No matter if you are a new scuba diver or an advanced one! Let enchant you by extensive coral gardens, impressive steep walls or reefs which rise from the sandy soil. Discover big and small fish in all their colours.
You like it a little bit faster like drift diving or only enjoy the underwater world? Safaga offers something for EVERYONE. Get the first overview with our Safagareef map (PDF) and the following short descriptions.
Dive sites around Safaga - and a bit further!
Our tip:
All drawings are also available as full logbook stickers for only 2,-€.
House reef
Our house reef (directly in front of our door) fits perfect for beginners and for those who want to get used to diving after a longer break. Discover new, little things again and again.
Inshore reefs
Toubia Island
Beginners or 'old hand' divers will find their right spot between 7-30 meters. This dive site is very easy to dive and often visited by dolphins.
Toubia Arbaa
A must see for all divers. Seven beautiful ergs with a lot of underwater life. Colourful soft-hart corals plus sea fans. Turtles, napoleons, fire fishes are waiting for you. That's what Tobia Arbaa stands for. The perfect choice for night dives and photographers.
Ras Abu Soma
There are a variety of dive spots on this 2 km long reef depending on the weather conditions . Ras Abu Soma is also magnificent for drift dives. Very typical for this dive site are the massive table corals, where are often giant moray eels. Here you have the chance to see big fish.
Toubia Hamra
Here you will find big coral gardens interrupted by sandy areas. The number of fish is not exuberant but the underwater landscape is worth a dive.
Abu Soma Garden
The hard coral garden runs parallel to the coast right up to Ras Abu Soma interrupted by sandy areas. You will find tuna, mackerel, porcupine and reef sharks.
The most scenic spot is between 5 and 15 metres. Excellent destination for beginners and advanced divers.
Ras Um Hsewa
This dive site offers no protection from waves. Therefore we recommend only dive here when the sea is calm. Ras Um Hsewa is known for its large and flawless table corals. There are plenty of cleaning stations for giant moray eels. Due to the almost always present drift, big fish can be seen.
Shaab Saiman
Shaab Saiman has it all...spectacular coral formation and a great variety of small and large marine life. The big hard coral garden runs parallel to the coast.
This dive spot located near the open sea is the perfect place to see big fish.
Shaab Saiman is only possible to dive in calm and windless weather.
One Way: Toubia Kebir - Toubia Soraya
Four big blocks are located between Tobia Kebir & Tobia Soraya. It is the perfect spot for drift dives.
Around 60 min scuba diving has to be planned.
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Gamul Soraya
This spot offers the impression of diving in an aquarium.
Gamul Soraya is a very small reef which can be explored in 50 minutes. The colourful coral vegetation and the enormous number of schools of bream -and butterfly fishes, glass fishes, badman fishes and goat fishes let every diver's heart beat faster.
Very well suited for night dives.
Safaga Soraya
Special attention at this dive site is given to the blocks in the east. Because of the weather conditions, this dive site is not visited very often. Therefore the coral growth and the diversity of fish is enormous.
Toubia Kebir
The main reef is shaped oval. You will find a canal between the reef formation in the south and the main reef. If you will dive through the canal you will be at the outside of the reef. You also find a small cave in around 10m with lots of fish. You have the possibility to see rays, lip fish, glass fish and trigger fish.
Toubia Soraya
The two main reef formations with four towers at the northwestern end form a route.
There is a 10 m cave area situated in the eastern block which is the ideal home for glass fish and hatchet fish.
Gamul Kebir
The reef is shaped like a horse shoe with 3 colourful ergs.
There are several drop-off places and various possibilities for planning your dive. One option is the southern channel formed by the main reef and the southern block, the second option is the north side between the neighbouring blocks.
Outer reefs
Panorama
The mooring are to the southwest of this large oval shaped reef. One plateau lies to the northwest, another one to the southeast. The reef offers one of the best wall dives in the Red Sea.
On the south plateau you are guaranteed to see several napoleon wrasse. Pelagic species like tuna visit from time to time, and other predators like bigeye trevally and barracuda hunt in vast schools of fusilier. Eagle rays, white tip reef shark, grey shark, silky shark and even oceanic white tips, have been spotted here.
Um Hal Hal
It is also known as 'Shaab Quais', which means 'beautiful reef'. You should be in a very good condition to dive this spot. You will see one of the most colourful and lively reefs in the world if you are lucky to scuba dive at Um Hal Hal.
Shaab Sheer West
You will reach an intact, colourful hard coral garden on the north side by a small channel. Sometimes there is a counter-flow. Drift dives on the outside are possible.
Middle Reef
Middle Reef offers a broad reef area! Like a labyrinth of hard coral blocks on the southeast side called 'Swiss cheese'. The outside is ideal for drift dives. The reef is known for its coral landscape and not for its abundant fish life.
Shaab Sheer Ost
Significant for this dive site is the tremendous hard coral garden, which can be reached via a sandy lane. This dive site is known for its moon-like coral landscape and not for its fish life.
Cannon Reef / Shaab Bagul
This dive site is suitable for beginners and divers in education. But also an experience for advanced divers. The place to be for divers who love small fish. Turtles, eagle rays and dolphins have also been spotted at Cannon Reef.
Shaab Sheer Soraya
This dive site is easy to dive and perfect for beginners but also advanced divers. Schools of masked butterflyfish are located here.
Shaab Hamdallah
Some coral towers are richly overgrown with soft corals and fan corals. The huge number of fishes leaves nothing to be desired. Because this reef offers no protection for the boat against the waves this dive site can only be reached during calm weather conditions.
Abu Kafan
Abu Kafan is one of Safaga's most famous dive site. It is a large, long reef with a south and north plateau and breathtaking cliffs on the east and west sides. The weather conditions must be excellent if you want to dive here. Abu Kafan is a perfect spot for drift diving as the current comes from the right direction. The chance to see big fish is high.
Wreck
"Salem Express"
It was a tragic navigation error that caused the sinking of the 'Salem Express' happened on 14.12.1991.
The wreck is lying on the starboard side. Because it's entirely new, the shipwreck doesn't show that much marine life, so there are a lot of details to be seen. Diving around this wreck is a unique and exciting experience.
Shaab Cloude
Depending on the current conditions, the small but lovely reef can be rounded in about 60 minutes. A highlight are the gorgonians at the southern end. With a good eye and some luck, you will find some longnose hawkfish.
Many thanks to Antje Köstner for the great sketches...diving instructor for many years at Ducks-Safaga!
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