Ras Gamila

Facts about dive:
The madreporic reef of ras gamila separates a vast and rather shallow sandy lagoon from the sea is crossed over by small natural canal that is sometimes used by local fishermen.

ras gamila is an interesting place for a fine drift dive that is not too difficult. the classic dive, which must be followed in any case when the tide is swilling, begins immediately after you have passed the Conrad international resort area from this point you dive onto a vast sandy plateau with a slight incline, staying at a depth of about 15 meters and then continue in a sort of gliding motion northwards, parallel to the beacon. On the gentle slope of the reef, which descends to an average depth of about 8 meters, there are  many large colonies of porites coral and some gaint triggerfish often pass by , while on plateau there are large acropora corals, around which schools of pelagic fish swim.

Access to the dive: By shore, or by local or live-aboard boat from Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay or other ports.
Conditions: Gentle and sheltered, with easy profile.
Experience grade: Everyone

  Ras Nasrany

Facts about dive:
This site is a sloping wall at the point of Ras Nasrani (Arabic for Christian Point). In profile, it varies between very steep to moderately sloping, depending on location - the steepest wall section lies south of the point, while the reef to the north flattens somewhat. Inshore, a shallow mini-wall follows the edge of the reef top.
The reef is well covered in dense hard and soft corals, with lots of massive coral heads, some good branching forms, and a nice selection of colorful soft corals. Fish life is spectacular, with a huge range of reef and schooling species. Morays hide in reef crevices, fusiliers, jacks, surgeons and barracuda school of the reef, and nedle fish shimmer near the surface. Large turtles are also a common sight, paddling lazily along the reef slope.

Access to the dive: By shore, or by local or live-aboard boat from Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay or other ports.
Conditions: Current can be fierce - novices be aware.
Experience grade: Everyone

  White Night

Facts about dive:
The site, lying inside the bay formed by Ras Nasrani to the north has numerous points of interest. Just inshore from the boat mooring a deep canyon extends down from the shallows, while to the north of this mixed sand and coral patches lead to a wide sand slope colonized by garden eels. To the south, a wooden wreck adds even more interest.
Most dives begin at the entrance to the canyon, a narrow, sand-bottomed canyon descends steeply, passing through a series of overhangs and two covered swimthroughs, one at around 15m and a second, for advanced divers only, leading out to the reef face at 35m.
After leaving the canyon, there are two options - turning right takes you south along the reef to the wreck, while a left turn takes you across the reef slope to the eel garden and a series of beautiful shallow reef patches.
Swimming south and gradually ascending, ou will see a dense assortment of species, including star and cabbage corals, staghorn and table acropora, and several varieties of soft coral. At around 14m, ten minutes swim south from the canyon, you will encounter the upturned bulk of a wood-hulled wreck - the Noos 1, a local dive boat that sank in 1994 after an electrical fire in the engine room.

Access to the dive: By local or live-aboard boat from Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay or other ports.
Conditions: Some deeper sections require caution.
Experience grade: Everyone

  Shark Bay

Facts about dive:
This site, lying just in front of the Shark Bay Camp and Dive Center, is a sloping reef broken by a large sandy area which houses the dive center's jetty and boat area.
To the south, the reef has a moderate slope and is well covered in coral; north of the jetty is a shallow area good for relaxed snorkeling.
Directly in front of the sandy shore entry point, a deep canyon drops through the reef; its mouth lies at the foot of the reef wall forming the sand slope's southern edge. The canyon's steep and sandy floor descends rapidly to depths of 60m and more - take care not to be drawn too deep.

Exiting the canyon, you can explore the moderately sloping reef to the south, gradually ascending before turning back to the north. This section shows dense growth of both hard and soft corals, although less pristine than at some places along this coast. Fish life is diverse and interesting, with angels, parrotfish, grouper, wrasse and morays among the attractions on the reef, and rays and flatfish lying on the sandy entry slope.

Access to the dive: By shore, or by local or live-aboard boat from Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay or other ports.
Conditions: Easy shore entry, but watch out for boat traffic.
Experience grade: Everyone

  Far Garden

Facts about dive:
A garden-like reef of colorful corals running northwest to southeast, the northwest portion of the reef is steeply sloping with a sharp drop off toward the point, while the southwestern section has a more gradual slope pinnacles and outcrops dot the reef, and the tops of these, together with the shallow inshore reef top, make for good snorkeling.
Coral growth throughout the site is concentrated in small patches, with strong growth of dozens of species, from staghorn and antler coral to delicate Dendronephthya.
Fish life is good, with lots of wrasse - Napoleons in particular - as well as big parrots and grouper. Hawk fish, scorpion fish, fairy basslets, damsels, and many lizardfish and crocodile fish can be found on the many sandy areas.

Access to the dive: By local or live-aboard from Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay or other ports.
Conditions: Generally calm and carefree.

   Middle Garden

Facts about dive:
As it's implies, this site lies in the central of the bay between far garden and near garden, more  or les on a line with the impressive Hyatt Regency complex.

Totally sheltered from wind, waves and currents, Middle Garden has fixed mooring point just opposite the central section of hotel. Dives are made onto a vast sandy plateau that is from 6 to 10 meters deep: from here you can go northeast, keeping the reef on your left and then descending to maximum depth of 14 meters, where you will see the drop off .  

