Some of the most beautiful dive sites in Egypt are near Safaga. This little corner of paradise located between Hughada and Marsa Halam is particularly well placed and a has an impressive concentration of exceptional diving sites and is often considered as one of the best diving destinations in Egypt.
Diving in Safaga has a multitude of advantages compared to other dive destinations in Egypt. Less touristy than the other cities of the coast, Safaga is more relaxed and keeps an aspect end of the world but has however all the necessary infrastructures.
Moreover, many dive shops in Safaga are of very good quality and have established themselves on the spot. Among this diving shops, Dune Safaga is a great example and has a great center with all the necessary infrastructure to dive in Safaga with the best possible conditions.
They could have settled in one of the many diving destinations in Egypt but these beautiful centers have established themselves on site for a specific reason, the dive sites in the area are breathtaking. Spotmydive presents here the best dive spots to dive in Safaga.
Middle Reef
- Type: Drift diving / Reef
- Recommended level: All levels
- Maximum depth: 45 meters
- Distance from Safaga: 75 minutes
- To see: Anthias, two-colored damsels, moray eels, reef sharks, titan ballista, parrot fish, sometimes dolphins and hammerhead sharks.
Superb reef shaped like a big mushroom, Middle Reef is ideal for drifting dives in Safaga. The corals are beautiful and large deer horns and brain corals are between 12 and 18 meters deep while between 22 and 30 meters you can see colorful gorgonians. There is a particularly rich fauna such as reef sharks, tuna, barracudas, turtles, moray eels and stingrays. But the dive site is also particularly appreciated for its architecture and its labyrinth of small caves and small faults where a dense fauna is busy all day long. A real lunar landscape. Note in particular the famous “Swiss cheese” which is a real underwater labyrinth and which is usually explored at the end of the dive. A superb dive rich and varied for all levels in short.
Panorama
- Type of diving: Falling
- Recommended level: All levels, superb for snorkeling, interesting technical diving in depth.
- Maximum depth: 45 meters – up to 100 meters in technical diving
- Distance: 60 minutes
- To see: Napoleon, reef sharks, tunas, turtles, scorpion fish, stone fish, moray eels, stingrays, barracudas, flute fish, anemones and gorgonians,
Beware of the abyssal drop off. The Panorama dive site in Safaga is the northernmost site of the reef barrier located off the bay. The immense reef touches the surface of the water and descend to an abyssal depth of 400 meters deep. Thanks to this, the site is just as well considered as one of the best place for snorkeling in Safaga in Egypt and for technical diving in Safaga.
The plateau to the south has a magnificent Gorgon chimney and a large anemone town with many clown fish. The most experienced divers will continue south to explore the end of the plateau where there are many pelagic species in the blue such as huge schools of tuna and many reef sharks with sometimes great surprises.
The northern plateau, often considered to be one of Safaga’s best dive sites, features a huge colorful coral garden made up of a long carpet of coral reefs and forest of gorgonians. In addition, wildlife is plenty and it is not uncommon to dive with dolphins, turtles or even reef sharks.
Finally, this superb site is one of the best site for technical diving in Safaga since the spot offers many caves and asperities to explore between 65 and 100 meters deep.
Abu Kefan
- Recommended Level: Level 2 or Advanced Open Water Divers.
- Maximum depth: 40 meters
- Distance: 90 minutes
- To see: Hammerhead sharks, Manta rays, Balinese sharks, Napoleon, reef sharks, tuna, turtles, stone fish, moray eels, barracudas, …
Probably one of the best diving spot in Safaga, Abu Kefan means “father of the abyss” and represents well the feeling created by this huge reef rising from abyssal depth. This site is the southernmost of the barrier reef and represents what is called a pelagic dive site since we often meet big fish.
The northern part is a drift on a plateau at a depth of 25 meters. Barracudas, tuna, turtles, riflemen, turtles, and even hammerhead sharks and manta rays can all be found here. On the southern side, there is another plateau and a few pinnacles and the same type of fish. Superb spot.
Gamul Soraya
- Recommended Level: All Levels
- Maximum depth: 20 meters
- Distance: 30 minutes
- To see: Turtles, Barracudas, Eagle Rays, Bossus Emperors, Snappers, crocodile fish, scorpion fish, stone fish, ….
