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Dahab Dive Sites

Ras Abu Galum

  • 28°36.714′ N – 34°33.204′ E
  • Ras Abu Galum is situated Ras Abu Galum can also be around 8 kilometers north reached by car (four wheel
  • of Blue Hole with which it drives is necessary) following the is connected by a path along the track that goes off the asphalted rocky coast, a walk or camel ride road 20 kilometres before that will take an hour and a half. Nuweiba and driving along The road is fascinating and leads to splendid and very long Wadi the Bedouin village of El-Omeyid Rasasa. that over the last few years has You can also take the track along experienced an incredible
  • the coast that starts south of the development thanks to the many villages of Nuweiba (Nuweiba tourists who visit this place in Muzeina) and before reaching increasing numbers either for scuba Ras Abu Galum you can admire diving or stay a day or two beautiful bay called ‘El-Gardud’ by trekking in the hinterland to reach the locals: the bay is closed to the ancient Bedouin settlement west by a narrow strip of land (now abandoned) called Bir Oqda with a hook shape that recalls the close to a spring
  • bay of El-Qura.
  • A young Bedouin woman on the beach of Ras Abu Galum
  • Ras Abu Galun
  • Blue Hole – El Bell – The Canyon – Ras Abu Helal Eel Gardens – lighthouse

South Ras Abu Galum

  • 28°36.71 4′ N – 34°33.204′ E
  • The site of South Ras Abu Galum is situated
  • by the Bedouin village of El-Omeyid at the end of the track connecting it with the Blue Hole. You enter from the beach close to the small Visitor Center in the Park After having skirted a cave that opens at a depth of 4 meters, descend to 10-12 meters while passing by the spur that defines the boundary of the coral reef and continues with the reef to your left. The first part of the dive is unfortunately disfigured by the proliferation of empty bottles
  • An enormous bank of Lobophyllia
  • and other plastic waste objects. Continuing eastwards along the reef you will see some Salad corals (genus Turbinaria) and, a bit deeper, some Massive pore corals (Porites solida) before reaching some madrepore towers. From this point turn westwards to come back to the starting point, stay at a depth of 6-4 meters and you will cross a beautiful hard coral plateau on which enormous banks of Lobophyllia hemprichii stand out
  • The camel, which represents the best

North Ras Abu Galum

  • 28°36.909′ N — 34°33.577′ E
  • The site is situated north of the cape in front of
  • the Bedouin huts that extend up to this area that a few years ago were still desert. This dive is the most beautiful and interesting you can do at Ras Abu Galum and allows a chance to observe a fantastic underwater landscape with huge hard coral blocks, table corals and soft corals. The entry is at the level of a split in the reef. After passing a big Massive pore coral (Porites solida) and some flat fire corals (Millepora platyphylla) on the right, descend onto a sandy
  • bottom towards a big madrepore tower, the top of which is just a few meters below water level and surrounded by red Scalefin anthias (Pseudanthias squamipinnis): its crevices accommodate a colony of Pigmy sweepers (Parapriacanthus Sansonetti) and Cave sweepers (Pempheris vanicolensis). Continue the descent along the reef slope surrounded by Masked butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus) and around which swarm some calm, silvery snappers (genus Lethrinus),
  • A Flat fire coral (Millepora platyphylla)
  • groups of Doublebar breams (Acanthopagrus bifasciatus) and some Circular batfish (Platax orbicularis) while near the surface cruise Cornetfish (Fistularia commersoni) in search of food.
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  • After descending to 10-15 meters first explore the southern part of the reef keeping the reef to your right, then make a large anticlockwise loop to the north until you reach a group of madrepore towers with numerous Massive pore corals (genus Porites) and an enormous Salad coral (Turbinaria mesenterina) Start your return from here: you exit through the same split from which you entered.
  • North Ras Abu Galum
  • Fire corals, Raspberry corals, small table corals and Broccoli soft corals are the main elements that form the reef of Ras Abu Galum
  • THE PROTECTED AREA OF RAS ABU GALUM
  • The area of Ras Abu Galum was declared Abu Galum Managed Resource Protected Area in 1992 and covers a territory of 500 square kilometres. Different and important ecosystems are present in Ras Abu Galum such as a rich and well developed coral reef, a practically intact coastline bordered by high mountains furrowed with deep
  • wadis: these are the elements that distinguish this region and conserve its wildness and beauty. Recent studies reveal that in Ras Abu Galum there are more than 165 plant species of which 44 are endemic (only found in this area). There is the Zigophyllum coccineum (in Arabic rotrait) among the shrubs which are

  • particularly plentiful here. This richness seems to be due to the fact that Ras Abu Galum represents a transitional zone where its tropical climate interacts with the Mediterranean climate. The fauna includes Nubian Ibex (Capra hibex nubiana), the Red fox (Vulpes vulpes), hyrax (Procavia capensis), lizards (Agama sinaitica, Uromastix ornatus) and some snakes including the Horned rattlesnake (Cerastes cerastes). The local Bedouin community used to live by fishing and sheep-farming but has now found a new and a growing important economic resource in tourism.