Dive Sites

The Horseshoe-shaped Samadai Reef, better known as Dolphin House, is a protected marine sanctuary a short boat ride south of Marsa Alam. The shallow lagoon inside the reef is a natural resting place for large pods of spinner dolphins, while divers explore the outer walls, coral pinnacles and small caverns along the outside of the horseshoe. Clear water, sunlit coral gardens and a carefully managed zone system make this one of the most iconic and accessible sites in the area for both divers and snorkelers.

Om Halhalla is an offshore fringing reef reached by speedboat in the north of Marsa Alam. It consists of a main reef plateau with scattered coral pinnacles to the north and north-west, forming an almost aquarium-like landscape of shallow canyons, sandy patches and coral towers. Dives are usually done as relaxed drifts along the outer reef and between the pinnacles, with beautiful light beams filtering through overhangs and small caverns, healthy hard and soft corals and very rich reef life.

Abu Dabab 2 & 3, also known as Gota Abu Dabbab, are two circular offshore reefs north of Marsa Alam. A wide, shallow plateau connects the reefs and forms a maze of coral pinnacles, canyons and sandy patches, ideal for relaxed reef, wall and drift dives. Stunning hard and soft coral formations, swim-throughs and cavern-like passages make this site perfect for varied multi-dive days by speedboat.

Abu Dabbab 4 is a quieter reef in the Abu Dabbab area north of Marsa Alam. It is a long stretch of reef with large coral pinnacles and massive coral blocks to the south and south-east, opening into a huge coral garden between roughly 12 and 22 m, dotted with big coral tables and boulders. The site feels like a wide open underwater park: excellent visibility and plenty of space to weave in and out of the pinnacles on relaxed reef and drift dives.

Abu Dabbab 5 is the southernmost reef of the Abu Dabbab chain and feels like a quiet macro playground away from the busier sites. It is a long offshore reef with sandy slopes that drop into a wide plateau, cut by an easy shallow canyon system and dotted with large coral pinnacles and blocks. Well-camouflaged critters, hidden caves and gentle drift profiles make this a favourite for relaxed exploration and slow, detail-oriented dives.

Marsa Mubarak is a sheltered natural bay north of Marsa Alam, famous for its seagrass meadows where large green turtles graze and dugongs are occasionally seen.
Calm, clear water, a gently sloping sandy bottom and fringing coral reefs along the bay’s sides make it an ideal spot for relaxed dives and snorkeling, suitable for all experience levels.

Sha’ab Marsa Alam is a long, kidney-shaped fringing reef about 4 km off Marsa Alam town. The reef offers several distinct areas in one site: lush hard-coral gardens in the north-west, a smaller coral garden in the east, a small wreck on the southern side and some cavern-like swim-throughs in the middle. Gentle to moderate currents make it a classic Red Sea drift and reef dive with plenty of variety in a single day.

Marsa Egla is a wide, natural sandy bay about 11–13 km north of Marsa Alam, with easy shore entry and very calm conditions that make it one of the area’s most popular and accessible shore dives. A central belt of seagrass between the northern and southern fringing reefs attracts green turtles and, with some luck, even dugongs, while the gently sloping bottom leads out to colourful hard and soft coral gardens. Along the north and south reefs you’ll find parrotfish, butterflyfish, wrasses, lionfish, moray eels and scorpionfish, with occasional barracudas or eagle rays cruising along the deeper outer edge.

Marsa Assalaya is a wide, shallow sandy bay just north of Marsa Alam, easily accessed from the shore and ideal for both diving and snorkeling. A gently sloping bottom leads over a central seagrass meadow, where green turtles – and occasionally even a dugong – come to feed, while colourful fringing reefs on the north and south sides offer healthy hard and soft coral gardens. Calm conditions and clear water make Marsa Assalaya suitable for all experience levels, from relaxed training and easy shore dives to longer reef explorations along the outer edge.

Marsa Samadai is a wide, sheltered bay south of Marsa Alam with an easy sandy beach entry. From here you follow either the northern or southern fringing reef out of the bay, where the outside reef slopes gently down and opens into coral gardens and small pinnacles. Calm conditions, a clear layout and plenty of time on the shallow reef make the outside reef of Marsa Samadai a very relaxed shore dive by day and a beautiful option for late afternoon or night dives.

Shaab Eschta is a long reef stretching west to east, rising right up to the surface and offering excellent shelter from wind and waves. Often used as a backup plan on rougher days, it still ranks among the most beautiful dive sites in the area, with options for everything from very shallow reef dives to slightly deeper coral gardens and small pinnacles along the outer side.

Torfa el Mesheich is a long coastal reef, stretching roughly 2.5–3 km along the shoreline inside Wadi el Gemal National Park. With shallow lagoons, turtle cleaning stations, coral blocks and colourful coral pillars, the site feels like an open underwater corridor packed with life. Often nicknamed “the turtle house” for its many resident green and hawksbill turtles, it offers varied and rewarding dives for a wide range of experience levels.

Shaab Eman is a compact reef within the Wadi el Gemal National Park, rising close to the surface and offering good shelter from waves on windy days. Colourful coral gardens, sandy patches and small channels around the reef make it a versatile site with easy, relaxed dives and a lot of variety in a relatively small area.

Gota al Shalaniat is a large offshore reef just west of Wadi el Gemal Island, part of a small group of reefs naturally sheltered from wind and waves. The main reef wall drops to a sandy seabed, while a separate coral-covered habili to the north forms a maze of pinnacles and blocks, creating vibrant coral gardens and plenty of schooling fish. With several possible dive profiles – from the main reef to the northern coral labyrinth and a quieter southern mooring area – this site offers varied boat dives and, with a bit of luck, encounters with bottlenose dolphins and swirling schools of barracuda.

Abu Ghosun (Hamada Wreck) is a unique wreck dive inside Wadi el Gemal National Park. The 65-metre freighter Hamada ran aground and sank in 1993 and now lies on its starboard side on a sandy slope in about 5–18 m of water. Parts of the wreck are so shallow that you can even snorkel them, making it one of the most accessible and photogenic wrecks in the southern Red Sea.

Named after the Arabic word for “colorful,” Habili Milauwin is one of our very own house reef dives at Wanderlust Blue – a vibrant dive site with two striking pinnacles rising between the main reef and the open blue. This hidden gem offers a stunning mix of reef life and soft corals in a dramatic underwater setting right on our doorstep.

Habili Amar is one of our ver own house reef dives at Wanderlust Blue – a unique site with a single striking pinnacle and a long reef formation that stretches out like an underwater street. The combination of dramatic structure and rich coral growth makes it an exciting dive to explore in every direction.

Habili Abu Scharara North is the northern section of our house reef at Wanderlust Blue – a colourful reef dotted with small pinnacles and draped in soft corals. A lively mix of reef fish, turtles and the occasional shark cruises through the coral blocks, with plenty of nooks and overhangs to explore. It’s a relaxed, easy dive with something to discover at every turn, ideal for slow, detail-focused dives right on our doorstep.

Habili Abu Scharara South is the southern section of our house reef at Wanderlust Blue – a stunning coral garden bursting with life, where soft and hard corals create the stage for schooling reef fish and exciting encounters with pelagic visitors. Gentle contours, scattered pinnacles and the open blue just a short fin-kick away make this an ideal site for relaxed dives with the chance of a little adrenaline.