Red Sea

Advanced Open Water Certification

Year Round

Reefs & Wrecks

UD Rating - 4.5 Star

Golden Dolphin II

Unforgettable Dive Journeys Aboard Golden Dolphin II

Golden Dolphin II offers exceptional Red Sea safari dives aboard a luxurious vessel built for comfort and adventure. With spacious dive platforms and sun decks, it explores classic routes featuring Brother Islands, Daedalus Reef, Elphinstone, and St. John’s. Every trip promises vivid reefs, abundant marine life, and unforgettable underwater experiences.

Golden Dolphin II is a luxury liveaboard safari vessel built for divers who want to combine comfort, style, and exploration. Commissioned in 2006 and refreshed with refurbishments (including an extension in 2016 and further updates in 2025), Golden Dolphin II brings together the latest in liveaboard standards while preserving its safari-spirit.

The yacht accommodates 20 guests in 10 well appointed cabins, with 8 cabins on the underdeck and 2 cabins situated on the sun deck. Each suite comes with private bathrooms (shower & WC), air conditioning, and a minibar, ensuring guests enjoy privacy and comfort between dives.

Golden Dolphin II is designed with divers in mind. It features a spacious dive deck and platform, making gear preparation and entry into the water smooth and safe. Between dives, guests can unwind in the large air-conditioned salon, enjoy media entertainment in the dedicated TV and sound system corner, or sip drinks at the bar. The vessel also boasts two sun decks for panoramic views and relaxing under the sun.

Guests will dine in a separate, air-conditioned dining room capable of seating up to 24 people at two large tables. The salon and media room provide a comfortable atmosphere for socializing, sharing dive stories, or simply enjoying lounges with friends.

All standard Red Sea safari routes are available aboard Golden Dolphin II, and special trips can be arranged on request. Whether exploring well-known reef systems or more remote channels, the vessel offers both comfort and adventure in equal measure.

Double Cabin (Upper Deck)

A generously sized double cabin located on the upper deck, featuring a comfortable queen-style bed, en-suite bathroom, full air conditioning, and minibar. Ideal for couples wanting elevated views and ease of access.

  • Air-conditioning
  • En-suite bathroom and shower
  • Minibar
  • Towels

Twin Cabin (Lower Deck)

A practical and cozy lower deck cabin outfitted with two single (twin) beds, en-suite bathroom, air conditioning, and minibar. Perfect for friends or diving partners.

  • Air-conditioning
  • En-suite bathroom and shower
  • Minibar
  • Towels

Route Options

In the deep south, the St. John’s reefs promise unforgettable dives with dramatic drop-offs, vibrant gorgonians, and bright soft corals teeming with life. Here, barracudas, reef sharks, dolphins, and even mantas may glide past in the blue. At Umm Erug, unique coral block formations resembling everyday figures create a fascinating underwater landscape, home to schools of reef fish, camouflaged creatures, and tiny critters waiting to be discovered.

Marsa Shouna
A sprawling sandy plateau dotted with table corals. Blue-spotted rays are abundant, and in certain seasons guests may spot breeding guitar rays and other surprises.

Abu Galawa Soraya
A shallow reef in the Fury Shoals with excellent visibility and weak currents, perfect for beginners. Known for colorful corals and easy, relaxed diving.

Shaab Marsa Alam
A bean-shaped reef with a rich coral garden in the northeast and frequent reef shark sightings. The southern lagoon features a small wreck at 17 m.

Fury Shoals
One of the Red Sea’s most pristine reef systems, with vibrant coral gardens and diverse marine life. Expect reef sharks, barracuda, tuna, and the occasional Oceanic Whitetip.

Shaab Maksur
A long reef with plateaus to the north and south, plus dramatic drop-offs. Dolphins, barracuda, and reef sharks are often seen here.

The Strait of Tiran is home to four world-renowned reefs—Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse, and Jackson—each offering something unique. From vibrant coral gardens and a shark ‘amphitheater’ at Gordon, to Thomas Reef’s colorful canyon and dense soft coral fields, the sites burst with life. Woodhouse promises exhilarating drifts over thriving coral slopes, while Jackson Reef impresses with dramatic walls, strong currents, and frequent pelagic encounters. Together, these reefs deliver some of the most exciting dives in the Sinai.

