This site is a local Marine Park Area which is under the protection of the government. Diving there requires a permit and rules on-site to protect the dolphins are strictly enforced by the Rangers. We travel by truck for 30 minutes to the to Marsa allams’port and then another 45 minutes by one of our large boats. This site offers a wonderful array of marine life and if you are lucky, the dolphins may be around as this is their nursery and the place where they come to rest and relax. Lunch will be provided on the boat between or after the 2 dives you will make. Diving through a tunnel system is one of the options. Snorkel ls are welcome and will be provided with life jackets
Depth: 5-25 metres + (15-75 feet)
Visibility: 20-30 metres (60-100 feet)
Just south of Marsa Alam is Sha’ab Samadai. This is where a pod of spinner dolphins are resident, however, you are only allowed to snorkel with them, not dive. There are three diving areas here, the outer reef, a cave system and several pinnacles. I have seen sharks here of both whitetip varieties. The outer reef is normally done by RIB and drift round to the south where you will be picked up by the rib again. It is a nice sloping wall down to about 20m with a plateau levelling off until you reach a drop off into the abyss. The caves are easy to do, however, there are one or two narrow areas and it is advisable to follow the guide. There are areas where you can reach the surface if you have a problem. The pinnacles are to the south of the cave system and are easily navigated in a figure of 8 patterns. You will find seagrass here so look for small stuff such as seahorses.
This reef has an area which cannot be entered by anyone to create a resting place for the dolphins which frequently visit this reef. Nice dive site to the south of the western tip of this reef, nice soft corals, a nice cave system. Lots of groupers.
Please stop diving here. It disturbed the dolphins. Please huge fines for the people who are not going to respect the nature and the underwater marine life, even from the locals.
It’s not the diving that causes the problems at this reef, it’s the amount of snorkelling. The ribs thrash about trying to get the swimmers close to the dolphins. The diving is on the outside of the reef well away from the sand bottom inner reef.
