Explore Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam, nestled on the western coast of the Red Sea in Egypt, is a rising gem for diving enthusiasts. Unlike its busier counterparts, this quaint town offers a serene diving experience, free from the throngs of tourists. The area's charm lies in its diverse marine life, featuring enchanting creatures such as dolphins, sea turtles, and the elusive dugong sea cows. Divers can explore an impressive array of fish species across various dive environments, from vibrant house reefs right off the shore to the more adventurous shipwrecks and majestic coral walls further out at sea.

With around 60 dive sites to choose from, Marsa Alam promises a rich tapestry of underwater experiences suitable for all levels of divers. The region is celebrated for both shore diving, allowing freedom to explore at your own pace, and boat dives to more distant and exhilarating sites. Adventurers can indulge in thrilling drift dives along expansive walls teeming with life. The consistent warm climate, shielded from the harsher desert extremes, makes Marsa Alam an alluring destination year-round. Its unique blend of tranquility, biodiversity, and diverse dive opportunities ensures an unforgettable underwater adventure for all.

Places to Explore

Berenice

1 Center

Located in the South of Egypt, just 100km from the border of Sudan, on the coast of the Red Sea, in Egypt, is Berenice. This remote location used to be one of the top picks for liveaboard diving and has now started to grow into a more popular diving destination. It is surrounded by pristine, protected areas which allows for seeing some of the most untouched diving areas in the world. This diving area is still on the rise so there are no big crowds diving here and the people who visit this area all have quite similar mindsets due to its remote location; appreciating nature and what it has to offer, above or below water. There are 47 dive sites to explore in this area.

Hamata

29 Divesites 1 Center

The Hamata area features around a dozen wonderful dive sites to take in and experience.

Elphinstone Reef

10 Divesites

Elphinstone dive site is located around 12km from the coast of Marsa Alam out in the Red Sea, in Egypt. This dive site is world renowned for the pristine condition of the coral but also the vast amount of marine species, including many sharks, divers can spot here. The reef here is located in the open ocean of the Red Sea and is a reef which stretches approximately 300 metres, cigar shaped and varies from 10 metres wide to 25 metres wide. It is made up of two plateaus, with depths ranging between 10 and 45 metres, which both drop down to hundreds of metres deep. Divers can visit here either as part of their liveaboard trip or on day trips from Marsa Alam dive centres and dive resorts.

Upcoming Events

Professional Level Programs / Courses

Diving.DE Abu Dabab

Assistant Instructor

11 Dec 2025

The Assistant Instructor rating is the next step after becoming a Divemaster along the scuba instructor pathway. It allows you to collect valuable teaching experience, practice briefings, teach academics, and conduct in-water training. If you want to further your career as a dive professional, you can finish the Instructor Training Course, pass the Instructor Evaluation, and become an Open Water Diving Instructor.

Instructor Evaluation

Diving.DE Abu Dabab

Instructor Evaluation - IE

21 Dec 2025

The Instructor Evaluation (IE) is the final step of SSI’s 2-Step Instructor Training Approach Divemasters or equivalent-level professionals will have to successfully complete the Instructor Training Course (ITC) first where you’ll learn how to:

• Conduct academic sessions
• Lead confined water training
• Teach Open Water Diver and various Specialty programs like Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress&Rescue, Perfect Buoyancy and more
• Develop student management and communication skills

Already an experienced instructor with another agency? You may be eligible for shortened oboarding options where you will only have to complete certain parts of the Instructor Training Course (ITC) followed by passing an Instructor Evaluation (IE). Contact an SSI Training Center near you to learn more.
Already certified as an Assistant Instructor with another agency? You could continue your professional journey with SSI. Get in touch with a local SSI Training Center to explore your options.

Top Dive Sites Map

★★★★☆ Marsa Gabal el Rosas (Ducks center)

Narrow entrance with a sandy bottom. Nice coral. A good dive site to make drift dives from the zodiac on the North Anemone City. Good for experienced and beginner divers.

12,649
Logs
3,261
Divers
17.0 m
⌀ Depth
16.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Marsa Shagra House Reef

Marsa Shagara is a bay with an easy sand bottom entrance that leads to South or North reef dives. The depth starts at 1m and drops to 40m + outside the bay. It is one of the most pristine house reef dives in the south. This dive is great for entry level and experienced divers.

21,348
Logs
1,718
Divers
19.0 m
⌀ Depth
19.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Zabargad House Reef

At the Zabargad hotel you can dive in our Lagona Divers house reef, just pack your equipment at the dive center and walk 50 meters to the sea....

144
Logs
87
Divers
22.0 m
⌀ Depth
26.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Abu Ghusun (Wreck)

The dive site is located approx. 70km south of Marsa Alam and is a shallow dive from 5m to 25m with easy access from shore over the sand to the shipwreck that lays at 16m /17m deep. This dive is suitable for entry level divers, however, in rough conditions, visibility might not be the best.

5,265
Logs
2,392
Divers
16.0 m
⌀ Depth
17.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Shaab Samadai / Dolphin House

Shoaab Samaday, also known as Dolphin House, is a protected area by the Egyptian environment authorities. The crescent formation of the reef and shallow water has, over the time, attracted bottlenose dolphins to use it as a rest location. This dive is perfect for entry level divers and snorkelers alike.

12,718
Logs
5,716
Divers
19.0 m
⌀ Depth
23.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Elphinstone Reef

This is one of the most famous dive site in Egypt. The Elphinstone Reef is full of healthy corals, magnificent clear blue water, and rich marine life. It is also a great destination to see your first shark.

