Thomas Reef

Thomas Reef is the smallest and often the most current-swept of the four Tiran Strait reefs, and many seasoned Red Sea divers rank it as their favourite. Its compact size means that on calmer days, divers can circumnavigate the entire reef in a single dive, experiencing different walls and marine encounters on each face. The reef's walls are draped in some of the most stunning soft coral displays in the Red Sea — vast curtains of purple, red, and orange Dendronephthya soft corals cling to every surface, creating a kaleidoscope of colour when lit by torch or strobe. The nutrient-rich currents that sweep through the strait feed these corals and attract schooling fish in impressive numbers. Grey reef sharks and whitetip reef sharks are regular visitors, patrolling the outer edges of the reef. Hawksbill turtles feed on sponges along the wall, unfazed by diver presence. Massive schools of barracuda and giant trevally dominate the blue water, and Napoleon wrasse cruise along the wall at depth. The eastern face, which bears the strongest current, tends to have the best pelagic action but demands confident drift-diving skills. The western side offers more sheltered conditions and equally beautiful coral scenery. The reef top at 3–5 meters provides a perfect safety stop among hard corals and clouds of anthias. Thomas Reef is accessed by boat from Sharm el-Sheikh and is often combined with Jackson Reef on the same dive trip.

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