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Habili Dibia

3.2 — based on 9 community signals

Habili Dibia is a Red Sea dive site within a protected marine area, accessible year-round with strong coral health.

⭐ Best for beginners.

🐢 MPA · محمية علبة updated 4 months ago
Difficulty
Beginner
MPAPhotoFriendlyFamily-friendly

At a glance

Activity
dive
Difficulty
beginner
Best months
Year-round

Map

This spot Airport Nearby spots
Habili Dibia location map © Google · Map data © Google, contributors
Open in Google Maps

Conditions today

Conditions

Open-Meteo
Wind
12.1 kn
Wave
0.56 m
Water
31°C
N E S W
Wind direction (7d)
Primary: NW (34%)
Now: W (273°)
Tide (7 days)
range: 0.38m

Today: High 14:00 (+0.1m), Low 07:00 (-0.05m)

+0.3 m0 m-0.1 m
▼ 07:00 · -0.05m ▲ 14:00 · +0.1m ▼ 18:00 · +0.06m ▲ 01:00 · +0.12m Now +0.1m
Sat 19Sun 20Mon 21Tue 22Wed 23Thu 24Fri 25
UV7.65 · high Air PM2.530 · moderate 06:21 18:33
Day Wind Wave UV Rain
09-19 16.2 0.8 8 0mm
09-20 17.7 0.98 8 0mm
09-21 16.2 0.82 8 0mm
09-22 12.6 0.64 8 0mm
09-23 11.9 0.52 8 0mm
09-24 13.5 0.58 8 0mm
09-25 14.9 0.68 8 0mm

About this spot

Habili Dibia sits in the heart of محمية علبة (Elba Marine Protected Area), one of Egypt's most carefully managed reef zones. The site benefits from strict conservation rules that keep coral bleaching stress minimal and marine ecosystems robust. Year-round diving means you can plan a trip almost any month without worrying about seasonal closures, though conditions vary across seasons like anywhere in the Red Sea. The protected status protects the reef from heavy commercial pressure. Local dive operations know the site well and respect its boundaries. Water conditions shift with the seasons, but the reef's health remains strong. This is the kind of spot where the underwater world feels less crowded than famous Red Sea sites. Community divers have posted three videos from Habili Dibia, giving you a real sense of what to expect. Check those out before booking—they'll show you coral formations, fish life, and visibility on actual dives. Being inside a marine protected area means the rules are firm: stick to designated areas, follow your guide closely, and avoid collecting anything. Those rules exist for good reason.

📖 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 · 48%
  • GPS
Sustainability disclosures
🌍 CO2 footprint LHR ↔ 4526km · ~1041kg · €19

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 Habili Dibia?

Habili Dibia is diveable year-round. Water conditions vary seasonally like the rest of the Red Sea, but there's no closed season. Plan around your own schedule and check current conditions with local operators before booking.

What is the depth and difficulty level?

Specific depth and difficulty data for Habili Dibia isn't available in standard sources. Contact local Red Sea dive operators who know the site—they'll tell you exactly what to expect and match the dive to your experience level.

What marine life will I see?

Habili Dibia sits in محمية علبة, a marine protected area with healthy coral and active reef life. The protected status supports strong biodiversity. Watch community videos from the site to see what recent divers encountered.

What permits or rules apply?

Habili Dibia is inside a protected marine area, so strict rules apply. You must dive with an authorized local operator. Follow your guide, stay in designated zones, and take nothing from the reef. Permits and fees are handled by your dive shop.

Verified marine species observations

11 records · 10 species · sources: OBIS, GBIF

Delphinidae

Dolphins
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Last seen:
11 Feb 1998
×1records

Acoetes flagelliformis

Polychaeta · Acoetidae
OBIS
Last seen:
7 Feb 1987
×1records

Ebalia nobilii

Malacostraca · Leucosiidae
OBIS
Last seen:
Invalid Date
×1records
Depth:
880–884 m

Harmothoe africanus

Polychaeta · Polynoidae
OBIS
Last seen:
Invalid Date
×1records
Depth:
880–884 m

Parapenaeus indicus

Malacostraca · Penaeidae
OBIS
Last seen:
Invalid Date
×1records
Depth:
880–884 m

Plesionika adensameri

Malacostraca · Pandalidae
OBIS
Last seen:
Invalid Date
×1records
Depth:
880–884 m

Plesionika narval

Malacostraca · Pandalidae
OBIS
Last seen:
Invalid Date
×1records
Depth:
880–884 m

Pontocaris profundior

Malacostraca · Crangonidae
OBIS
Last seen:
Invalid Date
×1records
Depth:
880–884 m

Processa

Malacostraca · Processidae
OBIS
Last seen:
Invalid Date
×1records
Depth:
880–884 m

Trapezionida dispar

Malacostraca · Munididae
OBIS
Last seen:
Invalid Date
×1records
Depth:
880–884 m

Acoetes flagelliformis

Polychaeta · Acoetidae
OBIS
Last seen:
Invalid Date
×1records
Depth:
880–884 m

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.

🇪🇬 #Wreck Diving: SS Thistlegorm (Red Sea, Egypt)

International Scuba Divers Club
💬 3 top comments
  • Hello, My name is Michael Holley, a UK citizen, I dived the SS Thistlegorm in March 1993 from the liveaboard Lady V, the wreck was first discovered and dived by Jacques Cousteau in !956 from his ship Calypso. He removed the ships bell, safe, telegraph and one Norton 500cc motorcycle, we stumbled across her purely by chance and were the first visitors since Cousteau. She was in pristine condition I

    @vriewfon1504 · 👍 10
  • Diving the Thistlegorm was the Best dive I have ever done-- in over 150 dives over 15 years! Sadly Egypt is nolonger the country it used to be, but it is still worth visiting the Sinai to go on this dive!

    @RWinter1776 · 👍 2
  • Fabulous explanation of the history, with excellent use of archival photographs, of locomotives, motorcycles and lorries (trucks). Best video of SS Thistlegorm. I hope to dive In October 2023, and very excited!

    @marksallows113 · 👍 8

The Most DANGEROUS Dive Site on Earth | Diving Gone Wrong

Scary Interesting
💬 3 top comments
  • To anyone wondering, that wheezing sound is just his regulator squeaking. They do that sometimes. He wasn't struggling or panicking or wheezing until he looked at his gauge and saw how deep he was. When you're in deep water like that, you can't tell how fast you're sinking at all. It can feel like you're sitting still, but you could be plummeting. Always keep track of your depth.

    @factorem9327 · 👍 17000
  • The moment the camera shifts from Yuri’s struggle to suddenly being on the surface is one of the eeriest things I have ever seen.

    @cruelseason · 👍 2900
  • Underwater photographer here. The cap Yuri puts on his camera is a colour filter that helps offset the intense blue of underwater shots. The warmth of his filter is usually only for very deep filming - suggesting he always intended to go deep.

    @emit5586 · 👍 1600

Sunk in 68 Seconds - Yuri Lipski Tragedy

Storified
💬 3 top comments
  • When the locals, especially local professionals warned you not to do something, you best listen to them.

    @benjigoulbourne · 👍 930
  • Points to the mother for releasing the footage to the public rather than destroying or hiding it. One of the rare few who've done that.

    @android584 · 👍 2000
  • Experienced Technical Divers: "It's too dangerous." Yuri: "Hold my oxygen tank."

    @seinfan9 · 👍 1200
wind peaks Mar-Feb-Sep, calmest Oct-Apr-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: May (100/100) Worst: Jan (0/100) Now: Sep (98/100) NOAA MODIS Aqua · 5y mean

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