Strait of Tiran, Dahab & Abu Talha

8–30m

A horseshoe-shaped reef between Hurghada and El Gouna, home to a resident pod of spinner dolphins. Morning dives offer near-guaranteed encounters in the sheltered inner lagoon. The outer reef drops off to 30m with barracuda, tuna, and blue-spotted rays. Visibility regularly exceeds 40m. The ideal check dive — and potentially the best check dive in the Red Sea.

10–30m

The southernmost sentinel of Tiran and the most accessible of the four reefs. A large shallow plateau on the south side features a sandy amphitheatre with garden eels, whitetip reef sharks, and eagle rays. The rusting remains of the Loullia (ran aground 1981) sit on the reef top, now colonised by groupers and moray eels. Currents can sweep across the plateau unexpectedly — never underestimate them.

5–90m

The smallest Tiran reef but unanimously the richest. Vertical walls covered in vibrant soft corals, a plateau at 25m with gorgonian fans and sleeping whitetip reef sharks. Thomas Canyon is the headline: an 80m-long fissure beginning at 35m with the famous Three Thomas Arches — natural rock arches descending to 90m. Dived as a drift dive with potentially strong currents. The canyon is strictly technical diving territory.

5–50m+

A site 17 minutes north of Dahab by jeep, accessible only at high tide in calm conditions — which keeps the corals in pristine condition. The outer coral garden (5–20m) is an amphitheatre of extraordinary colour. The inner canyon system is technical: a sinkhole at 25m, hard coral walls dropping to 50m, and narrow overhead passages connecting to Abu Helal. Excellent for sidemount, CCR, and overhead environment training.

5–130m+

A submarine sinkhole approximately 130m deep, one of the world's most iconic dive sites. The recreational route enters through 'the Bells' — a crack in the reef where tanks clang like church bells — emerging at 28m on the wall before crossing the Saddle at 7m into the hole. The Arch at 52–55m is the technical route: a 26m-long tunnel exiting to the open Red Sea. On trimix with proper planning, it is a world-class experience.

14–54m

A tectonic fissure with three openings. The Fish Bowl at 14m is a coral dome creating an enclosed aquarium of glassfish and lionfish. The main canyon at 22m is framed by walls where sunlight creates extraordinary effects. Technical divers can follow the fissure to the deep exit at 52–54m, emerging into open blue water. Good buoyancy control is essential throughout.

3–32m

Four wrecks on a single reef — a graveyard of maritime misfortune. The Carnatic (1869, 18–27m) lies on her port side with rotted-away decks allowing safe swim-throughs. The Giannis D (1983, 4–24m) with penetrable bridge and engine room full of glassfish. The Chrisoula K — 'the Tile Wreck' (1981, 3–26m) with Italian floor tiles still visible in the holds. The Kimon M (1978, 15–32m), the deepest and quietest.

14m

A 35m steel wreck at Bluff Point on Big Gubal Island, thought to have sunk during the 1973 war. By day, a modest artificial reef. By night, one of the best night dives on any Red Sea liveaboard route — cuttlefish hunting in the torchlight, octopus on patrol, Spanish dancers, and shrimp eyes glinting like constellations across the wreck.