reef

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Récif d'Ambouli

Récif d'Ambouli is a real favourite of ours when we're diving Djibouti. It’s not about huge pelagics here, though you might get lucky with a dolphin pod passing by. What we really love is the sheer density of the smaller stuff, the fish life just clinging to the reef. Drop in and you’re immediately surrounded by chromis, their blue-green scales flickering like static, while schools of pearl-sides dart between the coral heads. Look closely, and the reef reveals itself. We’ve spent entire dives just watching peacock-tail anemone shrimp doing their twitchy dance, or trying to spot the intricate patterns on an ornate Pitar venus shell tucked into the sand. Keep an eye out for Arabian angelfish, their striking colours a real treat against the rusty parrotfish grazing the coral. There are blennies popping in and out of their holes, and we’ve even come across painted spiny lobsters lumbering across the substrate. It’s a site for those who appreciate the details, who don't mind slowing down and letting the reef come alive around them. Dive it in the morning for the best light, when the colours are truly vibrant.