Egypt Guide
Sinai
Sinai dive sites
1 Amphoras Between Ras Umm Sidd and Na'ama Bay, this is named after a Turkish galleon laden with amphoras of mercury that lies on the reef (indeed the site is also known as "Mercury").
2 Blue Hole 8km north of Dahab. The challenge of this 107m-deep hole in the reef is to swim through a passage 60m down and come up the other side – which is highly risky even for expert divers. Even dive masters and instructors who have successfully passed through before have met their fate at the Blue Hole. You can safely snorkel around the rim of the hole, however.
3 Canyon Near the Blue Hole. A narrow reef crack, 50m deep and only for experienced divers.
4 Dunraven The Dunraven was a ship which, en route from Bombay to Newcastle, steered onto a reef in fine weather on April 25, 1873 and sank 25m almost completely upside down. Though its 25 crew escaped, the captain was found negligent (he fatuously remarked, "Twenty-five is my lucky number!").
5 El-Gharkana A luxuriant reef, offshore from mangroves and lagoons with rare waterfowl and flora. Part of the Nabeq protected area.
6 Fjord 10km south of Taba. A picturesque cleft with underwater reefs.
7 Gordon Reef Off the coast of Ras Nasrani, in the shipwreck-littered Tiran Strait, with sharks and strong currents. Popular with experienced divers; not for beginners.
8 Jackson Reef A large reef between Tiran Island and the mainland, with a 70m drop-off, sharks and pelagic fish, and the shipwreck Lara. Strong currents; dangerous for beginners.
9 Maagana Beach 5–10km north of Nuweiba. The reef falls sheer around the "Devil's Head" to the north, getting shallower and less impressive further south.
10 Near, Middle and Far Gardens 1–5km north of Na'ama Bay. A series of lovely coral reefs, good for easy diving and snorkelling. The Near Gardens are within walking distance of Na'ama.
11 Pharaoh's Island Near Taba. There's superb underwater scenery, easy access by boat and a spectacular wall dive, but also strong currents; a diving guide is recommended. Israelis call it "Coral Island".
12 Ras Abu Galum 50km south of Nuweiba. A 400 square-kilometre protected area with a deep virgin reef wall and great fish. Access by 4WD or boat.
13 Ras Atantur Between Dahab and Nabeq. Colourful, abundant reef, with a shipwreck – the Maria Schroeder – 10km further south. Access by 4WD.
14 Ras el-Mamleh 20km south of Nuweiba. Another slab of virgin reef wall on the northern edge of the Ras Abu Galum protected area. Access by 4WD or boat.
15 Ras Mohammed National Park 25km southwest of Sharm el-Sheikh. Wonderful corals, mangrove lagoons, anemone gardens and crevice pools, with shark reefs offshore. It's also the site of the Yolanda shipwreck (see below).
16 Ras Nasrani Sheer reef wall riddled with shark caves; the Light and the Point are notable spots. Large turtles are a common sight on the reef slope. Beware of sharks and strong currents. Not for inexperienced divers.
17 Ras Umm Sidd Within walking distance of Sharm el-Sheikh at the north point of the harbour, this features exquisite fan corals and fish.
18 Shark Bay Colourful reef just off the beach of a small resort, 10km north of Na'ama Bay. Good for novices and experienced divers alike, and snorkellers.
19 Southern Oasis Gently sloping reef 7km to the south of Dahab, with easy diving and snorkelling.
20 Sun Pool 10–15km south of Taba. A gorgeous diving beach along a shallow reef extending as far north as the Fjord.
21 Thistlegorm Near El-Tor in the Gulf of Suez, this British ship, sunk by German bombers in 1941, was laden with rifles, uniforms, trucks and Jeeps – and also packed full of ammunition, which exploded, ripping the ship apart and killing most of the crew. To this day, the rear decks are peeled back towards the bridge leaving many a diver wondering what exactly they are looking at. Tubeworms grow out of the bathtub in the captain's cabin and you can still see much of the armoured vehicles she was carrying. Discovered by Jacques Cousteau, it's a popular dive from Sharm el-Sheikh.
22 Tiran Island Protected Area An archipelago with over twenty dive sites, all amazing. Sharks and strong currents; only for experienced divers unless explicitly stated otherwise.
23 The Tower South of Na'ama Bay is this sheer reef pillar dropping 60m. Easy access from the beach and mild currents; good for novice divers.
24 Turtle Bay Between Ras Umm Sidd and Amphoras, a shallow bay with turtles, easy to enjoy. Access is by boat.
25 Yolanda Off Ras Mohammed is this Cypriot freighter that struck a reef during a storm in 1981; its cargo includes a BMW and scores of porcelain lavatories.