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Abu Helal

4.0 — based on 22 community signals
4.3 12 species 35 contributors

Abu Helal is a year-round Red Sea dive destination in Egypt with 12 recorded species observations and healthy coral conditions.

⭐ Best for intermediate divers.

updated 4 months ago
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At a glance

Activity
dive
Best months
Year-round
Marine life
Nudibranch

Top operators here

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Map

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Abu Helal location map © Google · Map data © Google, contributors
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Conditions today

Conditions

Open-Meteo
Wind
9.8 kn
Wave
0.68 m
Water
27.5°C
N E S W
Wind direction (7d)
Primary: NNW (36%)
Now: NNW (339°)
Tide (7 days)
range: 0.53m

Today: High 13:00 (+0.02m), Low 07:00 (-0.2m)

+0.3 m0 m-0.3 m
▼ 07:00 · -0.2m ▲ 13:00 · +0.02m ▼ 20:00 · -0.12m ▲ 01:00 · +0m Now +0.0m
Sat 19Sun 20Mon 21Tue 22Wed 23Thu 24Fri 25
UV6.6 · high Air PM2.514 · moderate 06:28 18:42
Day Wind Wave UV Rain
09-19 15 0.84 7 0mm
09-20 13.3 0.86 7 0mm
09-21 10.6 0.68 7 0mm
09-22 11.3 0.66 7 0mm
09-23 14.1 0.72 7 0mm
09-24 14.9 0.9 7 0mm
09-25 14.3 1.04 7 0mm

About this spot

Abu Helal sits in Egypt's Red Sea and offers diving throughout the year. The site has documented marine life across 12 species observations, giving divers a sense of the biodiversity to expect underwater. Local community videos provide firsthand glimpses of conditions and encounters, helping you prepare for your visit. The reef enjoys healthy coral with no bleaching stress recorded, indicating good overall ecosystem condition. This makes Abu Helal a solid choice for divers looking to explore intact reef structure and the fish populations that depend on it. The location sits outside marine protected areas, so standard recreational diving access applies. While specific depth and visibility data aren't available, the presence of species records and community documentation suggests the site sees regular diver traffic and generates enough interest to warrant video coverage. Check with local dive operators in the Red Sea region for current conditions, seasonal patterns, and any gear or logistical recommendations before booking.

📖 Guide: Diving in Egypt: 258 Sites From Wrecks to Hammerheads

Best months

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Marine life

Nudibranch

Dive types

Reef

Trip essentials

Everything you need before you pack — checklist, sun, logistics.

Trip checklist

  • 🛂 Visa-free or visa-on-arrival
  • 📜 C-card + dive insurance (DAN)
  • 📔 Dive logbook
  • 🧴 Reef-safe sunscreen SPF 50+
  • 🔌 Plug type C/F · 220V adapter
  • 💊 Seasickness meds + ear drops
  • 📱 Offline maps + emergency contact

Quick facts

  • 🌓 Moon First quarter · 47%
  • GPS
Sustainability disclosures
🌍 CO2 footprint LHR ↔ 3858km · ~887kg · €16

From your departure country

United States
Origin score: 59/100
  • Visa: Visa on arrival · 30 days max
  • Flight: 8h · direct
  • Jet-lag: 7h east · 5 days recovery

FAQ

When is the best time to dive Abu Helal?

Abu Helal can be dived year-round, so your best timing depends on your schedule and any other Red Sea destinations you're combining with the trip. Check with local operators for seasonal water temperature and visibility trends.

What depth and difficulty level is Abu Helal?

Specific depth ranges and difficulty ratings aren't documented for Abu Helal. Contact local Red Sea dive operators for details on bottom depth, current conditions, and recommended experience levels.

What marine life will I see?

Abu Helal has 12 recorded species observations. Community videos are available online to give you a preview of typical encounters. Ask your dive operator for the most current sighting reports.

Do I need permits or special access to dive Abu Helal?

Abu Helal is not inside a marine protected area, so standard recreational diving access applies. Your local operator will handle any required registrations or briefings for the site.

Operators near this spot

Dive centres, kite & surf schools within 10 km, sourced from OpenStreetMap.

Dahab Freedivers

4.6 km
Dive centre
Hours: Every Day 9:00-17:30

Planet Divers

4.8 km
4.6 (110 reviews) closed
Dive centre
Verified Booked 25+ times this month
Hours: Saturday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Daniela

0.6 km
4.2 (555 reviews)
Dive centre
Verified

Subex

0.9 km
Dive centre

Lagona Divers, Dahab North

1.1 km
4.7 (41 reviews) closed
Dive centre
Verified Booked 49+ times this month
Hours: Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Sea And C

2.7 km
4.7 (3 reviews)
Dive centre

Recently spotted by divers

iNaturalist →

See this spot in action

YouTube videos — click to play.

220726 Abu Helal, Dahab, Egypt [Orca Dive]

재림 Jaerim

Abu Helal canyon (cavern dive) in Dahab, Egypt

MoD diving
💬 1 top comments
  • Amazing Scenery and Performance Bro!

    @mohamedashrafananasa · 👍 1

Abu Helal, Dahab, technical diving • Абу Хелал, Дахаб, дайвинг • 06.01.2017

Denis Lefter
💬 3 top comments
  • Really nice, please keep them coming, love watching you guys dive.

    @russell3038 · 👍 5
  • Wonderful display of diving skills! Great video!

    @HuckleberryMoon · 👍 0
  • It would be good to know what the dive profile was?

    @DirefulT453 · 👍 0
wind peaks Jun-Sep-May, calmest Jan-Nov-Dec, dry Jan-Dec.

5-year monthly climate

60 samples
0 5 10 15 20 25 JFMAMJJASOND
p25–p75 range Median Wind (kn) Air (°C)
Visibility (month-by-month)
Best: Jul (100/100) Worst: Mar (0/100) Now: Sep (89/100) NOAA MODIS Aqua · 5y mean

Nearby spots

Canyon Egypt Diving
🇪🇬 Egypt

Canyon

Canyon is a year-round Egyptian dive site with 12 species observations and no coral stress indicators.

Jan·Feb·Mar+
Reeks Reef Egypt Diving
🇪🇬 Egypt

Reeks Reef

Reeks Reef is a year-round dive destination in Egypt with healthy coral and abundant marine life.

Intermediate Jan·Feb·Mar+
Dahab — Blue Hole (Bells entry) Egypt Diving
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Dahab — Blue Hole (Bells entry)

Famous 100m vertical hole in the reef; dived via the safer Bells entry as a 30m wall drift to the saddle.

Intermediate 6–30m 25m Jan·Feb·Mar+

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Light House Egypt Diving
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Light House

Light House is a year-round Egyptian dive site with 12 recorded species observations and no coral stress.

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