SS Thistlegorm
The Red Sea’s most famous wreck, this 125 m WWII British freighter was sunk in 1941 by German bombers. Now split in two, it reveals an extraordinary cargo of jeeps, trucks, motorcycles, and military supplies—an unforgettable dive into underwater history.

Ras Mohammed
Egypt’s first marine park, famous for dramatic drop-offs, rich coral gardens, and abundant marine life. Shark and Yolanda Reef offer thrilling dives, with Yolanda’s cargo of toilets and bathtubs scattered across the seabed, now beautifully overgrown with coral.

Gotta Abu Nugar South
A sandy seabed dotted with coral heads, perfect for spotting reef fish and macro life. Calm and relaxed, this site is ideal for easy dives and photography.

Abu Nuhas
Known as the “Ship Graveyard,” Abu Nuhas is home to four wrecks, including the Giannis D (1984) and the Carnatic (1869). With tilted passageways, coral-encrusted hulls, and easy swim-throughs, it’s a paradise for wreck divers.

Straits of Tiran
One of the Red Sea’s most iconic dive areas, featuring Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse, and Jackson Reefs. Expect colorful corals, pelagic visitors, and sharks patrolling the currents. Highlights include Thomas Reef’s spectacular canyon, Gordon Reef’s shark “amphitheater,” and Jackson Reef’s steep coral-covered walls where barracuda and reef sharks often gather.

Discover the southern Red Sea’s ultimate diving adventure! Daedalus Reef thrills with towering walls, vibrant coral plateaus, and exhilarating encounters with hammerhead and reef sharks. Rocky Island enchants divers with its dramatic drop-offs, dazzling soft corals, and sightings of silvertip sharks, manta rays, and dolphins. At Zabargad Island, explore breathtaking walls and vibrant coral gardens alive with reef fish—an unforgettable paradise for every underwater explorer.

Daedalus Reef
Daedalus Reef is surrounded by steep walls and features a southern plateau that descends from 30 meters at the wall to around 40 meters at the edge. The area is covered in colorful coral growth, attracting turtles and large schools of fish. Closer inspection reveals hidden creatures such as snails, scorpionfish, and stonefish. Thresher sharks are occasionally sighted near the plateau, while hammerhead and reef sharks can often be encountered at the northwest tip. Along the west side lies Anemone City, a vast colony of anemones stretching from 5 to 30 meters deep, home to thriving schools of fusiliers, surgeonfish, and jacks.

Elphinstone
Elphinstone Reef is a long, finger-shaped reef that runs north to south in the open Red Sea. Its east and west sides feature steep walls that drop into the depths, while the north and south ends are marked by submerged plateaus. The site is well known for its visiting sharks, which patrol the reef in search of prey among the abundant fish life.

Zabargad
The island of Zabargad, once mined by the ancient Egyptians for the green gemstone olivine, offers spectacular diving along its southern wall. The site features dramatic passages and vibrant coral formations, making it both historically fascinating and visually stunning underwater.

Discover the hidden treasures of the Red Sea! Dive into the vibrant wonders of Sataya and the southern Fury Shoals, south of Marsa Alam, where playful dolphins, graceful turtles, and colorful marine life await in this magical underwater paradise.

Marsa Shouna
Marsa Shouna is known for its expansive sand plateau located at the northern outer corner of the site. The area is dotted with table corals of various shapes and sizes along a gentle slope, offering divers the chance to explore different depths and discover marine life hiding beneath each coral head. Blue-spotted rays are abundant, while certain times of the year bring breeding guitar rays and other rare sightings.

