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A diver in a drysuit exploring the ocean depths with full scuba gear.
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St John's Habili Gaffar

3.6 — based on 18 community signals
4.2 12 especies 28 colaboradores

St John's Habili Gaffar is a Red Sea dive site in Egypt's Elba Marine Protected Area, open year-round with healthy coral and rich marine life.

⭐ Best for beginners.

🐢 MPA · محمية علبة updated 4 months ago
Dificultad
Principiante
MPAShore entryYearRoundPhotoFriendly

De un vistazo

Actividad
dive
Dificultad
beginner
Mejores meses
Todo el año

Mapa

Este spot Aeropuerto Spots cercanos
Mapa de ubicación de St John's Habili Gaffar © Google · Datos del mapa © Google, colaboradores
Abrir en Google Maps

Condiciones hoy

Condiciones

Open-Meteo
Viento
18.5 kn
Olas
0.88 m
Agua
30.5°C
N E S W
Wind direction (7d)
Primary: N (56%)
Now: NNW (338°)
Marea (7 días)
amplitud: 0.38m

Hoy: Alta 13:00 (+0.07m), Baja 06:00 (-0.07m)

+0.3 m0 m-0.1 m
▼ 06:00 · -0.07m ▲ 13:00 · +0.07m ▼ 19:00 · +0m ▲ 01:00 · +0.1m Ahora +0.1m
Sáb 19Dom 20Lun 21Mar 22Mié 23Jue 24Vie 25
UV7.4 · high Aire PM2.526 · moderate 06:24 18:36
Día Viento Olas UV Lluvia
09-19 19.5 0.98 7 0mm
09-20 21.2 1.12 7 0mm
09-21 20.4 1.06 7 0mm
09-22 19.1 0.88 7 0mm
09-23 16.9 0.8 7 0mm
09-24 18.1 0.96 7 0mm
09-25 19.5 1.08 7 0mm

About this spot

St John's Habili Gaffar sits within Egypt's Elba Marine Protected Area (محمية علبة), one of the Red Sea's most pristine zones. The site welcomes divers throughout the year, making it accessible whether you plan a winter escape or summer expedition. The reef shows no signs of coral bleaching stress, indicating strong ecological health and stable conditions for growth. The spot has attracted documented marine observations across 12 recorded species sightings, offering consistent encounters with Red Sea fauna. Three community-submitted videos provide real-world footage of the dive experience, useful for understanding site character and planning your dive profile. As a protected-area dive site, St John's Habili Gaffar benefits from active conservation management. This status protects the reef structure and marine populations, which translates to better visibility, healthier corals, and more predictable marine activity. The year-round access window means you can schedule around your availability rather than seasonal windows. Divers should confirm current access protocols with local operators, as marine protected areas sometimes require specific permitting or guide requirements. Check locally on exact depth profiles, visibility forecasts, and current conditions before your trip.

📖 Guía: Buceo en Egipto: 258 Sitios desde Pecios hasta Tiburones Martillo

Mejores meses

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

Tipos de buceo

Arrecife

Esenciales del viaje

Todo lo que necesitas antes de hacer la maleta — checklist, sol, logística.

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
Información de sostenibilidad
🌍 CO2 footprint MAD ↔ 4130km · ~950kg · €17

Desde tu país de salida

Estados Unidos
Puntuación de origen: 59/100
  • Visado: Visado a la llegada · 30 días máx.
  • Vuelo: 8h · directo
  • Jet-lag: 7h este · 5 días de recuperación

Preguntas frecuentes

Can I dive St John's Habili Gaffar year-round?

Yes. The site is open to diving throughout the year, though seasonal swells and currents may affect conditions. Check with local operators for current weather and sea state before booking.

What marine life will I see here?

The site has 12 documented species observations. Typical Red Sea fauna includes reef fish, rays, and pelagics, though specific species lists vary by season. Three community videos show real dive footage of local marine activity.

Is the coral healthy?

Yes. St John's Habili Gaffar shows no coral bleaching stress and sits within Egypt's Elba Marine Protected Area, which maintains strong reef health through active conservation.

Do I need permits to dive here?

The site is within a marine protected area. Local dive operators can advise on current access rules, required guides, and any permitting. Confirm requirements before your trip.

Recently spotted by divers

iNaturalist →

Observaciones verificadas de especies marinas

112 registros · 27 especies · fuentes: OBIS, GBIF

Taeniura lymma

Elasmobranchii · Dasyatidae
GBIF
Última observación:
26 mar 2024
×1registros

Hyrtios erectus

Demospongiae · Thorectidae
GBIF
Última observación:
26 mar 2024
×1registros

Dardanus lagopodes

Malacostraca · Diogenidae
GBIF
Última observación:
26 mar 2024
×1registros

Pseudorca crassidens

False killer whale
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Última observación:
8 ago 2013
×1registros

Stenella longirostris

Spinner dolphin
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Última observación:
9 ago 2012
×14registros

Stenella attenuata

Pantropical spotted dolphin
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Última observación:
17 jul 2012
×11registros

Tursiops truncatus

Common bottlenose dolphin
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Última observación:
17 jul 2012
×5registros

Grampus griseus

Risso's dolphin
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Última observación:
16 jul 2012
×1registros

Balaenoptera edeni

Eden's whale
Mammalia · Balaenopteridae
OBIS
Última observación:
10 jul 2012
×3registros

Eubranchus mandapamensis

Gastropoda · Eubranchidae
OBIS
Última observación:
27 jun 2012
×1registros

Pseudorca crassidens

False killer whale
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Última observación:
23 jun 2012
×1registros

Stenella attenuata

Pantropical spotted dolphin
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Última observación:
26 jun 2011
×4registros

Datos: 187.991 observaciones de OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System) y GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility). CC-BY 4.0.

See this spot in action

YouTube videos — click to play.

Dive at St. John's Habili Jaffar, Red Sea, 1June2025 (4K)

Kerstin's Dive Tales

Liveaboard Egypt Red Sea - Rocky Island & Habili Gaffar (Deep South) - Tauchsafari Ägypten

Frank Ude
💬 3 top comments
  • so schön 😍

    @ninaxfandom5368 · 👍 0
  • That Miniatus Grouper @ 2:03 is a beautiful fish. I had one for many years when I had my saltwater tank setup.

    @captainmorgan1107 · 👍 0
  • 🌴☀

    @AceHardy · 👍 0

Diving Egypt Red Sea - Daedalus Reef, Rocky & Zabargad, St. John´s Cave, Habili Ali Reef

Frank Ude
💬 3 top comments
  • cool

    @ninaxfandom5368 · 👍 1
  • هذا بلادي وهذا عملي واحبه كثيرا

    @عاشقالبحر-غ6ب · 👍 1
  • Super Video, sehr geil gefilmt und super geschnitten. Musik perfekt für den Film. Mit welchem Programm arbeitest du? VG Lutz

    @lutzplettig3262 · 👍 0
wind peaks Feb-Sep-Mar, calmest Aug-Nov-Jul, dry Jan-Dec.

Clima mensual de 5 años

60 muestras
0 5 10 15 20 25 JFMAMJJASOND
rango p25–p75 Mediana Viento (nudos) Aire (°C)
Visibility (month-by-month)
Best: Aug (100/100) Worst: Jan (0/100) Now: Sep (100/100) NOAA MODIS Aqua · 5y mean

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