St Johns Reef
Explore ZabargadHidden away off the southernmost tip of the Red Sea Coast in Egypt, is Zabargad. Alo
Explore Zabargad
Hidden away off the southernmost tip of the Red Sea Coast in Egypt, is Zabargad. Along with Rocky and St Johns, Zabargad is one of three islands located in Foul Bay and lies approximately 50 kilometres off the coast of Berenice. Due to their remote location, these islands are still not as popular as some other diving destinations of this area, but this is beneficial to divers as the areas are less crowded and the marine environment is still in pristine condition. The Island is surrounded by drop offs which are crowded with coral formations and coral pinnacles, and as an added bonus, Zabargad has its own local wreck for divers to enjoy.
Places to explore
Dive Activity
Diving at Zabargad
Up until recently these destinations were only accessible by liveaboard but now there are few dive centres and dive resorts which offer day trip boats, but this is still a great area to go to avoid the crowds.
The Khanka wreck lies at 24 metres and is 75 metres long, so impressive for divers to explore.
This is not a destination where divers should expect to be doing their dive courses as the conditions do not allow for it, but guided dives are a must here! Due to these islands being out in the open sea, the currents here can be quite strong, but this does result in some thrilling drift diving.
Top Wildlife Sightings at Zabargad
There is a variety in the underwater topography here, which means a bit of everything for divers to enjoy. There is a large mountain which peaks up above the waves, there is a lagoon, there is a sandy slope which is covered in coral pinnacles and an impressive collection of coral, all in crystal clear waters.
The coral reefs and walls here are home to a collection of species including Octopus, Scorpion Fish, Stonefish, Crocodile Fish, Blue Spotted Stingrays and Sea Turtles.
The coral pinnacles are surrounded by large schools of fish, including Anthias, Blue Damselfish and Glassfish and they are sprinkled with vibrant Nudibranchs which results in an incredibly colourful dive.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 200
Alamy-WaterFrame
Moray Eel
19 Sightings
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 600
iStock/ultramarinfoto
Wrasse
10 Sightings
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 27
iStock-Global_Pics
Barracuda
6 Sightings
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Alamy/National Geographic Image Collection
Oceanic Whitetip Shark
5 Sightings
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Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography
Green Turtle
4 Sightings
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 300
Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl
Octopus
2 Sightings
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 110
iStock-Rainer von Brandis
Snapper
25 Sightings
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 130
Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek
Butterfly Fish
24 Sightings
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 100
iStock-burnsboxco
Parrotfish
24 Sightings
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The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 90
Shutterstock-Rich Carey
Angelfish
20 Sightings
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The best Months to dive at Zabargad
The conditions at the Red Sea are, luckily, pretty great throughout the year. It never gets extremely cold and there are never storms which prevent diving or which ruin the visibility. In the winter the water temperature is still around 21/22 degrees Celsius and in the summer months can reach 30 degrees Celsius. The visibility is great with an average of 20 metres and can reach up to 50 metres. The only factor which could potentially affect diving are the winds, which are strongest between November and March but it is not likely that divers won’t be able to dive.
