moderate Hurghada

Erg Somaya

Depth Range

5–60m

Boat Ride

75 min

Difficulty

moderate

Somewhat exposed on the east side of Small Giftun — some experience needed for the deeper sections

Just north of the Police Station on Small Giftun, the vertical wall turns into a shelf crowned by an erg that reaches to within 5 metres of the surface. Further north a steeply sloping wall carries a series of coral towers stretching into the blue, draped in soft corals and gorgonians. A chimney at the shelf's northeast corner can be entered at 30 metres and exited at 22, and the erg itself makes a near-perfect safety stop.

What You Might See

Barracuda, snapper, jackfish & tuna Coral towers with anthias & butterflyfish Chimney swim-through packed with glassfish

Suitable for

Divers with some experience
Advanced Open Water recommended
Deep-dive training useful
Snorkellers (shallow top only)

Best time to dive here

Divable all year — the Red Sea has no closed season. Water runs from about 22°C in February to 30°C in August, and March–May and September–November give the most comfortable mix of warm water, light wind and good visibility. Conditions at this site: Somewhat exposed on the east side of Small Giftun — some experience needed for the deeper sections

Where it is

This site is the highlighted pin; the others are the rest of the reefs around Hurghada. Boat times are from the main harbour and vary with sea conditions.

Get directions Open in OpenStreetMap 27.18,33.95