift) – 5–29 m, advanced
• Giftun Police Station – 15–40 m, advanced
• Gota Abu Ramada (The Aquarium) – 5–16 m, beginner
• Sha'ab Abu Ramada – 3–30 m, intermediate
• Sha'ab Sabina – 5–30 m, beginner
• Shaab El Erg (Dolphin House) – 5–16 m, beginner
• Umm Gamar – 5–37 m, intermediate

Safaga

• Abu Kafan – 5–40 m, advanced
• Middle Reef (Safaga) – 5–40 m, intermediate
• Panorama Reef – 5–40 m, intermediate
• Ras Abu Soma – 5–40 m, advanced
• Salem Express – 10–32 m, intermediate
• Sha'ab Sheer – 5–25 m, intermediate
• Tobia Arbaa (Seven Pillars) – 5–20 m, beginner
• Tobia Kebir – 5–25 m, beginner

Sharm el-Sheikh

• Amphoras – 5–25 m, beginner
• Far Garden – 5–30 m, beginner
• Near Garden – 8–25 m, beginner
• Ras Katy – 5–28 m, beginner
• Ras Nasrani – 5–30 m, intermediate
• Ras Umm Sid – 5–30 m, intermediate
• Temple – 10–20 m, beginner
• Tower – 5–30 m, intermediate

Ras Mohammed

• Anemone City – 5–25 m, intermediate
• Jackfish Alley – 5–30 m, beginner
• Marsa Bareika – 5–30 m, beginner
• Ras Ghozlani – 10–32 m, intermediate
• Ras Za'atar – 10–40 m, intermediate
• Shark & Yolanda Reef – 5–30 m, intermediate
• Shark Observatory – 10–30 m, intermediate
• SS Dunraven – 15–30 m, intermediate

Dahab

• Blue Hole – 5–30 m, intermediate
• Eel Garden – 3–25 m, beginner
• Gabr el Bint – 5–30 m, intermediate
• Lighthouse – 3–30 m, beginner
• Ras Abu Galum – 3–30 m, intermediate
• The Bells – 5–30 m, intermediate
• The Canyon – 5–30 m, intermediate
• The Islands – 3–20 m, intermediate

Strait of Gubal & Sha'ab Ali

• Carnatic – 17–27 m, intermediate
• Chrisoula K – 4–27 m, intermediate
• Giannis D – 7–27 m, intermediate
• Kimon M – 4–32 m, intermediate
• Kingston (Sarah H) – 4–17 m, beginner
• Rosalie Moller – 35–50 m, advanced
• Shag Rock – 1–30 m, intermediate
• SS Thistlegorm – 16–33 m, advanced
• Ulysses – 5–30 m, intermediate

Strait of Tiran

• Gordon Reef – 5–35 m, intermediate
• Jackson Reef – 5–45 m, advanced
• Thomas Reef – 5–35 m, advanced
• Woodhouse Reef – 5–45 m, intermediate

Operators (9)

• Emperor Divers Sharm el Sheikh – dive centre, Helnan Marina Sharm Hotel, Naama Bay, Sharm el Sheikh
• Camel Dive Club & Hotel – resort, Naama Bay, Sharm el Sheikh
• Sinai Divers Backpackers Dahab – dive centre, Dahab, South Sinai
• Poseidon Divers – dive centre, Blue Beach Club, Lighthouse area, Dahab
• Red Sea Relax Resort & Dive Centre – resort, Lighthouse, Dahab
• ORCA Dive Clubs (El Gouna, Soma Bay, Safaga) – dive centre, Abu Tig Marina, El Gouna (also Soma Bay and Safaga)
• Extra Divers (Dahab, Makadi Bay, Sharm el Naga) – dive centre, Makadi Bay (also Dahab Swiss Inn and Sharm el Naga)
• Golden Dolphin Safari World – liveaboard, Hurghada (also Port Ghalib)
• Emperor Liveaboards Egypt (Elite, Superior, Asmaa) – liveaboard, Port Ghalib / Hurghada

Routes (5)

• North & Easy 7 nights (Emperor)
• Famous Five 7 nights (Emperor)
• North (Golden Dolphin)
• Sharm el Sheikh day boats (Emperor)
• Dahab shore dives (Red Sea Relax)

Site positions are approximate unless marked otherwise and are for orientation only — never for navigation. Wreck penetration needs proper training; always dive with a local guide.