Sataya (Dolphin Reef)
Situated within the Fury Shoals south of Marsa Alam, Sataya is a vast reef system famous for its vibrant coral walls and frequent dolphin encounters. The northern and northwestern sides feature colorful drop-offs, while the eastern wall displays striking gorgonian formations between 17 and 22 meters. The eastern plateau, ranging from 18 to 32 meters deep, hosts a variety of marine species including surgeonfish, napoleon wrasse, turtles, and numerous reef fish. Along the southern side, dolphins, sharks, and manta rays can often be seen cruising the blue. The nearby Wadi Gimal area, particularly Shilineat, resembles a natural aquarium—its shallow hard coral gardens, white sandy bottom, and clear sunlight create a beautiful habitat teeming with small reef fish and hidden critters.

Abu Galawa Soraya
Abu Galawa Soraya lies in the western part of the Fury Shoals, about 12 kilometers from Wadi Lahmi. This small, isolated reef—approximately 100 meters wide—is separated from the larger main reef system. Known for its shallow depths, crystal-clear visibility, and gentle currents, it provides ideal conditions for beginner divers.

Shaab Marsa Alam
Shaab Marsa Alam is a large, semi-circular reef shaped like a bean, surrounded by sandy bottoms and scattered coral formations. The northeastern section features an especially rich and colorful coral garden, home to a wide variety of marine life. Reef sharks are commonly sighted, and with favorable currents, divers may also encounter blacktip reef sharks or oceanic whitetips (Longimanus). In the southern lagoon lies a small wreck resting at around 17 meters, adding a touch of history to this vibrant site.

Abu Dabbab
Abu Dabbab is famous for close encounters with gentle Green Sea Turtles that often graze on the seagrass meadows. In the shallows, divers may spot the unusual yet harmless Guitar Shark. The site also offers outstanding macro life, including ornate ghost pipefish, thorny seahorses, and the delicate hairy pygmy pipehorse, making it a favorite for underwater photographers.

Fury Shoals
The Fury Shoals comprise a series of reefs along Egypt’s southwest Red Sea coast, celebrated for their pristine coral formations and diverse marine ecosystems. Hard and soft corals thrive here, creating vibrant underwater landscapes at sites like Fury Shoal Garden. Divers can encounter a wide range of Red Sea reef fish, reef sharks such as whitetips and greys, and occasionally oceanic whitetips. Pelagic visitors like barracudas, giant trevallies, and dogtooth tunas are also frequently seen.

Shaab Maksur
Shaab Maksur is a narrow but elongated reef featuring plateaus to the north and south, with steep drop-offs on the eastern and western sides. The northern terrace often attracts dolphins, barracudas, and reef sharks, while the southern plateau—with its larger coral structures—provides shelter for an array of marine species, making it one of the most rewarding dives in the area.

Discover the untouched beauty of Egypt’s southern Red Sea, where every dive reveals a hidden gem. Explore Elba Reef, a rarely visited site with stunning plateaus and the wreck of the SS Isola di Levanzo, home to gray reef and hammerhead sharks. Drift along Rocky Island’s dramatic walls covered in vivid soft corals and gorgonians, with reef sharks, mantas, and turtles gliding through. At Zabargad Island, enjoy colorful coral gardens and vibrant marine life in calm, crystal waters. End your journey at St. John’s Reefs, where spectacular drop-offs, caves, and rich marine biodiversity promise an unforgettable Red Sea adventure.

Sataya (Dolphin Reef)
Located within the Fury Shoals south of Marsa Alam, Sataya is a large reef known for its colorful drop-offs and gorgonian walls between 17 and 22 meters. The eastern plateau, ranging from 18 to 32 meters, teems with surgeonfish, napoleons, turtles, and reef species, while dolphins, sharks, and mantas are often seen in the blue. Nearby Shilineat, known as “the aquarium,” offers shallow coral gardens and sandy areas filled with small fish, turtles, and the occasional dolphin.

Daedalus Reef
Encircled by steep walls, Daedalus features a southern plateau dropping from 30 to 40 meters, rich with coral growth and schooling fish. Turtles, scorpionfish, and stonefish are common, while thresher, hammerhead, and reef sharks frequently patrol the area. The western side hosts Anemone City, a dense colony of anemones from 5 to 30 meters, attracting fusiliers, surgeonfish, and jacks.

