Shaab El Shaga - Marsa Alam
Shaab El Shaga, just offshore from Marsa Alam, gives us a solid, easy dive. It’s a good spot for a second or third dive of the day, with generally calm conditions. We've often seen grey dolphins cruising through the deeper water here, a real treat when they decide to hang around. The reef itself is healthy, plenty of the usual Red Sea suspects like angelfish and butterflyfish flitting about. It’s not going to blow your mind, but it’s a consistently pleasant dive for all experience levels, especially if you’re hoping for a dolphin encounter.
- Location
- Marsa Alam, Egypt, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 22.118294, 36.867054
- Type
- reef
Best Time to Dive in Marsa Alam
The warmest water temperatures in Marsa Alam occur in August, averaging 31.1°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 22.7°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 23.6°C
- February: 22.7°C
- March: 22.9°C
- April: 23.8°C
- May: 26.0°C
- June: 28.1°C
- July: 29.9°C
- August: 31.1°C
- September: 30.4°C
- October: 28.8°C
- November: 27.1°C
- December: 25.6°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Marsa Alam
- Abu Dabab 4 - 5-18m (reef)
- Abu Dabab 6 - 5-15m (reef)
- Abu Dabbab Ithnain - 5-18m (reef)
- Abu Dabbab Thalata - 5-18m (reef)
- Abu Dabbab Wahid - 10-25m (reef)
- Abu Diab - 15-30m (reef)
- Abu Echera - 10-25m (reef)
- Abu Fendira - 15-30m (reef)
- Abu Galawa Kebir
- Abu Galawa Soraya - 10-25m (reef)
- Abu Galawa Soraya - 10-25m (reef)
- Abu Ghusun (Wreck) - 16m (wreck)
- ADAMANTIA K - 2m (wreck)
- Adantia K. - 15-30m (wreck)
- Barakuda Lahami Bay - 5-20m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Shaab El Shaga
Marine Life in Marsa Alam
Home to 39 recorded species including 10 seagrass & algae, 8 whales & dolphins, 8 reef fish, 7 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 sharks & rays, 1 clams & mussels.
Notable Species
- Long-beaked Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) - Whales & Dolphins
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Bridled Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) - Whales & Dolphins
- Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Species code: Hs (Halophila stipulacea) - Seagrass & Algae
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- halodule (Halodule uninervis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Species code: Hp (Halodule pinifolia) - Seagrass & Algae
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) - Whales & Dolphins
- Maldive Cone (Conus maldivus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Golden-Yellow Cone (Conus flavidus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Grey Dolphin (Grampus griseus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Black rock pipefish (Phoxocampus belcheri) - Reef Fish
- Sand-dusted Cone (Conus arenatus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Duncker's pipefish (Halicampus dunckeri) - Reef Fish
- Indian Scad (Decapterus russelli) - Reef Fish
- Bryde's Whale (Balaenoptera edeni) - Whales & Dolphins
Recommended Packing List for Shaab El Shaga
Based on average water temperature of 26.7°C, currents 3 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°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