Abu Dabbab

Marsa Alam · Red Sea · Egypt

Abu Dabbab is a sheltered sandy bay along the Marsa Alam coast, famous throughout the diving world for its resident dugong — one of only a handful of locations in the Red Sea where this rare marine mammal can be reliably encountered. The bay features extensive seagrass beds on a gentle sandy slope reaching 18–20 meters, where the dugong feeds on the grass, surfacing periodically to breathe. Green sea turtles are equally abundant, grazing alongside the dugong and showing remarkable tolerance of human presence. Snorkellers and divers regularly swim within meters of these gentle animals. Beyond the megafauna stars, Abu Dabbab hosts excellent macro life in its seagrass and sandy habitats. Guitarfish (shovelnose rays) rest on the sand and are regularly encountered. Blue-spotted stingrays are abundant, and patient searchers find seahorses and robust ghost pipefish among the seagrass. Octopuses hunt across the sandy bottom, and various species of moray eels occupy coral bommies scattered across the bay. The entry is from a beautiful sandy beach with a resort providing facilities, making it one of the most comfortable dive entries in Egypt. The shallow, calm conditions make Abu Dabbab perfect for introductory dives, snorkelling excursions, and underwater photography. While the bay lacks dramatic walls or coral coverage, the unique wildlife encounters — particularly the dugong — make it one of the most special dive sites in the Red Sea region.