St. John’s
Situated near the Sudanese border, St. John’s is a remote reef system rising from a vast underwater plateau. Its many dive sites feature tunnels, drop-offs, and pristine corals teeming with marine life and exceptional visibility.

Zabargad
Known since ancient times for its olivine mines, Zabargad offers dramatic underwater landscapes. Along its southern wall, divers can explore scenic passages adorned with colorful corals and abundant marine life.

Rocky Island
Rocky Island’s submerged rocks and sandy slopes feature staghorn and hard corals, with swim-throughs at around 20 meters. Leopard sharks, whitetip reef sharks, turtles, and giant trevallies are often spotted. With strong currents and depths reaching 39 meters, it’s ideal for advanced divers.

Fury Shoals
Stretching along Egypt’s southwest coast, the Fury Shoals boast unspoiled reefs filled with hard and soft corals. Divers encounter reef fish, grey and whitetip sharks, and sometimes oceanic whitetips, along with pelagics like barracudas, trevallies, and tunas.

Elba Reef
Located near the Egyptian–Sudanese border, Elba Reef features northern and southern plateaus between 20 and 45 meters. The southern side hosts the SS Isola di Levanzo wreck, resting at 18 meters and surrounded by coral and marine life. The reef’s shallows are rich in hard corals and attract a variety of reef fish and sharks.

Vessel Details

Year Built / Refurbished 2005/ 2006 - 2016 refurbished - extended 2025
Length 38 metres
Width 8 metres
Speed 10 knots
Cabins In total 10 air-conditioned cabins with bathroom (shower/ WC), mini bar, 8 cabins on under deck and 2 cabins on the sun deck
Engine 2 Cummins K19, each 750 PS
Generators 2 x 80 KW (230 V) Perkins
Water 2 x 8 t per day
Connectivity VHF, DSC (Area I and II), Satellite EPIRB and AIS, WIFI
Safety Life jackets and 2 life rafts, oxygen and first aid, fire extinguishers in every cabin and in salons, fire fighting and alarm system, smoke detectors, defibrillator
Dive deck Spacious dive deck with individual gear storage
Compressors 2 x L & W 280 EC; 1 x Mattei LP ERC 507 l
Nitrox up to 32 % free of charge
Zodiac 2 zodiacs with outboard engine
Tanks 12l aluminum- tanks DIN/INT, 15l tanks on request
Rental equipment and spare parts There is no rental equipment stock on board available, only spare equipment for the worst-case scenario. If you need complete rental equipment or only some items of the equipment, please inform us/or your agency should inform us at least one week before arrival, including the sizes if necessary. A short-term obtaining is possible, but this takes time and could delay the trip start!!! Please do not forget the most important spare parts for your equipment, such as: mask and fin straps, repair kit for regulator and batteries, film and spare bulbs for your torch.

Available Experiences

ITINERARIES AVAILABLE IN THIS DESTINATION

Marcelina

Wednesday, 10 April 2019

Sunrise Marina Resort & Emperor Divers in Marsa Alam

The overall holiday was excellent value for money. Emperor Divers provided an outstanding dive experience on day boat trips to provide some of the most relax dives I have ever encountered at reasonable depths.

Sunrise Marina Resort & Emperor Divers in Marsa Alam

What Our Customers Have To Say

Reviews from our Clients, Journalists, Photo Pro's and our own Experts

Our reviews and blogs are an additional guide to evaluate of the holiday is exactley what you are looking for or not. Some love an Eco-Resort, some love air-con and a flat screen TV, we aim to ensure you get what you are looking for, at great value for money.

Thomas Reef

Sharm El Sheikh , Red Sea

Between Gordon and Woodhouse reefs, smaller round reef with walls plunging deep and fully covered with soft coral, gorgonians and colourful fish life. It is almost possible to circumnavigate this reef in one dive. The east wall plunges dramatically to great depths with a mass of brightly coloured soft corals. The west wall is darker with overhangs and caves but is a great drift dive with sightings of Trevally and Tuna in the blue and schooling reef fish close to the reef.

