Coastal Route

Marsa Shouna is a vibrant lagoon in the Marsa Alam region, famous for its rich marine biodiversity. The seagrass-covered sandy bottom attracts turtles, rays, and dugongs, while divers often spot barracudas, moray eels, octopuses, and crocodile fish. The coral formations are home to schools of fish and colorful anemones.
The site is ideal for both beginners and experienced divers, offering both drifts by zodiac and boat-to-boat dives. With calm waters and a sheltered location, Marsa Shouna is perfect for relaxed dives and underwater photography.

Marsa Torombi is a secluded lagoon just several nautical miles north of Port Ghalib, known for its calm waters and rich marine life. The dive site features a mix of sandy bottoms, seagrass beds, and coral reefs, creating an ideal habitat for sea turtles, dugongs, rays, and moray eels.
As divers move toward the reef, they can encounter schools of fish, octopuses, lionfish, and scorpionfish, along with fascinating macro creatures hiding among the corals. This site is perfect for both beginners and experienced divers, especially those who enjoy long, relaxed dives.

The Salem Express is one of the most famous yet tragic dive sites in the Red Sea. This 400-foot-long ferry sank on December 17, 1991, after colliding with the Hyndman Reef near Safaga. Onboard were over 650 passengers, most of them pilgrims returning from Mecca. Tragically, the disaster claimed the lives of hundreds, making this site an emotionally powerful place to visit.
The wreck lies at a depth of 10 to 32 meters, resting on its starboard side. Divers can explore the cargo holds, where cars, personal belongings, and remnants of the journey remain untouched. The hull is now covered in corals and home to marine life such as barracudas, groupers, and moray eels.
This site demands respect and a thoughtful approach – many consider it not just a wreck dive but an underwater memorial.

Middle Reef is one of our favorite dive sites in the region, despite being relatively unknown among divers. This hidden gem boasts stunning coral gardens and fascinating underwater landscapes.
The site offers gentle drift dives, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced divers. Its standout features include majestic coral columns and tunnels, home to clownfish, lionfish, barracudas, and turtles. In the sandy lagoons on the western side, stingrays and leopard sharks can often be spotted.
We love diving here again and again, as Middle Reef provides a peaceful atmosphere, abundant marine life, and breathtaking scenery that makes every dive truly special.

Abu Dabbab is a chain of six reefs located near the coast in the Marsa Alam region. Each offers a unique underwater landscape, diverse marine life, and excellent conditions for both day and night dives. This is a common choice for a check-dive on our deep south itineraries across our fleet.

Abu Dabbab 1 & 2 – the most popular and scenic reefs, featuring coral gardens, canyons, and large coral bommies that provide shelter for moray eels, lionfish, frogfish, and octopuses.
Abu Dabbab 3 & 4 – known for their deep walls and steep drop-offs, often patrolled by whitetip reef sharks, barracudas, and tunas.
Abu Dabbab 5 & 6 – more remote sites with strong currents, making them perfect for drift dives. Divers here may encounter eagle rays, sea turtles, and even whale sharks in the right season.

With stable diving conditions, incredible visibility, and abundant marine life, Abu Dabbab is an ideal destination for both beginner and advanced divers looking to explore the rich underwater ecosystems of the Red Sea.

Shaab Sheer is a large and diverse reef system in the Safaga, offering multiple dive sites with stunning coral formations, swim-throughs, and sandy plateaus. The reef is known for its healthy corals, abundant marine life, and occasional encounters with large pelagic species. Strong currents on the outer edges attract schools of barracudas, tuna, and reef sharks. Wreck enthusiasts will find additional interest here, as the remains of a small boat lie within the reef, while on the outer side, the sunken ferry Al Kafain rests at depth, offering an intriguing dive for experienced divers.