This is a particularly colorful and fishy diving site accessible to all diving levels and with a relatively low current. The site is structured around a large reef surrounded by numerous coral pinnacles. Do not hesitate to look towards the blue because you can certainly see barracuda, eagle rays, tuna or turtles. In the middle of the corals, you will be able to find octopus, snappers, red mullet or gaterin.
Tobia Arba
- Recommended Level: All levels and snorkeling in Safaga
- Maximum depth: 30 meters
- Distance: 30 minutes
- To see: Fish stones, nudibranchs, moray eels, shrimps, crabs, napoleons, ….
Superb dive site for photography in Safaga, Tobia Arbaa which is nicknamed “the 7 pillars” because the site consists of five pinnacles of which two are separated in two columns. Thanks to these pinnacles the site is full of fish and life in general and also has many secrets. Accessible at all levels thanks to its shallow depth, the site is no less memorable.
There are many relatively rare fish in the region such as stonefish, pipefish, scorpion fish, crocodile fish or the patrolling napoleon. There are sometimes even leopard sharks. Macro enthusiasts will not be left out with nudibranchs, clown fish, small crabs, porcelain shrimps and many more.
Salem Express
- Recommended Level: All Levels
- Maximum depth: 30 meters
- Distance: 90 minutes
- To see: Barracudas, Crocodile fish, morays, nudibranchs, Syngnaths, Snappers, Surgeons, …
The wreck of the Salem Epress is full of history and certainly represents the best diving wreck of Safaga. The wreck is superb and very special since it top side is only 12 meters from the surface and the maximum depth is only 26 meters. This makes this boat one of the best wrecks for beginner divers in the world. Another singular aspect, everything has remained on the scene since the sinking of the boat in 1991. One finds luggage, tables and other personal effects but also canoes and propellers still intact. In terms of marine life, we meet lion fish, surgeons or butterfly fish but it is especially the huge carcass of almost 115 meters long that fascinates us here. Keep in mind that it is forbidden to enter the wreck.
The sinking of the Salem Epress, originally named the Fred Scamaroni, is a terrible drama. On December 16, 1991, as the ship hit a reef as it entered Safaga. The front door of the boat opened and the ship sank in 20 minutes. Nearly 470 people died while only 180 survived the tragedy. A wreck loaded with history and strong in emotion.
Shaab Saiman
- Recommended Level: All Levels
- Maximum depth: 40 meters
- Distance: 75 minutes
- To see: Manta Rays, Eagle Rays, Turtles, Giant Barracudas, Moray eels, …
The spot of Shaab Saiman is an enchantment made of hard and soft corals and represents a true refuge for the local fauna. In addition, one often crosses large fish there, such as huge barracudas or eagle rays. More rarely and for the lucky ones only it is possible to dive with manta rays.
Ras Abu Soma North or Garden
- Recommended Level: All Levels
- Maximum depth: 40 meters
- Distance: 45 minutes
- To see: Blue-backed rifles, tetrodons, fish drivers, dark nasons, stingrays, …
This dive spot is located at the southeastern tip of Safaga Bay. The main reef descends to a depth of 15 meters and the spot continues on a long sandy slope, dotted with coral formations, hard corals and Acroporas tables, down to 25 meters deep. There are beautiful octopuses but also great moray eels, eagle rays, stingrays and many other fish.
Sandy Island
- Recommended Level: All Levels
- Maximum depth: 30 meters
- Distance: 25 minutes
- To see: Rays, Moray eels, Octopuses, Snappers, Tetrodons, …
Sandy Island is located south of Tobia Island and its turquoise waters. To the south of the huge lagoon are five large crescent-shaped blocks of stone with spotted rays, stone fish and lion fish. On the northern part of the spot, there is a large wall that goes down to thirty meters deep, completely covered with hard corals.
Tobia Hamra
- Recommended Level: All Levels
- Maximum depth: 35 meters
- Distance: 20 minutes
- To see: Octopuses, Groupers, Rays, Tetrodons, Lippus, Moray eels, …
The Tobia Hamra or Red Sand spot is located on the northeastern part of Tobia Island. It is a huge reef stretching nearly 2 kilometers and offering superb diving, generally shallow, in the middle of translucent water lagoons filled with soft and hard corals. There are often turtles, napoleon, eagle rays and scorpion fish but also moray eels and stone fish.