  • Dive Type: Drift Dive
  • Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 20m

Ras Mohamed

Sharm El Sheikh , Red Sea

Ras Mohammed peninsula separates the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. Currents flow out of both gulfs and bathe Ras Mohammed in rich nutrients, which assure plentiful and varied marine life. At Shark Reef and Yolanda wreck, many fish species can be found: groupers, barracuda, batfish, Napoleon wrasses, blue-spot stingrays and a special treat, crocodile fish. It's an amusing and memorable site to see groupers swimming around a huge mountain of toilets at the bottom of the sea.
Really several dive sites, Ras Mohammed has earned itself a reputation as one of the top diving areas in the world, here at the tip of the Sinai where the vast bodies of water, the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba meet has created an ecosystem like no other and wall diving is at its very best.

  • Dive Type: Drift Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 18m

Shark and Yolanda Reefs

Sharm El Sheikh , Red Sea

When divers think of Sinai, they think of Shark Reef and Yolanda. The two reefs are actually the twin peaks of a single coral seamount rising just off the Ras Muhammad coast, separated from the mainland by a shallow channel.
Shark Reef, the easternmost of the two, boasts a sheer wall dropping to well past 50m (164ft) along its northeast and eastern sides, giving way to a steep reef slope as the reef proceeds southwest toward Yolanda. A shallow saddle lies between the two reefs at 18 to 20m (60-65ft). A second shallow patch lies south of Yolanda. This second flat patch is the site of what remains of the Yolanda, a wrecked freighter. The ship itself slipped into the deep in 1986 after a severe storm, but much of its cargo remains, incongruously strewn across the reef.
Coral is excellent, with good if sparse growth on the wall sections and dense coral gardens on the shallower flat areas. Big pelagics and schooling fish swarm these reefs in the thousands. The Most impressive concentration is on the wall at Shark Reef. On the reef, hundreds of different reef fishes can be spotted as can moray eels of a meter (3ft) and bluespotted and blackspotted stingrays.

  • Dive Type: Drift Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 27m

Shab Abu Nugar

Hurghada , Red Sea

This “T” shaped reef has a shallow plateau to the west with numerous small ergs and two small sub reefs Gota Abu Nigar and Shab Iris. Some parts of this reef system are positively dull while others are stunning. If you can dive the stem of the “T” on the north side you will find three small ergs and the diving there is almost virginal. You will find broom tail wrasse here as well as parrot fish and unicorn fish.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth:

Abu Dabab

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

A collection of 7 reefs. Offers sheltered diving in rough weather conditions. Popular overnight location due to close proximity to the famous Elphinstone reef with a very good chance to see Spanish dancers on the night dive. Many swim caves. Often sightings of reef sharks on the southern outer reefs.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth:

Elphinstone Reef

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

The sheer walls of this great reef plunge steeply into the blue, richly decorated with soft corals, sponges, gorgonians and fans. Sharks often swim by the spot to feed on the abundant reef fish population. The northern plateau is home to schooling hammerheads with frequent sightings of oceanic white tip sharks.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth:

Daedalus Reef

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

A huge round reef with a lighthouse more than 40 miles away from the coast, features an excellent opportunity for spotting big pelagics including manta rays. All around its steep walls you will see an extreme variety of fish and coral. Good chance to see schooling hammerheads on the northern point. Strong currents possible.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth:

Abu Galawa Soraya

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

The northern edge of the 'Fury Shoal' group, this reef has a fantastic hard coral garden, and a wreck of a private sailing boat on the western side which is packed with glassfish.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth:

Zabargad House Reef

Hamata , Red Sea

Enormous mountain coming out of the water surrounded by a lagoon and circling reef. A couple of wrecks and some decent diving with a great variety of both corals and reef fish.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth:

Rocky Island

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

Tiny rock emerging a few feet out of the water, it offers one of the most incredible underwater scenarios of the whole Red Sea. Steep walls falling into the deep blue, currents, soft corals and a great abundance of pelagics and all kinds of fish.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth:

St Johns Reef

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

This incredibly beautiful reef lies Approx. 40km North of the Sudanese border and 20km south of Zabargad . The reef covers a huge area and many dives would be needed to explore the numerous coral heads and islands that make up this extensive area.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth:

