Hurghada & El Gouna, the area around Ras Abdallah

Hurghada & El Gouna · Egypt · Reef · Wall

Ras Abdallah

Reef slope, a plateau at 22 m, then a wall to about 70 m

Area photo: Tanya Dedyukhina · CC BY 3.0

A fringing reef along the coast 25 minutes by boat north of Makadi Bay, with a clearly published depth profile: reef slope to 15 metres, a plateau down to 22, and then a steep slope that runs to about 70. There is often a light to medium current from the north, and it sets the direction of the dive.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Ras Abdallah: typical dive to 22 m (to 72 ft), deepest point 70 m (230 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit22 m70 m maxtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 80 m (262 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

27.0256° N, 33.9113° EPublished position for this site.

The dive

The dive is run on the outside of the steep slope and worked back into the shallow area, which is the right way round for a site shaped like this one. The reef slopes down to about 15 metres, then a plateau carries on to 22, and below the plateau the ground falls steeply to roughly 70 metres. The outer edge is where you start, with the deep water on one shoulder.

There is often a light to medium current running from the north, and it makes the navigation for you: drop in up-current on the outside and let it push you along the reef rather than swimming against it. Once the deeper part of the profile is behind you, move up onto the reef slope and finish in the shallow area, where the depth stays inside a comfortable safety-stop range.

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Ras Abdallah
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairGoodPrimePrimeGoodGoodGoodPrimePrimeGoodFair

Season follows Hurghada & El Gouna: Diveable year-round; spring and autumn bring the calmest seas for the Abu Nuhas crossing.

Know before you go

  • Current from the north is often light to medium but sets along the reef. Start the dive up-current on the outer slope so you are never swimming back into it.

Questions divers ask

How deep is Ras Abdallah?+

The reef slopes to about 15 metres and a plateau continues to 22, which is the usual working depth. Below the plateau a steep slope falls away to roughly 70 metres, outside recreational limits.

Sources

  1. Ras Abdallah dive site — Scubago (SSI MyDiveGuide)

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