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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Red Sea and Arabia

Red Sea and Arabia

Egypt

Red Sea freediving and scuba all year, with turtles, reef sharks and dugong habitat.

Hard corals and reef fish in the Red Sea north of Marsa Alam, Egypt
Red Sea coral reef north of Marsa Alam, Egypt · Photo: Wusel007, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Exploring

Ethics pass, with care. We found a way to visit this country that meets our animal-welfare standard, as long as we work with the right local operator. Checked by Ocean Calling on 30 Sep 2026. Sources: Egypt, Samadai Reef case study, IWC Whale Watching Handbook; A crusade to shield the Red Sea's dolphins, BabMasr, May 2026; Ban dolphinariums campaign, HEPCA.

🧭 Travel advice, checked 30 Sep 2026. The UK FCDO advises against all travel to North Sinai and within 20km of the Libyan border, and against all but essential travel to parts of South Sinai and east of the Suez Canal. Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada are not covered. Sources: UK FCDO travel advice, Egypt Advice differs by passport: check your own government before you plan.

FreedivingScubaTurtlesSharksDolphins

Why Egypt

Egypt's Red Sea coast suits both freediving and scuba all year. Dahab is a base with reef fish, turtles, rays and octopus, and Marsa Alam is known for turtles, reef sharks and dugong habitat. At Marsa Alam, spinner dolphins and dugongs may be seen from the boat. October to November and spring look strongest.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

KazakhstanUzbekistanSomaliaSudanChadRussiaFranceMaliMauritaniaBeninNigerNigeriaCameroonTogoGhanaCôte d'IvoireBurkina FasoCentral African Rep.IsraelLebanonPalestineTunisiaAlgeriaJordanUnited Arab EmiratesQatarKuwaitIraqOmanIndiaPakistanAfghanistanTajikistanKyrgyzstanTurkmenistanIranSyriaArmeniaRomaniaBulgariaGreeceTurkeyAlbaniaCroatiaSpainChinaItalyAzerbaijanGeorgiaEritreaYemenSaudi ArabiaN. CyprusCyprusMoroccoEgyptLibyaEthiopiaDjiboutiSomalilandBosnia and Herz.MacedoniaSerbiaMontenegroKosovoS. SudanDahab, EgyptMarsa Alam, Egypt

When to go

Year-round. Timing changes by place and by animal, so check each place below.

We have researched this place and keep learning about it. There is no trip here yet.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Ethics pass, with care

Good with the right operator. Here is how we choose.

The Red Sea reefs of Egypt are rich, and at one Marsa Alam reef the dolphins' resting area is protected with zones and a code of conduct. But in many other places, local groups report boats chasing, touching and feeding dolphins, and there are also captive dolphin shows. Ocean Calling chooses reef freediving and diving, and watches dolphins only where visits are managed, from the boat and without chasing.

Checked 30 Sep 2026. Places change, so we look again every year.

Sources for this check
Places we are exploring

Where in Egypt

Short notes from our research. Wildlife is never guaranteed.

Dahab

Exploring

A Red Sea base for freediving and scuba, with reef fish, turtles, rays and octopus.

🤿 In the water: Reef fish, Turtles, Rays, Octopus and small reef life, Open-water fish (occasional)

When: Year-round. Diving and freediving run all year. October, then April to May, look strongest.

Marsa Alam

Exploring

At Marsa Alam, spinner dolphins can be watched from the boat at a distance, and dugongs are sometimes seen from the shore at Abu Dabbab, never chased and never promised.

🤿 In the water: Green turtles, Reef sharks, Oceanic whitetip sharks (possible), Rays, Reef fish

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Spinner dolphins (resident, Samadai reef), Bottlenose dolphins (from the boat), Dugongs (Abu Dabbab, watched from the shore, never chased, not guaranteed)

When: Year-round. Diving runs all year. October to November and spring look strongest. Wildlife timing varies by site.

