Egypt
Photo: Stephan Ernst / Pexels
Marsa Alam is Egypt's premier southern Red Sea diving destination — a 200 km stretch of pristine fringing reefs, offshore pinnacles, and protected marine parks far from the crowds of Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada. Once a quiet fishing village, it transformed into a world-class dive hub after its international airport opened in 2003. The region's crown jewel is Elphinstone Reef, an offshore pinnacle 11 km from shore where oceanic whitetip sharks (Oct-Dec) and scalloped hammerheads (May-Aug) patrol walls that plunge beyond 200 meters. Abu Dabbab Bay offers one of the rare places on Earth to reliably dive with dugongs — only seven individuals inhabit the entire Egyptian Red Sea coast. Shaab Samadai (Dolphin House) hosts a resident pod of spinner dolphins inside a protected horseshoe lagoon. The Fury Shoals area south of Wadi Lahami offers over 30 pristine offshore reefs with coral gardens, wrecks, and pelagic action. With year-round diving, water temperatures from 22-30°C, visibility reaching 60 meters offshore, and shore-accessible sites that rival any boat dive, Marsa Alam delivers the full Red Sea experience at every skill level — from beginner seagrass bays to advanced-only drift walls.
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22–30 °C
20–60 m
2–100 m
Moderate
April to December — peak conditions June to October with calm seas, 30-60m offshore visibility, and warm 28-30°C water. Hammerhead season May-Aug at Elphinstone. Oceanic whitetip season Oct-Dec. Whale sharks May-June. Year-round diving possible; even January water stays above 22°C.
| Month | Summary |
|---|---|
| Jan | Coolest water at 23-24°C with 20-30m visibility. Windy season can bring choppy seas at exposed offshore sites but shore-accessible bays remain calm. 5mm wetsuit recommended. Excellent for uncrowded reef diving at budget prices. |
| Feb | Coldest month at 22-23°C water with 20-30m visibility. Windy conditions continue. 5mm wetsuit essential. Fewest tourists of the year. Shore diving at Abu Dabbab, Marsa Egla, and Marsa Shagra delivers reliably despite wind at offshore sites. |
| Mar | Water warming to 23-24°C with 20-30m visibility. Winds begin easing from mid-month. Transitional month with improving conditions. Good time for discovering the broader Marsa Alam reef system before peak-season prices hit. |
| Apr | Water 24-26°C with 15-25m visibility. Plankton bloom season begins, reducing visibility near shore but attracting manta rays and whale sharks. Switch from 5mm to 3mm wetsuit possible mid-month. Good value before summer peak pricing. |
| May | Water 26-28°C with 20-30m visibility. Hammerhead season begins at Elphinstone (peaks through August). Whale shark sightings possible as plankton blooms continue. 3mm wetsuit comfortable. Marine park permits now actively required for Samadai. |
| Jun | Peak summer begins — 27-29°C water, 30-50m visibility at offshore sites. Hammerhead aggregations at Elphinstone (20-40+ sharks). 3mm wetsuit or skin. Calm seas, minimal wind. Best month for offshore reef and wall diving. Whale sharks still present. |
| Jul | Warmest water at 28-30°C with peak visibility 30-60m offshore. Calm seas. Hammerheads continue at Elphinstone. Skin or 3mm wetsuit sufficient. Peak tourist month — book dive centers and liveaboards in advance. Fury Shoals sites in prime condition. |
| Aug | Peak warmth continues at 28-30°C with 30-60m offshore visibility. Last month of prime hammerhead season. Dugong encounters reliable at Abu Dabbab. Spinner dolphins active at Samadai and Satayah. 3mm wetsuit or skin. Book well in advance for August trips. |
| Sep | Water 27-29°C with 25-40m visibility. Transition from summer peak — slightly windier but still excellent conditions. Fewer tourists. Good month for combining offshore and shore sites. Reef sharks year-round at Elphinstone. |
| Oct | Water 26-28°C with 25-35m visibility. Oceanic whitetip shark season begins at Elphinstone. 3mm wetsuit recommended. Excellent shoulder-season month — warm water, good visibility, fewer crowds, lower prices. One of the best months for overall value. |
| Nov | Water 25-27°C with 20-30m visibility. Oceanic whitetips continue at Elphinstone through December peak. 3mm wetsuit. Winds increasing but shore sites remain sheltered. Good value before holiday season. Wadi El Gemal National Park sites in good condition. |
| Dec | Water 24-25°C with 20-30m visibility. Peak oceanic whitetip season at Elphinstone. 5mm wetsuit recommended for multiple dives. Holiday crowds arrive mid-month — book everything in advance. Windy days possible at exposed sites but shore diving and sheltered reefs remain excellent. |
2–12m · Beginner
Macro life
Seagrass beds · Shallow photography
5–25m · Intermediate
Outer reef · Pelagic corridor · Current-dependent
1–20m · Beginner
Seagrass · Turtles
Dugongs
3–20m · Beginner
Wreck · Coral reef · Photography
3–15m · Beginner
Wreck · Coral reef · Snorkeling
3–30m · Beginner
Remote location · Pristine reef · Eco-resort
5–30m · Beginner
Wreck · Coral reef · Shore dive
15–20m · Intermediate
Artificial reef
Small wreck · Coral-encrusted
Species recorded in this destination's wider regional catalogue. A species being listed here does not mean it is seen at this destination — check the note on each card.