Tobia Kebir
- Recommended Level: All Levels
- Maximum depth: 18 meters
- Distance: 30 minutes
- To see: Napoleon, Reef sharks, Rays, Moray eels, Turtles, Pyracanthes, Calamari, …
Kebir means large in Arabic. The Tobia Kebir spot is a huge reef emerging on a relatively shallow sandy bottom. The site is accessible to all diving levels and the current is generally low. Perfect to learn scuba diving in Safaga or to get back to the water after a long period of emergence, the spot is rich in local wildlife with angelfish fish, emperors, butterfly fish and sometimes even reef sharks.
Gamul Kebir
- Recommended Level: All Levels
- Maximum depth: 18 meters
- Distance: 25 minutes
- To see: Napoleon, Turtles, Calamari, Rays, Orphies, …
Here is another important word, Gamul is the local name for the island of Safaga. The spot is actually a large horseshoe-shaped reef with a nice little inner lagoon. The bottom is sandy and covered with small garden eels. Perfect to pass an open water in Egypt, the spot goes down to 14 meters and one can meet stingrays, rays eagles and barracuda. Great place to get your Open Water in Safaga.
Shaab Shear – Coral Paradise
- Recommended Level: All Levels
- Maximum depth: 25 meters
- Distance: 75 minutes
- To see: Dolphins, Rays, Napoleon, Moray eels, Orphies, slow-growing corals, …
A perfect example of a flush reef, Shaab Shear’s tip is only a few centimeters from the surface and emerges during low tide. The big trays of sand go down to 18 meters deep. At the bottom we find one of the wrecks plunged around Safaga, it is actually the wreck of a liveaboard in Safaga, all wood, which begins anyway to suffer the pangs of time. Note that this is not properly a wreck dive but life has taken advantage of this little artificial reef to develop and we cross a variety of wildlife including groupers, wrasses, snappers, moray eels, crocodile fish, napoleon fish and gaterini. The lucky ones will be able to swim with dolphins in Safaga on this nice spot apart.
Shaab Bagul
- Recommended Level: All Levels
- Maximum depth: 30 meters
- Distance: 90 minutes
- To see: Dugong, Eagle Rays, Dolphins, Moray eels, Orphies, …
The spot of Sha’ab Bagul, also called Canyon Reef is perfect to learn scuba diving in Safaga since everything happens in a small lagoon about 10 meters deep particularly appreciated by dolphins, rays eagles and you can even dive with Dugongs.
Shaab Claude
- Recommended Level: All dive levels
- Maximum depth: 25 meters
- Distance : 75 minutes
- To see: Barracudas, Rays, Bossus Emperors, Crocodile Fish, Scorpion Fish, …
Shaab Claude is a reef composed of a large main pinnacle and two small pinnacles located to the south east and west. The spot is very colorful and offers different routes and deserves at least two dives. The spot is particularly well-known for its long-hawk falcon fishes, endemic to Safaga who live at the bottom of a cave at 15 meters deep. There are also Napoleon, crocodile fish, stingrays, turtles and scorpionfish on this beautiful spot.
Shaab Hamdallah
- Recommended Level: All levels of diver
- Maximum depth: 20 meters
- Distance: 90 minutes
- To see: Barracudas, Rays, Nudibranchs, Scorpions Fish, …
At nearly 2500 meters south of Sha’ab Sheer is the spot Shaab Hamdallah which means god gift in Arabic. Superb architectural spectacle, the dive site consists of many pinnacle of crescent-shaped corals. This is a superb dive spot in Safaga that can be only explored when conditions are good and can be full with white tip sharks, napoleons, barracuda, moray eels, eagle rays or butterfly fish. . We recommend.
Have you ever dived in Safaga? Do you have an opinion on the best dive sites in the Red Sea or in the region? Have we forgotten your favorite dive spot in Tobia? Do not hesitate to comment and advise divers on the best places to dive Safaga.