Animals

Animals recorded in Egypt

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Scalloped hammerhead shark cruising in deep blue Red Sea waterScalloped hammerheadSphyrna lewiniSeen in 57 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredGreat hammerhead seen from above over rippled white sandGreat hammerheadSphyrna mokarranSeen in 20 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredOceanic whitetip shark with pilot fish in sunlit Red Sea waterOceanic whitetip sharkCarcharhinus longimanusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredTiger shark with clear stripes swimming over a reefTiger sharkGaleocerdo cuvierSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedScarred Risso's dolphin spyhopping out of the waterRisso's dolphinGrampus griseusSeen in 56 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTwo blacktip reef sharks swimming over sunlit sand in turquoise waterBlacktip reef sharkCarcharhinus melanopterusSeen in 38 countries in the AtlasVulnerableTawny nurse sharks swimming in sunlit Maldives waterTawny nurse sharkNebrius ferrugineusSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasVulnerableWall of grey reef sharks cruising in blue waterGrey reef sharkCarcharhinus amblyrhynchosSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasEndangeredWhitetip reef sharks resting stacked in a reef creviceWhitetip reef sharkTriaenodon obesusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasVulnerableCommon bottlenose dolphin swimming over a seagrass bedCommon bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPod of bottlenose dolphins swimming over a Red Sea coral reefIndo-Pacific bottlenose dolphinTursiops aduncusSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedTwo spinner dolphins swimming over sand in clear waterSpinner dolphinStenella longirostrisSeen in 66 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBlacktip shark swimming in green water in the GalápagosBlacktip sharkCarcharhinus limbatusSeen in 49 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBlue-spotted ribbontail ray resting on sand, seen from aboveBlue-spotted ribbontail rayTaeniura lymmaSeen in 22 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernWhite-spotted eagle rays gliding over coral at Heron Island, Great Barrier ReefSpotted eagle ray (ocellated eagle ray)Aetobatus ocellatusSeen in 28 countries in the AtlasEndangeredPink whipray and a blacktip reef shark in Moʻorea's lagoon, mountains behindPink whiprayPateobatis faiSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasVulnerablePale reef stonefish resting between anemones in KwajaleinReef stonefishSynanceia verrucosaSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernRed lionfish with spread fins over sand in Dauin, PhilippinesLionfish (red and common lionfish)Pterois volitans and Pterois milesSeen in 80 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernWell camouflaged scorpionfish on dark sand in Lembeh StraitScorpionfishScorpaenopsis speciesSeen in 22 countries in the AtlasVaries by speciesTitan triggerfish swimming over a reef slope in blue waterTitan triggerfishBalistoides viridescensSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPicasso triggerfish with painted pattern over sand in the MaldivesPicasso triggerfish (lagoon triggerfish)Rhinecanthus aculeatusSeen in 41 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernDay octopus beside a coral head on a sandy Red Sea reefDay octopusOctopus cyaneaSeen in 35 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernMimic octopus with banded arms spread over dark sandMimic octopusThaumoctopus mimicusSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreen turtle resting on the reef, shell and head pattern in sharp detailGreen turtleChelonia mydasSeen in 103 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHuge spotted whale shark gliding through open blue waterWhale sharkRhincodon typusSeen in 54 countries in the AtlasEndangeredReef manta ray gliding over a sandy lagoonReef manta rayMobula alfrediSeen in 20 countries in the AtlasVulnerableHawksbill turtle swimming, pointed beak in profileHawksbill turtleEretmochelys imbricataSeen in 88 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredDugong grazing on seagrass over a sandy seabedDugongDugong dugonSeen in 32 countries in the AtlasVulnerableLoggerhead turtle at the surface feeding on Portuguese man o' warLoggerhead turtleCaretta carettaSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasVulnerableLarge school of chevron barracuda in deep blue waterChevron barracudaSphyraena qenieSeen in 19 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSchool of bigeye trevally swirling near the seabed at AmedBigeye trevallyCaranx sexfasciatusSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPod of common dolphins surfacing in calm blue seaCommon dolphinDelphinus delphisSeen in 53 