Loggerhead Turtle
General species description, not specific to this destination
The Loggerhead Turtle is the largest hard-shelled sea turtle, named for its massive head. While less common than Green and Hawksbill turtles on Caribbean reefs, they can be spotted at deeper reef sites.
Green Sea Turtle
Destination note
Year-round resident at Abu Dabbab, Marsa Shagra, and most seagrass-rich bays; highest numbers at Abu Dabbab and Marsa Mubarak
Hawksbill Turtle
Destination note
Year-round presence on coral reefs throughout the region; commonly sighted at Fury Shoals, Shaab Sharm, and Marsa Shagra reefs
Spotted Eagle Ray
Destination note
Year-round resident on fringing reefs; peak sightings in warmer months Apr-Oct; especially common at Fury Shoals, Shaab Sharm, and outer reef walls
Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin
Destination note
Year-round presence throughout the coastal waters and offshore reefs; commonly sighted from boats during crossings; most active in calm sea conditions
Great Barracuda
General species description, not specific to this destination
The Great Barracuda is an impressive predator with a streamlined body and powerful jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth. They can grow over 6 feet long and often hover motionless near the reef, curious about divers.
Day Octopus
General species description, not specific to this destination
A large reef octopus active during daylight, famous for rapid, dramatic changes in color and skin texture as it hunts crabs and fish across the reef.
Net Fire Coral
General species description, not specific to this destination
A mustard-yellow to tan colonial hydrocoral that grows in upright, repeatedly forked blades, often fusing into net-like fans. It is widespread on Red Sea reef crests and slopes where water moves. Divers recognize it by its smooth, pale, blade-like branches studded with tiny pores.
Table Coral
General species description, not specific to this destination
A plating coral that grows in horizontal tiers or tables up to 2 meters across. Delicate branches fuse into smooth, plate-like surfaces. Pale brown to cream coloration with distinctly lighter white edges at the growing margin.
Painted Spiny Lobster
General species description, not specific to this destination
A strikingly patterned spiny lobster with blue-green banded legs and white-edged markings, sheltering in reef crevices by day and foraging at night. Like all spiny lobsters it lacks large claws.
Black Sea Cucumber
General species description, not specific to this destination
A smooth, jet-black sea cucumber that lies in the open on sandy reef flats, usually dusted with a coat of fine sand.
Spotted Garden Eel
General species description, not specific to this destination
A slender eel with a white body covered in small black spots. Grows to about 40 cm but only the anterior third is visible above the sand. Large eyes adapted for spotting plankton and predators in open water.
Swim with oceanic whitetip sharks, spinner dolphins, and dugongs in Marsa Alam — Egypt's uncrowded southern Red Sea diving paradise.
Diving with oceanic whitetips, spinner dolphins, and dugongs in Marsa Alam. Compare the best dive sites from Elphinstone Reef to Abu Dabbab.
Water 22–30°C, visibility to 40 m, and two distinct seasons. Complete month-by-month guide to diving conditions in Marsa Alam, Egypt's southern Red Sea.
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