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Two vibrant masked butterflyfish swim near coral reefs in Abu Dabab, Egypt's underwater paradise.
📷 Derek Keats · Pexels

East Abu Dabab 3

3.5 — based on 13 community signals
4.3 12 species 32 contributors

East Abu Dabab 3 is a year-round Egyptian dive site with 12 recorded species and healthy coral conditions.

⭐ Best for beginners.

updated 4 months ago
Difficulty
Beginner
PhotoFriendlyShore entry

At a glance

Activity
dive
Difficulty
beginner
Best months
Year-round

Top operators here

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Map

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East Abu Dabab 3 location map © Google · Map data © Google, contributors
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Conditions today

Conditions

Open-Meteo
Wind
7.1 kn
Wave
0.52 m
Water
29.7°C
N E S W
Wind direction (7d)
Primary: NW (29%)
Now: NW (314°)
Tide (7 days)
range: 0.46m

Next: Low at 06:00 (-0.13m)

+0.3 m0 m-0.1 m
▼ 06:00 · -0.13m ▲ 13:00 · +0.06m ▼ 19:00 · -0.06m ▲ 01:00 · +0.07m
Sat 19Sun 20Mon 21Tue 22Wed 23Thu 24Fri 25
UV7.35 · high Air PM2.525 · moderate 06:28 18:40
Day Wind Wave UV Rain
09-19 17.6 1.12 7 0mm
09-20 17.2 1.28 7 0mm
09-21 16.7 1.14 7 0mm
09-22 12.6 0.84 7 0mm
09-23 14.7 0.9 7 0mm
09-24 18.7 0.98 7 0mm
09-25 19 1.36 7 0mm

About this spot

East Abu Dabab 3 sits along Egypt's Red Sea coast near Abu Dabbab, offering consistent diving conditions throughout the year. The site has logged observations of 12 distinct marine species, giving divers good odds of encountering diverse reef life. Coral here shows no stress indicators, meaning the reef ecosystem remains vibrant and colorful—a strong draw for photographers and marine life enthusiasts. The spot lies outside a marine protected area, so access is straightforward without special permits. Community video documentation (3 videos available) provides useful reference footage for trip planning. These firsthand accounts help divers understand the site's layout, current patterns, and typical visibility before committing to a dive. Egypt's Red Sea diving draws visitors year-round, and East Abu Dabab 3 fits that pattern. Whether you're planning winter diving to escape cold water or summer exploration, conditions remain fishable. The absence of bleaching stress suggests the reef has resilience—an encouraging sign for sustainable diving.

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

Best months

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

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 ↔ 4156km · ~956kg · €17

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 East Abu Dabab 3?

This site is diveable year-round. Egypt's Red Sea remains warm throughout the year, so pick your travel window based on crowds and personal preference rather than seasonal conditions.

What marine life will I see here?

12 species have been documented at East Abu Dabab 3. Community videos (3 available) show typical encounters; watch them before your trip to set realistic expectations for the dive.

Is the reef healthy?

Yes. The coral at this site shows no bleaching stress, indicating the reef ecosystem is stable and colorful. That makes it a solid choice for reef photography and marine observation.

Do I need permits to dive here?

East Abu Dabab 3 is not within a marine protected area, so standard Egyptian diving regulations apply. Check with local operators for current entry requirements and any local rules.

Operators near this spot

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

Blue Ocean

4 km
4.5 (246 reviews) closed
Dive centre
Verified Booked 40+ times this month
Hours: Friday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Dive Center

4.1 km
Dive centre

Boot House

4.4 km
Dive centre

Back House

4.5 km
Dive centre

Orca Dive Club Moreen Beach

7.1 km
4.7 (98 reviews) closed
Dive centre
Verified Booked 49+ times this month
Hours: Friday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Sea Secrets Divers

7.3 km
Dive centre

Recently spotted by divers

iNaturalist →

Verified marine species observations

77 records · 38 species · sources: OBIS, GBIF

Tursiops truncatus

Common bottlenose dolphin
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Last seen:
15 Nov 2025
×2records

Aplysia nigrocincta

Gastropoda · Aplysiidae
OBIS
Last seen:
26 Jun 2025
×1records
Depth:
7 m

Favorinus mirabilis

ウツセミミノウミウシ
Gastropoda · Facelinidae
OBIS
Last seen:
17 Jun 2025
×2records
Depth:
7 m

Tursiops aduncus

Indian ocean bottlenose dolphin
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Last seen:
21 Jul 2013
×2records

Tursiops aduncus

Indian ocean bottlenose dolphin
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Last seen:
19 Nov 2012
×4records

Phyllidiopsis sinaiensis

Gastropoda · Phyllidiidae
OBIS
Last seen:
27 Oct 2012
×1records

Stenella longirostris

Spinner dolphin
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Last seen:
22 Sept 2012
×5records

Glossodoris hikuerensis

Gastropoda · Chromodorididae
OBIS
Last seen:
19 Sept 2012
×1records

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Gastropoda · Phyllidiidae
OBIS
Last seen:
17 Sept 2012
×1records

Tursiops

Bottlenose dolphins
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Last seen:
30 Mar 2012
×2records

Chromodoris quadricolor

Gastropoda · Chromodorididae
OBIS
Last seen:
29 Dec 2011
×2records

Halgerda paulayi

Gastropoda · Discodorididae
OBIS
Last seen:
29 Dec 2011
×1records

Data: 187,991 observations from OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System) and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility). CC-BY 4.0.

See this spot in action

YouTube videos — click to play.

Abu Dabab 2 and 3 dive 18 10 14

Ivan Donoghue

Day 12 Abu Dabab 1 West and East with big dive Boat

Jon French

Check Dive Abo Dabab 3 South Egypt Red Sea

keepondiving

Local knowledge

OpenStreetMap Notes
  • "Forwarding anonymous report from #mapycom user, please verify: There are new hotel buildings no. 6,7."

    Pan Perníček · 2026-01-14
  • "Here should be Bliss Nada Beach Resort hotel (Al Qusair - Marsa Allam Rd, Marsa Alam, Red Sea Governorate 1926721) Website: https://nada.bliss-resorts.com Phone: +2 0101 103 9700"

    anonymous · 2024-11-03
wind peaks Jun-Sep-May, calmest Jan-Dec-Nov, 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: Aug (100/100) Worst: Feb (0/100) Now: Sep (100/100) NOAA MODIS Aqua · 5y mean

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