Ras Mohammed National Park
Where the Gulf of Aqaba meets the Gulf of Suez, Ras Mohammed's protected waters hold some of the Red Sea's most dramatic topography — sheer coral walls that plunge hundreds of meters straight down, patrolled by schools of barracuda, jacks, and the occasional reef shark. Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef, a world-famous drift dive along a near-vertical wall, is consistently ranked among the planet's best dive sites. Even snorkelers get a real taste of this drop-off from the surface, with visibility regularly exceeding 20 meters.
Diving for Every Level
Sharm's waters suit everyone from first-time snorkelers to technical wreck divers. Beginners can take an introductory dive in calm, shallow bays with a certified instructor, no experience required, while certified divers head further out to sites like Thistlegorm — a WWII cargo wreck scattered with motorcycles, trucks, and rifles, one of the most famous wreck dives on Earth. Dive centers along the coast run daily boat trips and PADI courses in multiple languages, making it easy to go from curious beginner to certified diver in a few days.
When to Go
The Red Sea stays divable year-round, with water temperatures rarely dropping below 21°C even in winter, but spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) offer the most pleasant air temperatures to pair with diving and beach time. Summer brings excellent visibility but intense heat; winter brings slightly cooler water and the best chance of spotting larger pelagic species passing through. Whatever the season, book reef dives early in the morning when the water is calmest and the light underwater is best.
