Scuba diving in Ras Mohammed

Scuba diving in Ras Mohammed

Scuba diving in Ras Mohammed is a once in a lifetime experience, a chance to dive in one of the most beautiful protected areas in the Red Sea. The entire area which spans 135 km² over land and a further 345 km² of water is all declared a national park. With so many fantastic reefs and crystal clear waters it should come as no surprise that diving in Ras Mohammed is one of the most popular activities in the Sharm el Sheik area. Fortunately, there are so many reefs full of fish that you will never feel too crowded when you come to Ras Mohammed scuba diving.

The reefs in Ras Mohammed are stunning as well with a rich variety of hard and soft corals, over 200 different kinds. Scuba diving at Ras Mohammed is also very easy diving, the water conditions are very calm and visibility can be up to 40 meters in some dive spots. If you are looking for beautiful reefs, crystal clear waters and relaxed fun diving Ras Mohammed is the ideal dive spot for you.

Marine Life in Ras Mohammed

In addition to having over 200 types of coral there are over a thousand different species of reef fish living on them too. The area is also full of anemone with walls of these beautiful creatures and their resident clownfish providing a great opportunity for underwater photographers. Butterfly fish, glassfish and lionfish can all be spotted in and around the reefs as well so there is no shortage of photo subjects for new and experienced photographers diving in Ras Mohammed.

The reefs of Ras Mohammed spread out for miles and are home to blacktip and whitetip reef sharks as well. These sharks can be seen patrolling the reefs or with their tails sticking out from under rocks during the daytime. You might also find stingrays and even eagle rays around the reefs. If you are really lucky it is possible to spot some bigger animals too, such as hammerheads when you are scuba diving in Ras Mohammed.

Best Dive Sites in Ras Mohammed

Shark and Yolonda reef has long been looked upon as one of the best dive sites in Ras Mohammed. The ‘shark’ half of the reef offers the opportunity to dive with blacktip and whitetip reef sharks which can be seen all over. This is also one of the dive spots where there is a chance to see hammerheads, so keep an eye out in the blue. The Yolonda part of the reef, affectionately known in Red Sea scuba diving circles as the ‘toilet wreck’ easily lives up to its name. A pile of her cargo, British porcelain toilet bowls sits on the sea bed and makes for a hilarious diving photo.

Jackfish alley and the Shark observatory are also two of the best dive sites Ras Mohammed has. Divers can spend time with reef sharks and huge barracuda as well as schools of glassfish darting to and fro. If you are looking for a deeper dive, Razz Zaatar is a great dive site for spotting pelagic fish like barracuda, eagle rays and tuna. There are also some great walls on this dive site with huge gorgonians and beautiful corals with the occasional blacktip reef shark hiding in the caves and under rocks.

Best Time to Dive in Ras Mohammed

In Egypt scuba diving is open all year round and diving at Ras Mohammed is definitely good whatever the season. What you want to see on your dive tour in Ras Mohammed might determine when you come though, hammerhead and other sharks are more common in the summer months. The water is also a little colder in the winter with the temperature dropping from 30 to 21 in the Spring.

Experience Level for Diving Ras Mohammed

Every year huge numbers of novices come to learn to dive in Ras Mohammed. The tranquil waters and wide selection of shallow sites mean that it has dive sites for almost every level. There are plenty of dive spots for experienced divers as well with numerous deeper sites with bigger fish on offer.

How Do I Get to Ras Mohammed

If you want to go scuba diving in Ras Mohammed, you have a few options. You can fly to Sharm el Sheikh or Hurghada which have international airports near to the resorts. Day boats offering dive tours can be found in Sharm el Sheikh and Egypt liveaboards are available to take you scuba diving in Ras Mohammed from Hurghada and Sharm.