South Sinai dive sites
Egypt · Browse dive locations by depth, type and conditions.
Best Season
Year-round, March-November, March to November
Skill Levels
all-levels, advanced, beginner, intermediate
Nearby Cities
Dahab, Nuweiba, Sharm El Sheikh, Sharm el-Sheikh
All dive sites
Eel Garden
Dahab · South Sinai · Egypt
A classic Dahab shore dive featuring vast colonies of garden eels swaying on a sandy plateau, flanked by healthy coral reef walls and an easy entry that makes it perfect for divers of all levels seeking relaxed Red Sea diving.
Gordon Reef Approach
Sharm El Sheikh · South Sinai · Egypt
The northern approach to Gordon Reef in the Strait of Tiran, where a drift dive along the reef's outer wall delivers encounters with pelagic fish, reef sharks, and occasional hammerheads in the nutrient-rich currents flowing between the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea.
Lighthouse Reef North
Dahab · South Sinai · Egypt
The northern extension of Dahab's famous Lighthouse reef, where the coral garden gives way to a sloping reef with dense hard coral coverage, resident octopuses, and a quieter atmosphere than the heavily dived southern section.
Middle Garden
Sharm El Sheikh · South Sinai · Egypt
A classic Sharm El Sheikh reef garden between the Near and Far Garden sites, featuring a stunning coral amphitheatre, resident green turtles, and some of the healthiest hard coral formations on the Sinai coastline.
Nuweiba Coral Reef
Nuweiba · South Sinai · Egypt
A quiet stretch of fringing reef along the Gulf of Aqaba coast north of Dahab where Bedouin-run dive operations offer uncrowded shore diving over pristine coral gardens, with regular seahorse, octopus, and Napoleon wrasse sightings.
Ras Um Sid
Sharm el-Sheikh · South Sinai · Egypt
A dramatic headland reef at Sharm el-Sheikh's southern tip where gorgonian fan forests grow in extraordinary density, lionfish congregate in the hundreds, and shore access makes it one of the Red Sea's most versatile dive sites.
Small Crack
Dahab · South Sinai · Egypt
A narrow fissure in the reef flat north of Dahab where divers squeeze through a dramatic canyon barely a metre wide, emerging onto a pristine coral wall with exceptional macro life and glassfish-filled caverns.
Woodhouse Reef
Sharm el-Sheikh · South Sinai · Egypt
The longest reef in the Tiran Strait, a narrow coral ridge stretching nearly a kilometer between Jackson and Thomas reefs, where currents funnel pelagic life along dramatic drop-offs and a cargo ship wreck sits on the northern tip.
Dive centers in South Sinai
Octopus World Dahab Dive Center
قسم سانت كاترين، محافظة جنوب سيناء 8772524 · South Sinai · Egypt
Dahab Divers Lodge - Padi 5* dive centre Dahab
Masbat · South Sinai · Egypt
Scuba Seekers
Magra El Seil · South Sinai · Egypt
AQUA DIVERS
Dahab 122 · South Sinai · Egypt
Fun Divers Diving Club
Lighthouse District · South Sinai · Egypt
Octopus divers
قسم دهب، محافظة جنوب سيناء 46617 · South Sinai · Egypt
Circle Divers Dahab
Dahab · South Sinai · Egypt
Seamax Sharm Dive Center
27°54'35"N 34°19'33"E Kanabesh Village · South Sinai · Egypt
Circle Divers Sharm El Sheikh
Ras Um Sid · South Sinai · Egypt
Sheikh Coast Diving Center
Sharm El-Sheikh Main Entry Rd · South Sinai · Egypt
Cinderella Eldawley Diving Center
South Sinai Governorate 46619 · South Sinai · Egypt
Reef Oasis Dive Club - Blue Bay
Sharm El Sheikh 1 · South Sinai · Egypt
Blue Sea Dive Club Sharm (White Hills)
Sharm El Sheikh 2 · South Sinai · Egypt
Dive Club Italiano Centro Sub - Sharm
1 · South Sinai · Egypt
Sea Life Sharm Diving Center
Sharm El Sheikh 2 · South Sinai · Egypt
Goat Diving
Naama Bay · South Sinai · Egypt
Shark Divers - the dive club in sharm
Hadabet Um EL Sid · South Sinai · Egypt
Big Whale dive center
Sharm El Sheikh 1 · South Sinai · Egypt
Blue Lagoon Diving Center Sharm el Sheikh
Ras Nasrani · South Sinai · Egypt
Red Sea Diving College
أسوان 8763116 · South Sinai · Egypt
Dolphin Diving Center
Sharm El Sheikh 2 · South Sinai · Egypt
Diving in South Sinai
South Sinai offers reef, drift dive sites across 4 locations. Browse dive locations by depth, type and conditions before planning your dive.
FAQ
Where exactly is Eel Garden in Dahab?
Eel Garden is located on the coast approximately 1.5 kilometres north of Dahab centre, between the Lighthouse site to the south and the Golden Blocks site to the north. Access is via a clearly marked entry point with a sandy path leading to the water. Most Dahab dive centres include transport to the entry point, or it can be reached by a short walk or bicycle ride from the main promenade.
How close can I get to the garden eels?
Garden eels are notoriously shy and will retract into their burrows when divers approach too quickly. The key is an extremely slow approach, ideally from a low position hugging the sand. Experienced photographers may spend 15 to 20 minutes inching forward to achieve close-up shots. Moving too fast will cause a wave of retraction across the colony. Using a longer focal length lens allows satisfying images without disturbing the animals.
Can I combine Eel Garden with other Dahab dive sites?
Eel Garden can be combined with adjacent sites for longer dives. Swimming south along the reef leads to the Golden Blocks area and eventually toward the Lighthouse site. Some divers enter at Eel Garden and exit at Lighthouse for a one-way drift covering multiple reef sections. Alternatively, two separate shore dives at different sites is common in Dahab due to the easy access nature of all sites along the coast.
How does the Gordon Reef Approach differ from Gordon Reef itself?
The standard Gordon Reef dive follows the southern and eastern reef wall in moderate current. The northern approach is a more advanced drift dive along the exposed outer wall where the full force of the Tiran Strait current hits the reef. This outer wall attracts larger pelagic species including sharks and big schools of jack and barracuda. The approach requires experienced current management skills and is typically only offered by operators to advanced divers when conditions allow safe execution.
What current conditions should I expect?
Currents at the Gordon Reef Approach can be very strong, typically two to three knots with occasional surges higher. The current direction is primarily north to south through the strait, though it can reverse. Dive briefings cover current direction, entry and exit points, and emergency procedures. Divers should carry surface marker buoys and be comfortable with negative entries in current. The strength of the current is what attracts pelagic life, so the trade-off between effort and reward is fundamental to the experience.