11,914
Logs
6,187
Divers
29.0 m
⌀ Depth
25.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Shaab Bohar Kebir

Shaab Bohar Kebir east and west are located in the north part of Fury Shoals Reefs . Both sides have such a huge amazing coral garden and many coral blocks with soft corals.

261
Logs
147
Divers
21.0 m
⌀ Depth
23.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Sha’ab Marsa Alam

Dive site is 10min by boat from Marsa Alam marina. The perfect place for a drift dive around the reef. Nice, colorful coral all around plus a small, old wreck to explore.

12,454
Logs
5,556
Divers
18.0 m
⌀ Depth
23.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Marsa Assalaya

Well protected bay with entry from the beach, both sides of the bay with a beautiful and colorful reef. In the middle of the bay, there is a big area with seagrass.

7,016
Logs
3,266
Divers
17.0 m
⌀ Depth
18.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Elphinstone South

Elphinstone South is an amazing off-shore reef dive and preferred by many as an afternoon dive due to the fantastic lighting. The dive slopes down from 18m deep to the deepest top of the plateau at 40m.

6,652
Logs
4,378
Divers
29.0 m
⌀ Depth
26.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Marsa Abu Dabab

Abu Dabab North is a significant dive site located in the Marsa Alam zone with very easy access from the shore. This site is suitable for all diver levels and snorkelers as well. It can be easily accessed from boat and shore (boats can only access the site from outside the bay).

16,238
Logs
6,322
Divers
17.0 m
⌀ Depth
19.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★★ Sha’ab Claudio

Claudio Reef is the most high light Reef in Fury Shoals, it contains of 2 small reefs and the south reef has 2 fantastic large caves. The caves are not completely covered, from above there are holes and light passes in. The caves are in shallow water.

6,072
Logs
3,788
Divers
18.0 m
⌀ Depth
25.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Shaab Ini

Shaab Ini is always the second dive by day of Shaab Claudio to end your diving day by great diving. It contains by hard coral garden and sandy bottom. Max depth by 27m. The west side is full of fantastic hard- and soft coral blocks and a massive amount of different hard corals.

291
Logs
243
Divers
20.0 m
⌀ Depth
21.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Wadi Lahmy Azur, Housereef

In the North you find beside the main reef nice coral blocks covered with small marine life. In the South is our lovely Anemone City in a max depth of 12m. The House Reef is fitting for all levels. The depth is between 12m and 40m.

3,706
Logs
739
Divers
16.0 m
⌀ Depth
18.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Shaab Hamam, Fury Shoal

Shaab Hamam one of the most beautiful reefs in Fury Shoal, also called stairs to the heaven. Contains 4 small reefs and through the reefs are nice canals. The east canal is just amazing as you climb to heaven and ending by nice arch full of soft corals.

1,765
Logs
1,120
Divers
21.0 m
⌀ Depth
23.0 m
⌀ Visibility

Diving in Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam is known throughout for divers being able to explore the local dive sites unguided, which really attracts the confident and more experienced divers who like to do these dives in their own way. This is also a top location for Liveaboards with there being numerous to choose from. Some of the best dive sites are located further offshore and so done from the dive centres and dive resorts with day boat trips. Most of the dive sites here are suited to the more experienced divers, but there are also some relaxing local sites for dive courses and beginner divers.

The best Months to dive in Marsa Alam

Divers coming to the Red Sea have the luxury to be able to visit, and dive, throughout the year. There are no extreme weather conditions which prevent diving and the temperature and visibility are great throughout the year. Visibility ranges between 10 and 30 metres, with 50 plus metres on the best days. Sea temperatures range between 19 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius. In the winter, divers dive comfortably in a 5mm long suit with hood and in the summer without any suit. There may be windy days in the winter months, but rarely does this affect the possibility of diving.

Marsa Alam is a top diving destination to spot larger species which all appear during different months of the year. In the months of May to August there are the highest chances to see Manta Rays, Dolphins, Dugongs and Sea Turtles. The sharks are around in the months of May and June which are also some of the most pleasant months, temperature wise, to dive here.

Statistics

Historical data and trends

Dive Activity & Environmental Conditions

Centers Map

Blue submarine Diving Center Gemma Hotel

South Marsa Alam KM 22, 0000 Marsa Alam, EGY

Wanderlust Blue

Nasser El Khorafy Street., 84721 Marsa Alam, EGY

Werner Lau

The Oasis Dive Resort, El Quseir Road, KM 20, 1920210 Marsa Alam, Red Sea, EGY

Ducks Diving Superior

15th Km North Marsa Alam, 84721 Marsa Alam, EGY

Diving.DE Abu Dabab

30 km South of Marsa Alam Airport, 00000 Marsa Alam, EGY

Deep South Divers

68 street Downtown, Marsa Alam, Red Sea, 85721 Red Sea, EGY

Extra Divers Equinox

Three Corners Equinox, 26694 Marsa Alam, EGY

Star Diving

Alexander The Greater Resort, 0000 Marsa Alam, EGY

ORCA DIVE CLUB WADI LAHMY AZUR

Club Wadi Lahmy Azur, 01234 Hamata, EGY

Red Sea Aggressor V

Port Bernice Marina, Augusta, Georgia, EGY

Coraya Divers Brayka Bay

Brayka Resorts, KM17 North Marsa Alam Road, Marsa Alam, EGY