Best Dive Spots in Sharm El Sheikh: Complete Guide to the Top Underwater Sites

1. Shark & Yolanda Reef (Ras Mohammed)

Inside Ras Mohammed National Park, Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef form one continuous drift dive along a sheer coral wall that drops into deep blue water. Expect schooling barracuda, jacks, occasional oceanic whitetips and dense soft coral growth. The site is named after the cargo ship Yolanda, which sank nearby in the 1980s and scattered its cargo across the reef slope.

Best for: Certified divers comfortable with current; a signature drift dive usually done as part of a two- or three-tank Ras Mohammed day trip.

2. Jackson Reef & Thomas Reef (Tiran Strait)

The Tiran Strait, between Sinai and Saudi Arabia, funnels current through four coral reefs — Jackson, Thomas, Woodhouse and Gordon. Jackson Reef offers a dramatic wall and the wreck of the Lara, while Thomas Reef is famous for its narrow canyon-like swim-through known as the Canyon or Fish Bowl. Current can be strong, and conditions change quickly with the tide.

Best for: Advanced divers. Current strength varies day to day, so briefings matter — follow your guide's plan closely.

3. Ras Um Sid

A short boat ride from the marina, Ras Um Sid is one of Sharm's most popular house reefs — a gently sloping wall covered in soft corals and gorgonian fans, with resident lionfish, moray eels and regular turtle sightings. Conditions are usually calm, making it a favorite for confined and open water training dives as well as relaxed fun dives.

Best for: All levels, including Open Water students and Peak Performance Buoyancy specialty dives.

4. SS Thistlegorm (day trip)

Widely ranked among the best wreck dives in the world, the SS Thistlegorm was a British WWII cargo ship sunk in 1941. It now rests in the Straits of Gubal, its holds still packed with motorcycles, trucks, rail cars and rifles. Most Sharm El Sheikh dive centers run it as a long day trip (roughly 3–4 hours each way by boat), with two dives on the wreck.

See our full guide to the world's best wreck dives for more on planning a Thistlegorm trip.

Best for: Advanced Open Water divers or higher due to depth (18–30 meters) and occasional current around the wreck.

5. Ras Ghozlani

Just north of Ras Mohammed, Ras Ghozlani is a quieter alternative with a healthy shallow reef top and a steeper wall further out. It is less visited than Shark & Yolanda but offers similar scenery — soft corals, reef fish and the occasional passing turtle — with calmer conditions most days.

6. Shark's Bay

Despite the name, Shark's Bay is a beginner-friendly site with a shallow lagoon leading to a sloping reef and drop-off. It works well for both shore and boat access, and many centers use it for Open Water training dives and night dives thanks to its sheltered layout.

7. Temple

Temple is known for its swim-throughs and pinnacle formations rising from the reef top, along with resident lionfish, glassfish clouds and the occasional napoleon wrasse. It is typically dived as part of a multi-site day boat itinerary near Na'ama Bay.

8. Ras Nasrani

Ras Nasrani offers a long, sloping coral garden with a resident population of anemonefish, moray eels and occasional reef sharks patrolling the drop-off. It is a relaxed dive suited to underwater photographers and divers who prefer reef exploration over strong current.

9. Local Training Sites & Divemaster Internships

Sharm El Sheikh is also one of the Red Sea's main hubs for professional-level training. Established centers such as Camel Dive Club run structured Divemaster internship programs that combine local sites like Ras Um Sid, Shark's Bay and Temple for skills practice with Ras Mohammed and Tiran trips for open-water experience. If you are working toward Divemaster, expect to log dives across most of the sites on this list before you finish.

Tip: Ask any center offering a divemaster internship how many of these named sites are included, not just generic "house reef" dives.