Access to the dive: By shore, or by local or live-aboard boat from Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay or other ports.
Conditions: Gentle and sheltered, with easy profile.
Experience grade: Everyone

    Near Garden

Facts about dive:
This site begins on an inshore mini-wall that drops from the surface reef table to about 15 m. From here, the reef slopes gently outward, maintaining an even profile to 25m, where the slope steepens considerably. A huge number of pinnacles, heads and coral clumps dot the reef as it descends, hosting populations of colorful small reef fish. The larger reef fish are also present as the bluespottet stingrays resting half hidden on the sandy bottom.
The undemanding profile of this reef, with its ample sandy areas, make it an excellent venue for novice divers and the shallow reeftop and upper reef mini-wall are perfect for snorkel. Advanced divers will find plenty of scope for exploration on the deeper reef slope.

Access to the dive: By local or live-aboard boat from Sharm El Sheik, Naama Bay or other ports.
Conditions: Generally calm and carefree, no adverse conditions are likely.
Experience grade: Experienced

    Tower

Facts about dive:
This site, named for a tower-like rock formation on shore, lies just below the Tower resort complex.
For shore entries and exits, especially at low tide, it is worth knowing about a short-cut, halfway across the reef top, directly out from the steps, is a small submerged cave mouth - this opens out into a passage leading through to the open water, cutting out half of the awkward clamber across the reef top.
The reef is most interesting in its upper reaches, with the exception of the canyon which drops to depths of 40m: Coral in the top 20 to 25m is excellent, with a very wide variety of species. Quality is good, particularly nice site to dive in the morning, when the sun's rays reach down into the canyon and the deeper reef slopes.

Access to the dive: By shore entry or local or live-aboard boat from Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay or other ports.
Conditions: Shore entry can be tricky at low tide.
Experience grade: Everyone

    Pinky Wall

Facts about dive:
Access from shore requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle to get to the clifftop, then a rather strenuous scramble down a narrow wadi. You will then need to make a surf entry across the jagged reeftop. This shore entry should only be attempted by fit divers experienced in rough shore entries.
Once in the water, conditions are near perfect; generally clear visibility reveals a beautiful sheer wall dropping to great depths, well grown with coral. Particularly the pink soft corals for which the site is named.
Coral growth, especially soft corals like Dendronephthya, is what this site is all about. Hard coral growth is not as dense as at many sites near here, but the profusion of soft species more than compensates. Glassfish hide in shimmering schools in the recesses and overhangs, while schooling fish hang off the reef face.
There are also good numbers of parrotfish, rabbitfish grouper and wrasse.

Access to the dive: By shore or by local or live-aboard boat from Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay or other ports.
Conditions: Shore access is physically demanding.
Experience grade: Everyone

    Turtle Bay

Facts about dive:
This is a medium sloping reef, bounded inshore by a mini-wall to around 10m, and a shallow reeftop 30 to 40m wide in places. The reef face is well covered with outcrops and pinnacles and boasts an excellent variety of coral species.
Fish life is equally diverse, including many sedentary reef fish - scorpions, devil scorpions, stonefish, lizardfish, hawkfisk and others- as well as the usual vast array of free-swimming reef species.
When accessing the site from shore, particularly at low tide, the long walk across the reef table can be exasperation. In all but the lowest tides you can in fact swim across the reeftop with your fully inflated scupa gear extended in front of you.
Like many sites along this stretch of coast, the route to the shore access point is via a constantly shifting network of jeep tracks. Check with local dive centres for up-to-date route information.

Access to the dive: By shore, or by local or live-aboard boat from Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay or other ports.
Conditions: Generally easy, although shore access can be tricky at low tide.
Experience grade: Everyone

    Ras Um El Sid

Facts about dive:
This is a steep sloping wall, extending from the point at Ras Umm Sid inward toward the bay to the west. The reef follows the shoreline, and is marked by intermittent sand patches, coral heads and pinnacles.
Coral attractions include gorgonians, acropora, fire corals, dense soft coral patches and some substantial coral formations. Fish life is more than acceptable, with lots of big and small jacks/trevally, emperor and regal angelfish, various parrotfish, picasso and other triggerfish, yellowspine and ringtail surgeons, napoleon wrasse, moray eels and lionfish on the reef, and crocodilefish and stingrays on the sand.

Access to the dive: By shore, or by local or live-aboard boat from Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay or other ports.
Conditions: Strong currents possible; shore entry difficult due to wide reef flat.
Experience grade: Everyone

   Temple

Facts about dive:
This is a flat, sloping reef with two major, and a few minor, pinnacles adding contour to the reef face. The largest of the pinnacles is 'The Tower'; its bulk is a split by two major fissures, one of which can be swum through. The second should not be entered, to avoid damaging the delicate gorgonians growing along its sides. All the pinnacles hide a surprisingly rich variety of reef animals.
Coral growth throughout the site is good, with a density and mix of species difficult to match in the immediate area. The fish are as pleasant a surprise as the corals, with a truly amazing range of species colonizing the reef.
The surprising richness and diversity of this site make it one of the region's most underrated sites.

Access to the dive: By shore, or by local or live-aboard boat from Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay or other ports.
Conditions: Gentle and sheltered, with easy profile.
Experience grade: Everyone