Daedalus (Abu El Kizan)
This small, isolated reef lies in the open sea, almost halfway to Saudi Arabia. Less than 800m across, it is marked by a lighthouse, which forms the only break on the horizon for many kilometers in all directions. The reef has steep drop-offs on the east, north and south sides, all offering good diving. The southern side offers excellent shelter from the prevailing north winds, and is the preferred mooring point for visiting boats.

The reef profiles on the three best sides are very sheer, running from the surface to depths of 70m or more. On the west side, there is a drop-off with an “anemone city”, where you will find astonishing concentrations of beautiful anemones and a section of massive blue coral growth.

To the north, the open water currents bring the best selection of pelagic fish, with frequent sightings of awesome manta rays - especially from March to April. Moving down the eastern coast, another impressive drop-off runs toward the south-eastern tip of the reef, where there have been repeated sightings of thresher sharks. This is a rare opportunity to see these amazing predators from close. They are easily identifiable by their elongated tails, with which they are said to “thresh” schools of smaller fish, stunning them before eating them.

The reef is richly developed throughout, with good coral growth from the surface to the depths. Hard and soft coral species are both well represented. Fish life is as dense as you would expect on an isolated reef pinnacle, with the usual reef species complemented by large concentrations of schooling species, such as snapper, long-nose unicorn fish and a variety of surgeonfish.

Elphinstone (Shabruhr Abu Hambra)
This long, finger-like reef runs from north to south in the open Red Sea. Steep walls drop to the depths on the reef’s east and west sides, reaching down 70m or more, while the north and south ends of the reef are marked by submerged plateaus. The northern plateau is very shallow, offering some superb snorkeling possibilities. The southern plateau is much deeper, with a drop-off at 30m leading down to the depths. A large underwater arch can be found here, between 50 and 70m. This lays beyond the range of most sports divers, but has a fascinating story attached to it. Legend has it that the sarcophagus of an unknown pharaoh lies beneath the arch, and you can in fact see the outlines of a suspiciously rectangular coral encrusted mass in the depths at around 60m.

Coral coverage is dense and magnificent, with a full range of hard and soft corals on all sides. The east side in particular has some beautiful soft coral growth. A massive number of reef species adds still more color to the already dazzling walls, with a ready supply of big solitary and schooling pelagic to observe. One great hammerhead seems to be a permanent resident, along with a very curious oceanic white tip; a close encounter with these fish will leave you buzzing for days.

This is an endlessly fascinating site, worth visiting any number of times, both for snorkelers and for more advanced divers.

Shaab Samadai
The lagoon Shaab Samadai was declared a Marine Park in 2004, to protect the resident dolphins. Also called Dolphin House, by promising an exciting experience with dolphins (hence the name), this site attracts numerous snorkelers, which you will find here during the day.

For the more experienced diver the reef will spoil you thanks to its drop-offs along the exterior side and with interesting caves you can discover in 5m depth, close to one of its “Ergs”.