Abu Nuhas

Hurghada , Red Sea

Also known as “Ships Graveyard”, Abu Nuhas is located close to the busy shipping lanes of the Gulf of Suez. Four wrecks are lying in a chain on a sandy bottom of a steep sloping reef covered with table corals. The following wrecks are found there;

Ghiannis D was on the way from Rijeka to AI Hudayda at the southern end of the Red Sea, when the bow ran aground on the reef on April 19, 1984. The rear half of the wreck lies on the port side. At the front the funnel is the large letter “D” signifying the name of the shipping company, Danae. In front of the funnel is the bridge deck with different areas, an enormous winch and the bollard. Narrow portholes lead into the engine room. The mid-ship area resembles a scrap heap where steel girders are bent and torn up, and the side panels lie caved in on the bottom. Crocodile fish, scorpion fish, parrotfish, and groupers call the vessel home. This wreck is at 30 - 88 feet/10 - 27meters depth.

Carnatic was on the way from Liverpool to Bombay with 27 crew members, 203 passengers as well as a cargo of cotton, copper, and 40,000 pounds Sterling in gold. She ran aground in the night September 13,1869. Now the wreck lies at a depth of 65 - 88 feet/20 - 27 meters. The hull is covered with hard and leather corals.

Chrisoula K started her last trip on August 30, 1981 loaded with cheap Italian tiles. Chrisoula K ran aground due to a navigation mistake of the captain and sank in the same night. The wreck lies at 16 - 80 feet/5 - 25 meters depth.

Shaab el Erg: Shaab el Erg, also known as “Dolphin House”, is famous for dolphin sightings; it is not uncommon for a school of dolphins to join the dive. The reef drops down to a coral garden at 40 feet/12 meters deep with marine life like nudibranchs, tunas, trevallies, jacks, scorpionfish and sea turtles.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 25m

SS Thistlegorm

Hurghada , Red Sea

The Thistlegorm was discovered in 1956 by Jacques Cousteau and is probably the most famous wreck in the world. It sank in 1941 when it was hit by a German bomb that blew a hole in the port side, igniting tank ammunition that was in the hold. The explosion ripped the roof of the ship backwards, rather like opening a tin of sardines.
The stern section of the wreck lies almost horizontal to the sea bed; the remainder of the wreck is nearly upright. Inside the wreckage, tyres, tanks, motorbikes, Bedford trucks, waders and Wellington boots can be seen. Penetration is possible around the bridge and blast area. The large prop is still in position and the guns on the stern are in excellent condition.
Artillery litters the blast area. A bath tub can be seen towards the bow and a toilet near the stern. The sea life is impressive with possibility of seeing tuna overhead the resident turtle. Expect this to be very busy, especially once the day boats have reached it; it is likely to be chaos both on the surface and under the water.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth:

Brother Islands

Hurghada , Red Sea

The offshore islands in this area have recently been reopened for diving after a long closure by the Egyptian Government and have been designated as a Marine Park. Now suitable moorings are installed for dive boats visiting this area. The Brothers are really the tops of two undersea mountains these islands rise from the depths, the coral clad walls do offer outstanding diving with plenty of big fish action due to there remote location some 80km offshore.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 65m

Fury Shoals Reef System

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

Fury Shoals is a group of dive sites offering a variety of coral pinnacles, lagoons, drop offs and fast drifts.

Here you will have the opportunity to see hammerhead sharks, silvertip sharks, white tip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, bumphead parrotfish, turtles, spinner dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, surgeonfish, jacks, tuna, reef fish, colourful coral and sponges.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth:

Giannis D

Hurghada , Red Sea

This Greek freighter hit the reef in April 1983 and over the course of two weeks slowly broke into two parts and sank. She is the most dived wreck in the area, laying in 24 metres and leaning to port with a fully intact stern section and an impressive engine room packed with glass fish.

