Discovering Egypt’s Red Sea Dive Sites
Explore Egypt’s Red Sea dive sites from the iconic SS Thistlegorm wreck to Ras Mohammed’s coral gardens, Elphinstone Reef’s sharks, and Fury Shoals’ pristine reefs—plus tips for planning from Sharm to Marsa Alam.
SCUBA DIVING IN EXCITING DESTINATIONS
Discovering Egypt’s Red Sea Dive Sites
Egypt’s Red Sea is a diver’s paradise, offering something for everyone—from historic shipwrecks and thriving coral reefs to pelagic-filled walls and remote southern atolls. Whether you dive from Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada, or Marsa Alam, the region delivers unforgettable underwater adventures.
Historical Wrecks: SS Thistlegorm & Abu Nuhas
The SS Thistlegorm, a WWII cargo ship lying off Sharm El-Sheikh, is full of intact jeeps, motorcycles, and military gear. It sits upright at 100 feet and teems with marine life like groupers and barracudas.
Near Hurghada, Sha’ab Abu Nuhas, known as the “Ship Graveyard,” features multiple wrecks such as Giannis D and Chrisoula K between 30–60 m deep. These wrecks host schools of lionfish, moray eels, and giant groupers in encrusted coral surroundings.
Vibrant Reefs & Walls
The protected waters of Ras Mohammed National Park—especially Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef—are covered in both hard and soft corals and rich with schooling fish, turtles, and sharks. Corridor dives in the Straits of Tiran like Jackson Reef include strong currents, swim-throughs, and shark encounters.
Pelagic Hotspots: Elphinstone & Daedalus
At Elphinstone Reef, drift divers can spot hammerhead sharks and oceanic white-tip sharks feeding along vertical walls covered in soft coral. Visibility can exceed 50 feet in these currents.
Further south, Daedalus Reef (also Abu Kizan) stands alone offshore and consistently draws hammerheads amid pristine coral formations ~90 km from Marsa Alam.
Southern Gems & Macro Life
The Fury Shoals near Marsa Alam are prized for pristine coral gardens, occasional dugong sightings, and diverse marine species like spinner dolphins, octopus, nudibranchs, and reefs ideal for macro diving.
Planning & Liveaboard Options
Many of these sites—including remote walls and wrecks—are best explored via liveaboards, giving access to areas beyond day-boat range. Departures are from ports like Sharm, Hurghada, or Marsa Alam. Platforms like Divebooker.com and All Star Liveaboards specialize in multi-day, eco-minded Red Sea safari trips.
Happy and safe diving,
The ScubaBlast Team
Discover the 10 Best Dive Sites in Egypt’s Red Sea. (2025, March 21). The Scuba News. Retrieved from https://www.thescubanews.com/2025/03/21/discover-the-10-best-dive-sites-in-egypts-red-sea/
The Top 15 Dive Sites in the Red Sea. (n.d.). TripSavvy. Retrieved from https://blog.padi.com/top-10-dive-sites-in-egypt/
Diving in the Red Sea – Dive Sites. (n.d.). PlanetWare. Retrieved from https://www.planetware.com/egypt/diving-in-the-red-sea-best-dive-sites-egy-1-7.htm
Marsa Alam: Egypt's Emerging Diving Frontier. (n.d.). Dive With Us. Retrieved from https://divewithus.com.de/blog/56/best-dive-sites-egypt
Inside little-known Egyptian getaway ideal for thrill seekers… (2024). The Scottish Sun. Retrieved from https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/travel/13566941/little-known-egyptian-getaway-thrill-seekers/
