Marsa Alam & Port Ghalib · Egypt · Lagoon · Sand slope · Reef
Abu Dabbab Bay
Two resident dugongs graze the seagrass in a bay you wade into
Photo: Ruth and Dave · CC BY 2.0
Abu Dabbab is a wide, shallow bay 34 kilometres north of Marsa Alam that you enter by wading in from the beach. Seagrass meadows on the sand hold two semi-permanent dugongs, and giant green turtles feed there almost every day. Depth averages about 15 metres across the bay, and visibility is the trade-off: four to ten metres in average conditions.
Also known as Marsa Abu Dabbab.
Where it is and how deep
25.3330° N, 34.7500° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
You walk in from the beach and swim out over sand and seagrass. The bottom descends slowly as you head seaward and the bay typically averages 15 metres. The meadows are the point of the dive: divers work a slow search across them for feeding green turtles, which are seen almost every day, and for Dennis and Dougal, the two semi-permanent dugongs that graze the same beds. Visibility of four to ten metres means you find animals close in rather than spotting them across the bay.
Fringing reef runs down both sides of the bay and can be explored directly from the beach, which makes the site easy to dive twice in a day. East of the bay mouth the ground steepens into a drop-off descending to around 30 to 40 metres, and the small wreck of the liveaboard Heaven One lies offshore in 15 metres of water, sunk in 2004 with its engines and fittings still visible. Strong currents are reported in the swim-through canyon system, so the ground beyond the sheltered bay is a different proposition from the seagrass.
Marine life and season
- Dugongs & manatees
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Marsa Alam & Port Ghalib: Diving runs all year; early autumn has the warmest sea without the August crowds.
Know before you go
- Boat traffic crosses the bay; stay shallow and predictable around surfacing turtles and dugongs instead of following them up.
- Strong currents are reported in the canyon system beyond the bay, where the swim back to a beach exit is long.
- Visibility of four to ten metres makes it easy to lose a buddy over open seagrass.
Photos from Abu Dabbab Bay
Ruth and Dave · CC BY 2.0
mattk1979 · CC BY-SA 2.0
Wusel007 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Dive videos
Scuba diving at the north reef of Marsa Abu Dabbab Bay | Marsa Murena bay dive | Marsa Alam, Egypt · KaimarkLifestyle on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Can you see dugongs at Abu Dabbab?+
Two semi-permanent dugongs, nicknamed Dennis and Dougal, graze the seagrass in the bay, and giant green turtles feed there almost every day. Neither is guaranteed on a single dive.
Is Abu Dabbab a shore dive?+
Yes. You wade in from the beach, and the fringing reefs on either side of the bay can also be reached directly from shore without a boat.
Sources
- Abu Dabbab Beach and Bay - 2026 Guide — marsaalam.com
- Abu Dabbab FAQ and Photos — marsaalam.com
- Dive Abu Dabbab - Explore Marine Life in Marsa Alam — Scuba World Divers
- Assessing dugong distribution and overlapping threats along the northwestern Red Sea, Egypt — Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries
Photo credits
- Dugong grazing on a seagrass meadow over a sandy bottom at Marsa Abu Dabbab by Ruth and Dave, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse
- Dugong stirring up sand while feeding on seagrass at Marsa Abu Dabbab by Ruth and Dave, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse
- Green sea turtle swimming low over a sandy seagrass bottom in clear turquoise water by mattk1979, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Openverse
- Green sea turtle gliding over the sandy bay at Marsa Abu Dabbab (locally Marsa Murena) by Wusel007, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In The Logbook
- Where to dive with sea turtlesBig animals · 15 min read
- Cheapest places to scuba dive, and the catchTrip planning · 15 min read
- The best shore dives in the worldShore diving · 8 min read
More dive sites in Marsa Alam & Port Ghalib
Reef
Shallow reef to 15-20 m with pinnacles off the southeast
Coral garden
Coral garden to 25 m, a quarter of an hour south of the marina
Best chances of oceanic whitetips run from October to December.
Reef
A horseshoe of reef enclosing a pool of coral gardens
Wall
Starts at a 27 m pinnacle by the drop-off, then drifts shallow
Reef
Canyons cut into a reef table at only 8-10 m
Two resident dugongs grazing a shallow seagrass meadow.
Walk-in bay entry onto north and south reefs
Similar dives elsewhere
Four small reefs around a lagoon, canyon terrain, mild current
Seahorses among the seagrass beds of a quiet lagoon
The Fury Shoals' longest reef, with a resident spinner-dolphin pod
Garden eels standing in the sand a few fin-kicks from the entry