The bow is very interesting too but is a long swim out. She is a great wreck for penetration but beware of disorientation due to the angle at which she lays. Be wary of the many lion fish and scorpion fish that call this wreck home and watch out for the strong surges in and around the wreck in rough weather.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 24m

Woodhouse Reef

Sharm El Sheikh , Red Sea

The Woodhouse Reef is located between Thomas and Jackson reef, Woodhouse reef is the narrowest and longest reef in Tiran. With no moorings this dive is always done as a drift. The Reef offers a sheer wall dropping down to a sandy ledge at 30 meters and dropping away into the abyss. The most interesting point of this dive site is the famous canyon that opens out at a depth of 30 meters and runs parallel to the main axis of the reef. Here divers will have the opportunity to spot black coral at a depth of around 22 meters and lots of pelagic fish cruising past in the blue.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 22m

Big Brother

Hurghada , Red Sea

A 400 meter long island offering fabulous wreck diving and wall diving. The wreck of the Numidia lies on the northern tip between 10 and 80 meter. The north-west side of the island houses the wreck of the Aida. On every section of this reef the wall is covered with corals and life.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 18

Little Brother

Hurghada , Red Sea

Boasts a very high concentration of life within a very small area. Fan coral forests, overhangs, hard and soft corals in a variety of astonishing colors… and of course there are plenty of fish! With regular sightings of hammerheads, thresher sharks, grey sharks and white tip reef sharks, at the right time of year.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 18

Zabargad Island

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

Zabargad is the largest of Egypt's 4 Southern Red Sea marine parks and lies just 5 km northwest of Rocky Island in the deep south, 70 km off the mainland. The island has exquisite turquoise bays, sandy beaches and a 235m high hill at its centre. Zabargad means topaz in Egyptian, and you can still find evidence of an island community that mined the semi-precious stones here.

Red Sea diving is at its best on Zabargad Island's south east coast in the sheltered Turtle Bay. Here you'll find a wall to 15m then a coral reef slope down to 30m or so and then a drop off into the blue. The reef slope is a maze of coral patches and dome turrets, forming refuges to reef fish such as pufferfish and sweetlips, and invertebrates such as cuttlefish and octopus. The floor is home to bluespotted stingrays, scorpionfish and crocodilefish, and of course turtles are found here too. Green and hawksbill turtles hatch on the beach here in the month of August.

It's best to dive along the reef wall here as the coral growth is dense and there are many caverns and gullies to explore. There are also a couple of passageways that lead directly into the inner lagoon behind the reef wall.

Outside of the sheltered bays, Zabargad has steep walls that offer some great Red Sea drift diving. The usual sharks can be sighted here, such as oceanic whitetips and grey reef. It's also a good place for manta encounters, where these rays come into the reef to attend cleaning stations dotted along the ledges at 15-30m.

On the northeast coast of Zabargad lies the Khanka Wreck, a 70m long USSR transport/surveillance ship that sank upright in 24m of water in the 1970s. The bow has impact damage and lies on its port side but the rest of the wreck is in good condition. The main superstructure lies just 10m below the water's surface. Although there is little coral growth here yet, there are several interesting sections of the ship to explore on a dive, such as the holds, bridge and engine room, which are filled with glassfish and are easy to explore from the 2 large openings to be found in the bow and stern.

Large winches and heavy chains are in evidence towards the bow. You can access the engine room through the hatches in midships. The bridge is found down a narrow stairwell where you can still find the helm, chart room and control panels. The main mast is intact and is a great place for a safety stop since it rises to just 2m below the surface.

Down the west coast of the island, lies the remains of the Neptuna. This was a German Red Sea diving safari boat that sank here in 1981. It has now broken apart but much of what remains is visible on the sea floor. The area is fairly shallow with coral bommies rising from 15m. Sometimes night dives are taken here

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 30m

Shaab Maksur

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

The south plateau offers a superb diving site. You will find here three coral pinnacles, which are overgrown with red soft corals, they contain several caves and crevices where glassfish, groupers, morays and other creature hide among the soft corals and gorgonias. Fish are also plentiful and large schools of carangids, surgeons and other small fish can be seen here. With luck you can see sharks at the edge of the plateau.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 40m

Marsa Shuna

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

Weak to Medium Current. A reef in the north and south divided by a bay.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 35m

