Hurghada & El Gouna · Egypt · Pinnacle · Coral garden
Erg Abu Ramada
Soft-coral peaks where moray eels swim with napoleon wrasse
Photo: Ben Costamagna · CC BY 4.0
Erg Abu Ramada, also called Camel Reef, is an erg off Hurghada whose main reef lies between 10 and 30 m before terracing down much deeper. Its peaks are covered in soft corals and anthias, and the deep parts need some experience.
Also known as Camel Reef.
Where it is and how deep
27.1631° N, 33.9842° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive starts at the mooring and heads out to the coral garden, then turns around to finish around and between the peaks of the erg itself, with the safety stop on top. The erg is covered in soft corals and anthias, and moray eels often swim around the peaks in the company of napoleon wrasse and schooling fish.
Marine life and season
- Napoleon wrasse
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Hurghada & El Gouna: Diving runs all year; the seas settle from March to November and are calmest in summer, while February brings the coolest water.
Know before you go
- The site is often exposed to weather and strong current.
- Below the main reef the slope terraces down past 60 m.
Photos from Erg Abu Ramada
Ben Costamagna · CC BY 4.0
Ben Costamagna · CC BY 4.0
Dive videos
Azou et Bill erg abu ramada · philcoc on YouTube
Sources
- Erg Abu Ramada - Blue Paradise — Blue Paradise Dive Center
- Best Hurghada Dive Sites — Diving Around Hurghada
- Erg Abu Ramada - DivePlannerPro — DivePlannerPro
Photo credits
- A dark spotted moray eel swims low over coral heads in hazy green-blue water by Ben Costamagna, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A moray eel with yellow-flecked skin peers from a coral crevice as orange fish swim around by Ben Costamagna, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A grey pufferfish covered in black spots resting on a sandy patch between corals by Ben Costamagna, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
More dive sites in Hurghada & El Gouna
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Pinnacle
Two pinnacles on a 16-metre plateau, with a wall dropping to 60 metres
An 1869 P&O steamer rotted back to her iron ribs at 24 m
One big pinnacle full of glassfish and moray eels
A wall, a 20 m-wide plateau, then a drop-off past 70 m
A minesweeper on her port side, 25 minutes from the marina
Similar dives elsewhere
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Five current-swept pinnacles cut by tunnels and swim-throughs.
A soft-coral plateau at 10–15 m and caverns down to 30 m on one thila