ZINGARA - Sharm el-Sheikh
We’re always drawn to a good wreck, and the Zingara often gets overlooked for her flashier neighbours. But honestly, this is one of our favourite dives in Sharm. She’s a proper ship, an 82-meter cargo vessel that went down in '84, now resting on her side at about 25 meters. The current here can be a bit frisky, especially around the bow, but it’s usually manageable and keeps the visibility clean. What we love is the sheer scale of her. You can fin along the entire length, peering into the holds where schools of glassfish shimmer like liquid silver. The engine room is accessible for experienced wreck divers, a dark, cathedral-like space that gives you a real sense of her working life. Out on the deck, we often find blue-spotted rays tucked into the sand, and the superstructure is draped in soft corals, a canvas for parrotfish and angelfish. This is a dive for those who appreciate the quiet dignity of a well-aged wreck, not just the coral gardens around it. Our top tip? Get there early to avoid the crowds, especially if you want to poke around inside without bumping into other fins.
- Location
- Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 28.016666, 34.486668
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 0m
Marine Protected Area: محمية رأس محمد
Best Time to Dive in Sharm el-Sheikh
The warmest water temperatures in Sharm el-Sheikh occur in August, averaging 29.9°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 22.5°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 23.6°C
- February: 22.8°C
- March: 22.5°C
- April: 23.3°C
- May: 25.6°C
- June: 26.9°C
- July: 28.4°C
- August: 29.9°C
- September: 28.6°C
- October: 27.8°C
- November: 27.1°C
- December: 25.3°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Sharm el-Sheikh
- Amphoras - 20m
- Anemone City (reef)
- AYIA VARVARA - 5m (wreck)
- Barge de Gubal (wreck)
- Beacon Rock
- Black Pearl - Red Sea
- Bluff Point
- Camel Dive Club & Hotel
- CSCL HAMBURG - 0m (wreck)
- Diving Centre - 5-15m (reef)
- Dunraven (wreck)
- DUNRAVEN - 30m (wreck)
- Dunraven Wreck (wreck)
- EMPEROR FRASER - 30m (wreck)
- Far Garden - 10-25m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to ZINGARA
Marine Life in Sharm el-Sheikh
Home to 13 recorded species including 6 whales & dolphins, 5 reef fish, 1 sharks & rays, 1 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Grey Dolphin (Grampus griseus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Bridled Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) - Whales & Dolphins
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- White Dolphin (Sousa chinensis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Blacktail Butterflyfish (Chaetodon austriacus) - Reef Fish
- Long-beaked Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) - Whales & Dolphins
- Rock Cod (Epinephelus fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Indian Scad (Decapterus russelli) - Reef Fish
- Banded Cleaner Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Diagonal Butterflyfish (Chaetodon fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for ZINGARA
Based on average water temperature of 26.0°C, currents 10 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 26°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