Iconic Diving in Egypt’s First National Park
Ras Mohammed is Egypt’s first national park, located at the junction of the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. This unique position creates an extraordinary diversity of coral and fish life. Among the most famous dive sites are Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef – two towering pinnacles that rise from the depths and are home to grey reef sharks, tuna, barracuda, snappers, and even hammerhead sharks. While exploring Yolanda Reef in search of stingrays, moray eels, and scorpionfish, divers come across a quirky curiosity: dozens of toilets and bathroom fittings scattered on the reef slope – the remnants of the sunken freighter Yolanda.
Located about 20 km south of Sharm El Sheikh, on a narrow peninsula at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, Ras Mohammed is accessible both via day trips from resorts and by liveaboard. The name is said to come from a wind-carved rock formation resembling the profile of the Prophet Mohammed, who is believed to have visited the area in the 7th century.
The park is surrounded by fringing reefs formed after a coastal shift around 70,000 years ago. Characterized by steep drop-offs plunging over 100 meters deep, its location between two seas with different salinities has created a particularly rich and vibrant underwater world – perfect for unforgettable dives in the Red Sea.
Ras Mohammed was declared a protected area in 1983 due to its ecological importance and natural beauty. Today, the park covers 480 km² and is actively monitored by rangers. Diving is only permitted in designated zones, and the park must be vacated by sunset. It is one of the few tourist areas in the world without any wastewater discharge into the sea.
Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are the park’s top highlights. These reef-like “underwater mountains” rise from the sandy seabed and host an astonishing array of marine life. Here, you can encounter hammerheads, massive tuna, large barracudas, Napoleon wrasse, and countless schooling fish.
The best way to dive these sites is as a drift dive – starting at Shark Reef and finishing at Yolanda Reef. Nearby, Satellite Reef can also be explored depending on the current. Its eastern side is a vertical wall covered in purple and orange soft corals, teeming with anthias and juvenile black-and-white damselfish. In the deeper blue, keep an eye out for grey reef sharks – the namesake of the reef.
The western side is shallower and part of the plateau surrounding Yolanda Reef. Here, thousands of jacks, batfish, rays, giant moray eels, and other reef fish gather. Scorpionfish are more common here than at many other dive sites.
The dive ends at the wreck of Yolanda, which sank in the 1970s. Her cargo – toilets, bathtubs, and pipes – is now scattered across the reef and often serves as humorous photo backdrops. A popular shot: a row of seven toilets – a true classic in dive photography! Caution: avoid touching fire corals – they sting painfully, especially if you’re diving in a shorty!
Anemone City, located north of Shark Reef, feels like a bustling underwater metropolis. Hard and soft corals form a dense reef system inhabited by thousands of anemonefish – mornings here are true “rush hour.” The site’s namesake Heteractis anemones are home to the iconic Red Sea anemonefish, known for their bold and territorial behavior.
Typical reef inhabitants of Ras Mohammed National Park also include angelfish, cigar wrasse, Klunzinger’s wrasse, and yellowtail surgeonfish. It’s a great place to spot endemic species like the redback butterflyfish or masked butterflyfish.
Ras Ghazlani, located at the entrance to Marsa Bareika, is a drift dive with excellent visibility and healthy corals. The site was closed for years, which explains its pristine condition. The sloping wall is dotted with coral blocks and frequented by pufferfish, eagle rays, groupers, and Napoleon wrasse. A top spot for observing the full range of Red Sea marine life.
Ras Zaatar, at the northern tip of the peninsula, is a deep dive site featuring steep walls, caves, and overhangs. Black corals, Broccoli soft corals, sessile xenia, and gorgonians line the wall. You may encounter longnose hawk fish, glassfish, lionfish, and blue-spotted triggerfish. In deeper water, jacks, eagle rays, and reef sharks are often seen.
Jackfish Alley is an easy shore dive starting at a cave full of glassfish at a depth of 5 meters. The sandy, coral-strewn seabed is bustling with life. Further south, the plateau narrows into a sandy channel – the “alley” the site is named after. Whitetip reef sharks are often seen resting in the sand here.
At Shark Observatory, once famous for its large shark population, shark sightings are now rarer – but the dive remains spectacular. The wall plunges vertically down to 90 meters and features caves, glassfish, soft and hard corals, and gorgonians. Pelagic species such as barracudas, jacks, and occasionally sharks still make this one of the premier dive sites in Ras Mohammed National Park.