Tobia Arbaa, also known as "The Four Pinnacles," is a beautiful dive site near Soma Bay, famous for its towering coral formations rising from the sandy bottom. These pinnacles are covered in vibrant soft and hard corals, attracting an abundance of marine life, including moray eels, lionfish, scorpionfish, and schools of fusiliers. The site offers easy diving conditions with minimal currents, making it ideal for underwater photographers. With its rich biodiversity and stunning coral structures, Tobia Arbaa is one of the most picturesque and enjoyable dive sites in the area.

Elphinstone Reef is one of the world’s most exciting diving destinations. A few small breakers are the only visible sign that just below the sea’s surface is the summit of a subterranean mountain, rich in colorful corals and fish species, and attracting the interest of hungry barracuda, dolphins and sharks.

It is two shark species in particular that attract divers looking for that unique once in a life-time close-quarters encounter with a big sea predator. The scarily curious oceanic whitetip and the oddly shaped hammerhead.

This is one of the few places where divers can regularly come eye-to eye with these feared but fascinating animals. The whitetip is categorized as vulnerable to extinction by the World Conservation Union and the hammerhead one level worse at endangered.

However these encounters are only for highly experienced advanced divers – not primarily because of the sharks who do not actively seek out human prey, but due to strong currents, which are common here.

Small Giftun is one of Hurghada’s most popular dive sites. Located within the Giftun Islands marine park, it features a mix of sloping reefs, coral gardens, and impressive walls.

The site is known for its rich coral formations, large gorgonians, and a variety of caverns and swim-throughs. Marine life includes turtles, moray eels, Napoleon wrasse, barracudas, rays, and an abundance of reef fish. Divers may even encounter passing dolphins, adding to the magic of the dive.

With its calm conditions and moderate currents, Small Giftun is great for both relaxed reef dives and thrilling drift dives along its walls. It is also a fantastic spot for night dives, offering protection from waves and unique nocturnal marine life.

Gota Abu Ramada is one of Hurghada’s most famous dive sites, often referred to as "The Aquarium" due to its incredible marine life. This small oval-shaped reef is surrounded by a shallow sandy bottom scattered with coral pinnacles, creating a stunning underwater landscape.

The site is home to huge schools of yellowtail snapper, barracudas, groupers, rays, and even eagle rays. On the sandy bottom, divers often spot blue-spotted stingrays, while moray eels and scorpionfish hide among the coral formations.

With mild currents and excellent visibility, Gota Abu Ramada is perfect for divers of all levels. It is also a great spot for night dives, revealing a different side of the reef’s vibrant marine ecosystem.

Panorama Reef is the largest reef in the Safaga region and one of the most spectacular dive sites in the Red Sea. This elongated underwater formation is surrounded by sheer drop-offs plunging over 200 meters deep, with vibrant coral gardens and caves decorating its eastern and western sides.

Strong currents bring large pelagic species, including tuna, barracuda, trevallies, and sharks. Divers often spot grey reef sharks patrolling the deeper areas, while oceanic whitetip sharks occasionally make an appearance. The upper reef is covered in hard and soft corals, providing shelter for moray eels, frogfish, and anemonefish.

With its diverse underwater topography and rich marine life, Panorama Reef is ideal for both experienced and advanced divers. The site offers exciting drift dives and opportunities to explore colorful coral plateaus teeming with life.

Abu Kafan is a remote reef in the Safaga region, famous for its steep walls, strong currents, and rich marine life. This elongated reef features sheer drop-offs, caves, and coral plateaus, creating the perfect setting for thrilling drift dives.

At depth, divers may encounter grey reef sharks and occasionally even hammerheads. The open water is patrolled by tuna, trevallies, and barracudas, while cracks in the reef provide shelter for groupers, lionfish, and moray eels.

The upper plateau is covered in vibrant soft and hard corals, home to butterflyfish, angelfish, wrasses, and various invertebrates.

With its strong currents and deep walls, Abu Kafan is best suited for experienced divers, offering an unforgettable dive and the chance to spot some of the Red Sea’s most fascinating predators.