“What is the best reef in Hurghada?” – this is a question often asked by divers. The answer may be weird. This is the reef that the weather will allow for sailing on a given day, and the one that will be best suited to the divers' skills.

Reefs - dive sites in Hurghada are between 30 minutes and 1.5 hours by boat from the port. Which reefs a given diving center sails to depends on the location of the jetty from which the diving center sails. Diving centers located in the center of Hurghada can sail to all reefs within Hurghada area.

The determining factor in choosing a reef is the wind

A very important factor determining the choice of a coral reef - diving site is the weather, specifically the strength and direction of the wind. The winds over the Red Sea in Egypt mostly blow from the north, so boat moorings are located on the southern parts of the reefs.

• If the wind strength is greater, it may turn out that not all reefs can be sailed to - the only options available are the larger ones that are sheltered from the waves.
• Also, the size of the waves determines the choice of reef. In large waves, boats cannot sail in all directions - side waves make maneuvering very difficult and being on the boat is not pleasant for divers

Sea currents and corals

On the reefs in Hrghada, where sea currents often occur, for example: Carless Reef, Umm Gamar and Erg Abu Ramada, we can see beautiful soft corals. Food delivered along with the current causes the soft corals to grow luxuriantly, covering entire walls with a colorful carpet.

Reefs with walls covered with gorgonians and soft corals can be seen during current dives at the Police Station diving site on Small Giftun. To fully appreciate the charm of this reef in Hurghada, you must have an AOWD license, because gorgonians grow below 20 meters deep and the diving takes place in drift (so-called drift diving).

Reefs covered with hard corals. An example of such reefs in Hurghada is Gotta Abu Ramada (eastern part of the reef), Shaab Sabina (also called Sabina Garden) or Erg Somya with beautiful table corals.

Coral reef and underwater life

Reefs in Hurghada rich in moray eels, octopuses and lionfish. These animal species especially like rocky places, with lots of holes and rocks where they can hide during the day. Such a reef in Hurghada is El Fanadir. It may not be a spectacular reef at first glance, but it can certainly surprise divers with various species of moray eels, a large number of octopuses (and other cephalopods such as squid and cuttlefish) and lionfish hunting for small fish.

Reefs with dolphins in Hurghada. It is difficult to assure anyone that we will definitely encounter dolphins on a given diving day. These are marine mammals that will either want to swim towards the divers or move away. Unfortunately, dolphin cruises, which are popular in Hurghada, scare away these animals. Boat propellers, zodiacs and a lot of people swimming on the surface encourage dolphins to change places. The reefs where we can potentially dive with dolphins are El Fanous and El Fanadir. It is not certain that we will not have the opportunity to swim with dolphins on other reefs - these are animals that travel considerable distances and meeting them is possible on any reef in Hurghada.

Reefs with turtles. There are several reefs in Hurghada where there is a greater chance of meeting these aquatic reptiles. Torfa Ben El Gebel and Shaab Sabina - located between Small and Big Giftun, Police Station and Erg Somaya (located at Small Giftun) - on these reefs, especially when diving in the current (drift diving), we have a chance to meet turtles. During stationary dives, we quite often encounter these animals on dives on the El Fanadir reef.

Coral reefs in Hurghada, depending on the location of the diving site, differ in corals (soft and hard), the abundance and species of fish inhabiting a given place and the possibility of meeting larger animals. In my opinion, this diversity of places makes diving in Hurghada on the Red Sea attractive.