Diving in Egypt: 258 Sites From Wrecks to Hammerheads

Egypt is one of the most accessible places on earth to dive with large pelagics, explore coral walls, and log serious visibility—up to 35 m at the best sites. With 258 published sites across the Red Sea, water temperatures that never drop below 21 °C, and liveaboards running year-round, it suits everyone from newly certified divers to expedition-level technical divers.

Best dive sites in Egypt

• The Brothers Islands — Two remote seamounts in the open Red Sea. Expert-level walls drop to 40 m with 35 m visibility; scalloped hammerheads and oceanic whitetips are the draw. Liveaboard access only.
• Elphinstone Reef — Advanced, 15–40 m, 30 m viz. A long plateau with dramatic drop-offs on both ends; reliable for hammerheads and the occasional tiger shark, especially at the southern tip.
• Ras Mohammed — Shark & Yolanda Reef — Advanced, 12–40 m, 30 m viz. The southern tip of Sinai combines a famous wreck (a cargo ship carrying bathroom fittings) with strong currents and dense fish life. One of the most-dived advanced sites in the region for good reason.
• Dahab — Blue Hole (Bells entry) — Intermediate, 6–30 m, 25 m viz. Enter through the Bells chimney and exit into the Blue Hole's open water. Manageable for intermediate divers who stay above the arch; the wall itself is genuinely striking.
• Shaab Bohar Soraya — Intermediate, 30 m viz. A quieter offshore reef with solid coral structure and regular sightings of green sea turtles and great barracuda.
• Makadi Garden — Beginner, 30 m viz. Shallow, calm, and close to shore near Hurghada. Honeycomb morays and common octopus in the reef rubble; a solid first Red Sea dive.
• Shaab Sharm / Rocky South / Black Pearl — Beginner sites with 25 m viz. Good for checkout dives and building confidence before moving to current-exposed reefs.

When is the best time to dive in Egypt

The Red Sea is diveable every month of the year. Water temperature runs 21–29 °C—coolest January through March (a 5 mm wetsuit is comfortable), warmest July through September when a 3 mm shorty is enough. Visibility holds at 25–35 m regardless of season. Hammerheads at The Brothers and Elphinstone are most reliably reported September through November, though sightings happen year-round.

Is Egypt good for beginner divers

Yes. Sites like Makadi Garden, Shaab Sharm, Blue Water House Reef, and Sachua Abu Galawa offer calm, shallow water with excellent visibility and no current—exactly what new divers need. Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh both have a high concentration of PADI and SSI centres with structured courses in multiple languages.

What you'll see

Egypt's recorded marine life includes scalloped hammerhead, tiger shark, blacktip reef shark, great barracuda, green sea turtle, hawksbill turtle, honeycomb moray, and common octopus. Reef fish density on sites like Ras Mohammed is among the highest in the Red Sea.

FAQ

Do I need a liveaboard to reach the best sites? For The Brothers Islands and some northern Red Sea wrecks, yes—day boats don't run that far. Elphinstone and Ras Mohammed are accessible on day trips from Marsa Alam and Sharm el-Sheikh respectively.

Is a dive permit required? Most sites inside Ras Mohammed National Park require a park entry fee, typically collected by the dive operator. Your operator will handle this.

What certification level do I need for Elphinstone? Advanced Open Water minimum; most operators also require a logged dive count (commonly 30+) due to the currents and depth.

Can I dive the Blue Hole as an intermediate diver? Yes, using the Bells entry and staying on the wall above 30 m. The arch at 55 m is strictly for experienced technical divers—it has a serious accident history.

Egypt dive map