SOUTHERN RED SEA

The Southern Red Sea is considered to be the vast area between Hurgahda and the Sudan Border, 600 kilometers of largely deserted and barren coastline, bordering one of the planet’s richest marine enviroments.

The new Marsa Alam airport has given direct access to this remote area, and is situated only a few minutes from the new port at Galeb, between Marsa Alam and El Quesier. With very little development, miles of unspoilt beaches and stunning desert scenery the area makes a refreshing change from the more developed resorts in the North. Hotels are of an excellent standard and offer good 4 and 5 star accomodation. There are several well established dive bases that have been operating for many years and have excellent local knowledge and good organisation. This coast is more suited to diving from the shore or from Rigid Inflatables although there are some wooden daily boats in operation.

The Coast itself is boardered by pristine and largely unexplored fringing reef, teeming with a huge variety of fish species, hard and soft corals dropping away into the depths.

Futher away from the coast there are many offshore reef complexes, the most famous of which are Elphinstone and St. Johns. These reefs have stunning walls and one can expect to see larger pelagic fish, Jacks , Tunas, and Barracuda, together with other Red Sea favourites such as Napolean fish, Giant Moray Eels and Turtles. It is not unusual to encounter Dolphins and several varietes of Shark. Elphinstone has a resident Grey Reef shark affectionately known as Willie, and a few of the prehistoric Hump Head Parrot Fish can be seen on the reefs of St. Johns. Samedi, known as Dolphin House, is home to a large pod of Spinner Dolphins, who seem to enjoy the company of visiting snorkellers.
In the very center of the Red Sea are situated the famous Marine Park Islands. The Brothers to the North, Daedelus further South, Rocky Island and the mysterious Zabagad close to the Sudan border. These sites are a Mecca for Scuba divers throughout the world. It is here that many varieties of Shark are found, including shoals of the impressive Scalloped Hammerheads.

Transiting Manta’s, Oceanic white tip sharks and Silky sharks can also be encountered almost anywhere, together with the occassional Whale Shark. There are also some stunning wrecks, the Aida and Numidia on Big Brother, the Atlas off Ras Banas, and the legendary Maiden near Zabagad that has yet to yeild her secrets.