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Sandy point and watchtower along Hurghada's turquoise Red Sea shoreline

Hurghada & El Gouna · Egypt · Reef · Drift

Hamda

A gigantic green lettuce coral almost right under the boat

Area photo: Tanya Dedyukhina · CC BY 3.0

Hamda, also known as Stone Beach or Lion's Head, is a reef off Hurghada with a shallow main reef that slopes on to great depth. Its hard corals are in excellent condition, a gigantic green lettuce coral sits almost under the boat, and the site suits all levels of divers.

Also known as Stone Beach, Lion's Head.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Hamda: typical dive to 30 m (to 100 ft), deepest point 50 m (164 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit30 m50 m maxtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 60 m (197 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

No published position for this site — the map shows Hurghada & El Gouna and its other sites; operators know the mooring.

The dive

A drift from the north is a popular way to dive it. The main reef runs from the surface to 15 m, and below it the gigantic green lettuce coral sits at around 30 m. The deeper part is home to napoleon wrasse, groupers and moray eels, while the slope itself continues to around 50 m and beyond.

Marine life and season

  • Napoleon wrasse
  • Groupers
Month-by-month season rating for Hamda
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairGoodGoodGoodPrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodGoodFair

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.

Dive videos

Diving Hamda (Stone Beach) - Hurghada - Egypt · Scubabeat on YouTube

Questions divers ask

Is Hamda suitable for newer divers?+

The main reef stays within 15 m and suits all levels; the lettuce coral at 30 m needs Advanced Open Water.

Sources

  1. Hamda - Blue Paradise — Blue Paradise Dive Center
  2. Best Hurghada Dive Sites — Diving Around Hurghada

More dive sites in Hurghada & El Gouna

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Abu Hashish

A table-coral channel from the lagoon out to a pelagic drop-off

to 30 mintermediate

Reef

Banana Reef

An anemone city where hundreds of anemonefish guard their young

to 20 madvanced

Pinnacle

Ben El Gebel

A calm lagoon of pinnacles sheltered when the outer reef is pounded

8–20 mbeginner

Pinnacle

Careless Reef

Two pinnacles on a 16-metre plateau, with a wall dropping to 60 metres

12–17 m · max 60 mintermediate

Wreck

Carnatic

An 1869 P&O steamer rotted back to her iron ribs at 24 m

16–24 m · max 27 mintermediate

Wall

El Fanadir, North

One big pinnacle full of glassfish and moray eels

to 12 m · max 70 mintermediate

Wall

El Fanadir, South

A wall, a 20 m-wide plateau, then a drop-off past 70 m

to 70 madvanced

Wreck

El Mina

A minesweeper on her port side, 25 minutes from the marina

25–32 madvanced

Similar dives elsewhere

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Panorama Reef

Safaga · Egypt

An anemone garden of 40-plus anemonefish above a 35 m plateau

2–30 m · max 35 mintermediate

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Ras Ghamila

Sharm El Sheikh · Egypt

Feathertail stingrays, barracuda and grouper over a broad plateau

14–26 mintermediate

Reef

Ras Ghozlani

Sharm El Sheikh · Egypt

Table corals still intact on a slope opened to divers recently

6–30 m · max 40 mintermediate

Reef

Middle Reef

Safaga · Egypt

A mushroom-shaped reef with a labyrinth of caves along its south side

to 30 m · max 40 mintermediate