Dahab · Egypt · Coral garden · Lagoon · Pinnacle
The Islands
A lagoon packed with thousands of juvenile barracuda
Photo: Tim Sheerman-Chase · CC BY 2.0
A shallow coral maze about five minutes from the dive centres, at the start of the sand strip of Dahab's lagoon. The dive threads pools, channels and coral gardens between large pinnacles, with a maximum of 20 metres and much of the route between 7 and 10 metres, which puts it within reach of every certification level.
Where it is and how deep
28.4775° N, 34.5120° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Entry is through a short tunnel, around five metres long and two metres deep, which drops you into the system rather than onto an open reef. From there the route works through a labyrinth of three small pools with sandy bottoms, 7 to 10 metres deep, linked by channels between the coral. The shape of the dive is set by the passages rather than by a depth plan.
The site is built around large coral pinnacles separated by lagoons and channels, and the dive is a slow wander between them, down to a maximum of 20 metres. Stingrays, napoleon wrasse, Picasso triggerfish, crocodilefish and schooling barracuda are the regulars here, and eagle rays and turtles show up less predictably but are seen at the site.
One lagoon is the highlight of the site: it is home to thousands of juvenile barracuda, with trevally and large snapper always in attendance. The way out is through a small crack in the reef wall, which is worth locating on the way in rather than hunting for it at the end of the dive on a low tank.
Marine life and season
- Stingrays
- Napoleon wrasse
- Barracuda
- Trevally & jacks
- Eagle rays
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
Season follows Dahab: Conditions stay calm and shore-diveable year-round; visibility peaks in spring and autumn shoulder months.
Know before you go
- Entry is through a five-metre tunnel and the exit is a small crack in the reef wall, so fix both in mind on the way in rather than searching for them at the end of the dive.
Photos from The Islands
Tim Sheerman-Chase · CC BY 2.0
mattk1979 · CC BY-SA 2.0
mattk1979 · CC BY-SA 2.0
Dive videos
Diving at The Islands, Dahab (1) - 4K Scuba Dive [Egypt, Red Sea, 2024] · Jarek F. PL on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Islands dive site in Dahab?+
A maximum of 20 metres, with much of the route running through pools 7 to 10 metres deep over sandy bottoms. As one of the shallower dives in Dahab it is accessible to all certification levels.
Sources
- Islands - Dahab Dive Sites — H2O Divers Dahab
- The Islands Dive Site — Red Sea Tribe
- Islands dive site — PADI
Photo credits
- Shallow, sandy shore entry into the coral maze at The Islands dive site by Tim Sheerman-Chase, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red Sea anemonefish sheltering in a bubble-tip anemone at The Islands by Tim Sheerman-Chase, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A cloud of orange anthias fish over coral pinnacles at The Islands by mattk1979, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Openverse
- A slender cornet fish hovering over staghorn coral at The Islands by mattk1979, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Openverse
In The Logbook
- The best shore dives in the worldShore diving · 8 min read
More dive sites in Dahab
Lagoon
A cave-like canyon with swim-throughs beyond the shallow lagoon
A small reef filled to the brim with schooling bannerfish
A 26-metre tunnel at 55 metres links the sinkhole to open water
Coral garden
Shared entrance with the Canyon, then a slow run south
Garden eels standing in the sand a few fin-kicks from the entry
Sand slope
A single large block at 14 metres, loaded with small life
Drift
A canyon from 20 to 50 metres and a forest of giant gorgonians
Reef
A town house reef: seagrass, then coral blocks to 22 metres
Similar dives elsewhere
Anthias clouds thick enough to lose sight of your buddy
A calm lagoon of pinnacles sheltered when the outer reef is pounded
A resting pod of 60 to 80 spinner dolphins in the lagoon.
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Diverse coral between 15 and 20 m, a short boat ride out