Abu Nuhas (4 wrecks)

Hurghada , Red Sea

In 1869, the Suez Canal established the Red Sea as the most important stretch of water near Egypt. Known as the Red Sea ‘graveyard’, Abu Nuhas is located north of Shadwan Island (the Egyptian Red Sea’s largest island). The submerged reef has claimed more vessels than any other in the Red Sea with at least four complete wrecks and other wreckage scattered throughout the area. The wrecks are laying in a chain on a sandy bottom of a steep sloping reef covered with table corals. Some of the items the wrecks carried were copper, port wine, and gold. The four wrecks the Red Sea Aggressor II dives are the Giannis D, Carnatic, Chrisoula K and Kimon M:

Ghiannis D is a 100 meter long cargo ship originally built in Japan then bought by a Greek shipping company and renamed the Giannis D in 1980. She was enroute from now known as Croatia bound for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia carrying a cargo of wood. After passing through the Suez Canal and into the Strait of Gubal, the ship ran aground into the reef of Sha'ab Abu Nuhas in 1983. The stern is partly intact at around 25 meters and the bow at about 18 meters.

The rear half of the wreck lies on the port side. At the front the funnel is the large letter “D” signifying the name of the shipping company, Danae. Crocodile fish, scorpion fish, parrotfish, and grouper call the vessel home. This wreck is located at a depth of 10 - 27 meters.

Carnatic is thought to be the oldest wreck found at Sha'ab Abu Nuhas. A steam and sail powered clipper, the Carnatic was sailing from Bombay (Mumbai), India to Suez when she struck the reef in 1869. The ship broke in half when the crew and passengers were abandoning it resulting in the loss of 31 lives. The ships cargo included cotton, copper, and a huge load of gold. Salvage operations claim to have recovered the gold, however rumors still exist that there still might be gold hidden on the wreck. The wreck lies at a depth of 10 - 27 meters with the hull covered in hard and leather corals.

Chrisoula K was originally built in Germany and christened the Dora Olendorff. The 100 meter long cargo ship was bound for Jeddah, Saudia Arabia carrying a cargo of Italian floor tiles. After leaving the Gulf of Suez, a navigational error saw the ship run full speed into the Abu Nuhas reef. The crew were safely rescued but the ship sank and now lies between 5 - 25 meters.

The Kimon M cargo ship sunk in 1978 after hitting the Sha’ab Abu Nuhas Reef. It was carrying lentils and is also known as the ‘Lentil Wreck’ and lies in 32 meters of water at the stern. It initially was stuck on the reef until the storm and waves pushed the ship breaking the bow then the main body which sank in 10 – 29 meters depth.The stern with the huge propeller is still intact and easy to dive. Due to its size, it is impressive to swim around from the outside and is home to schools of batfish and a huge napoleon.

  • Dive Type: Wreck Dive
  • Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 25m

Sataya Reef

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

Seven imposing stacks of coral named Dha’ab Hassan guard the lagoons entrance with depths ranging from 18m to 22m along the rim, lessoning to 12m as you approach the Sataya lagoon. The outer wall of the Sataya offers some excellent drift diving. You are dropped off by zodiac and the dive begins at the North-west edge, keeping the reef to the left. Large outcrops of soft coral cover the wall and white tips are sometimes spotted half asleep underneath table coral, slowly moving away as divers approach.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 25
Dates Duration Route Room Type Price
23 Oct 2025
30 Oct 2025
7 Nights North–Strait of Tiran Double Cabin (Upper Deck) £0
13 Nov 2025
23 Nov 2025
10 Nights Elba Reef-Rocky Island-Zabargad-St. Johns Double Cabin (Upper Deck) £0
23 Nov 2025
30 Nov 2025
7 Nights Deep South-St. Johns Twin Bed Cabin Lower Deck £1077
21 May 2026
28 May 2026
7 Nights Daedalus-Rocky Island-Zabargad Double Cabin (Upper Deck) £0
17 Sep 2026
24 Sep 2026
7 Nights South Safari until Dolphin Reef Twin Bed Cabin Lower Deck £1060