Sharm El Sheikh · Egypt · Lagoon · Coral garden
Laguna Reef
Shallow hard coral lagoon on the west side of Tiran Island
Area photo: patano · CC BY-SA 3.0
Laguna Reef is a shallow hard coral lagoon along the western side of Tiran Island, in the Straits of Tiran. It never gets deep, but its position in the Straits exposes it to strong tidal flows, and the tide rather than the depth decides when and how it is dived.
Also known as North Laguna, South Laguna.
Where it is and how deep
27.9936° N, 34.4856° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The whole dive stays over hard coral between 10 and 12 m. Strong tidal flows sweep the shallow lagoon and dictate the dive plan, so the timing is set around the tide, and the afternoon is usually the best time to go in.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
Season follows Sharm El Sheikh: Hammerhead sightings at Tiran peak June–September; winter winds can make Tiran crossings choppier.
Dive videos
Laguna reef · Gotodive Diving Centers on YouTube
Questions divers ask
When is the best time to dive Laguna Reef?+
Usually the afternoon. Strong tidal flows run through the shallow lagoon and dictate dive plans, so the tide matters more than the depth here.
Sources
- Straits of Tiran dive sites — Dive The World
- Sharm diving sites — Emperor Divers
- South Laguna Reef, Tiran Island — ScubaGo
More dive sites in Sharm El Sheikh
Reef
Anemones holding a permanent population of anemonefish
Reef
The freighter Loullia aground on the reef since 1981
Reef
Two enormous caves filled with shoaling glassfish
Scalloped hammerheads off the back of the reef in late summer
A 1984 freighter broken up in 10 to 12 m of water
Wreck
A 175 m bulk carrier aground off Nabq since 1996
Coral blocks from 2 to 40 m on a sea-grass bottom
Reef
Feathertail stingrays, barracuda and grouper over a broad plateau
Similar dives elsewhere
A cave-like canyon with swim-throughs beyond the shallow lagoon
Shared entrance with the Canyon, then a slow run south
Two resident dugongs grazing a shallow seagrass meadow.
Two resident dugongs graze the seagrass in a bay you wade into