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHumphead wrasse swimming over a coral reef in Raja AmpatHumphead wrasse (Napoleon wrasse)Cheilinus undulatusSeen in 34 countries in the AtlasEndangeredBlue-spotted maskray resting on a sandy seabed beside a shellBlue-spotted stingrayNeotrygon kuhlii complexSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasVaries by speciesGreat barracuda cruising in open blue water, showing jagged teethGreat barracudaSphyraena barracudaSeen in 84 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernEstuary seahorse with textured orange skin on dark sandCommon (estuary) seahorseHippocampus kudaSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasVulnerableGiant oceanic manta with T-shaped white shoulder patches and remorasOceanic manta ray (giant manta)Mobula birostrisSeen in 31 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSilvertip shark swimming in open blue waterSilvertip sharkCarcharhinus albimarginatusSeen in 28 countries in the AtlasVulnerableFalse killer whale surging through blue water off Rota, Mariana IslandsFalse killer whalePseudorca crassidensSeen in 41 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedBluestreak cleaner wrasse with black stripe and blue tailBluestreak cleaner wrasseLabroides dimidiatusSeen in 51 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernAdult pink Chinese white dolphin swimming beside a grey calf in Pearl River estuary waterChinese white dolphinSousa chinensisSeen in 17 countries in the AtlasVulnerablePantropical spotted dolphin gliding at the calm ocean surfacePantropical spotted dolphinStenella attenuataSeen in 56 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSilky shark swimming near the surface in blue waterSilky sharkCarcharhinus falciformisSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasVulnerableWhitespotted eagle ray gliding over reef and sand in BelizeWhitespotted eagle rayAetobatus narinariSeen in 58 countries in the AtlasEndangeredMoon jellyfish in a harbour in Zeeland, NetherlandsMoon jellyfishAurelia aurita and other Aurelia speciesSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasNot EvaluatedCommon octopus crawling over a rocky seabed in FranceCommon octopusOctopus vulgarisSeen in 32 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHalavi guitarfish resting on a sandy seabed in clear shallow waterHalavi guitarfishGlaucostegus halaviSeen in 2 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredWhite-eyed gull perched on a corrugated roof against a blue sky, with a dark hood and red billWhite-eyed gullIchthyaetus leucophthalmusSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernAdult brown booby standing on a rock with its bill open against blue sky, PrincipeBrown boobySula leucogasterSeen in 104 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernNomad jellyfish seen from below in sunlit blue water, a translucent bell with frilly arms hanging beneath, off Haifa, IsraelNomad jellyfishRhopilema nomadicaSeen in 6 countries in the AtlasNot EvaluatedSilver-cheeked toadfish resting just above sandy seabed, with its pale belly and dark-spotted backSilver-cheeked toadfishLagocephalus sceleratusSeen in 19 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGiant trevally swimming close to a coral head, with small reef fish in blue water behind itGiant trevallyCaranx ignobilisSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCommon smooth-hound swimming just above a sandy seabed, with a slim grey-brown body and two dorsal finsCommon smooth-houndMustelus mustelusSeen in 35 countries in the AtlasEndangeredGreat cormorant perched on a branch, with white head plumes and a glossy blue-black backGreat cormorantPhalacrocorax carboSeen in 90 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernReed cormorant perched on a low stump among tall reedsReed cormorant (long-tailed cormorant)Microcarbo africanusSeen in 27 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernClose view of a small-spotted catshark head, with dark spots, resting on the seabedSmall-spotted catshark (lesser spotted dogfish)Scyliorhinus caniculaSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCoach whipray gliding over seagrass in the Red Sea, long tail trailing behindCoach whipray (reticulate whipray)Himantura uarnakSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasEndangered

Read before you go

Planning and destinationsEgypt's Red Sea Reefs: What Ethical Diving Looks Like Here NowRead ↗Planning and destinationsA Day in the Life of an Ocean Calling Retreat on Egypt's Red Sea CoastRead ↗Planning and destinationsEgypt vs the Philippines: Two Very Different Ways to Meet a ReefRead ↗
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Also in Red Sea and Arabia
BahrainDjiboutiEritreaIranIraqIsraelJordanKuwaitOmanPakistanQatarSaudi ArabiaSudanUnited Arab EmiratesYemen

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