El Sakhwa - Hurghada
El Sakhwa sits just off Hurghada, an easy spot for beginners to get comfortable. The maximum depth is 16m, which means plenty of bottom time for longer dives. We often see lionfish tucked into small crevices and the usual reef fish patrolling the coral patches. It’s a decent option for a relaxed second dive or for those looking to practice buoyancy in calm conditions.
- Location
- Hurghada, Egypt, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 27.334300, 33.791900
- Maximum Depth
- 16m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: شعاب البحر الأحمر
Best Time to Dive in Hurghada
The warmest water temperatures in Hurghada occur in August, averaging 28.9°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 22.0°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 23.1°C
- February: 22.3°C
- March: 22.0°C
- April: 22.8°C
- May: 24.9°C
- June: 26.2°C
- July: 27.5°C
- August: 28.9°C
- September: 28.1°C
- October: 27.3°C
- November: 26.6°C
- December: 24.8°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Hurghada
- Abu Hashish Drift - 15-30m (drift)
- Abu Hashish Lagoon - 5-15m (reef)
- Abu Nugar - 5-20m (reef)
- Abu Ramada Cave - 10-20m (cave)
- Abu Ramada - Ost - 10-25m (reef)
- Abu Ramada Plateau - 15-30m (reef)
- Abu Ramada South - 10-25m (reef)
- Abu Salama - 5-20m (reef)
- Aquarium - 8-20m (reef)
- Aquarius Diving Club - 5-15m (reef)
- Aquarius Diving Club - 5-15m (reef)
- Balena - 15-30m (wreck)
- Banana Reef (reef)
- Ben El Gebel - 10-25m (channel)
- Blue Water Dive Resort - 5-20m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to El Sakhwa
Marine Life in Hurghada
Home to 47 recorded species including 33 reef fish, 7 whales & dolphins, 4 seagrass & algae, 1 sharks & rays, 1 sea cucumbers, 1 hard corals.
Notable Species
- Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Grey Dolphin (Grampus griseus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Bridled Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) - Whales & Dolphins
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- White Dolphin (Sousa chinensis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Long-beaked Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) - Whales & Dolphins
- Indian Scad (Decapterus russelli) - Reef Fish
- Rock Cod (Epinephelus fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- Slender grouper (Anyperodon leucogrammicus) - Reef Fish
- False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) - Whales & Dolphins
- Tail-spot Squirrelfish (Sargocentron caudimaculatum) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Stethojulis interrupta) - Reef Fish
- Desjardin's Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma velifer) - Reef Fish
- Dapple coris (Coris variegata) - Reef Fish
- Diagonal Butterflyfish (Chaetodon fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Species code: Hs (Halophila stipulacea) - Seagrass & Algae
- Crested Sabretooth Blenny (Petroscirtes mitratus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Trim Parrotfish (Scarus ghobban) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for El Sakhwa
Based on average water temperature of 25.4°C, currents 20 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 25°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories