Wadi Gimal offers a varied dive landscape anchored by offshore pinnacles, steep walls, and sheltered shore-entry reefs. The area spans everything from shallow beginner reefs at Gorgonia Beach and Ras Hankourab through to exposed advanced drift sites like Gota Shaab Sharm. Signature encounters include the Dugong, Green Sea Turtle, Spinner Dolphin, and a rich cast of reef fish led by Desjardin's Sailfin Tang, Twoband Clownfish, and the Bluespotted Fantail Ray. Currents and depth keep offshore sites firmly in intermediate to advanced territory.
Monthly water temperature across Wadi Gimal's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Water stays warm throughout the year, cooling slightly in late winter before peaking in late summer. The warmest months from July through October also align with the best-rated diving periods, when visibility and sea conditions tend to favour offshore sites. Winter remains perfectly diveable, though a slightly thicker exposure suit offers added comfort on longer boat trips to the exposed pinnacles.
6 operators
Marsa Alam, Egypt
Egypt
7 more sites to explore
Water temperature around Wadi Gimal ranges from about 23°C in February to 30°C in August, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
In the warm season (about 30°C) a rash guard or 3mm shorty is comfortable in Wadi Gimal; in the coldest months (about 23°C) step up to a 3mm full suit.
Fin maps 19 sites in Wadi Gimal (17 scuba diving sites and 5 snorkelling spots, with some suited to both).
Wadi Gimal is one of the few areas where observation-backed sightings include Dugong, Green Sea Turtle, and Spinner Dolphin. Giant Guitarfish and Bluespotted Fantail Ray are also regularly recorded across the sites. Lunartail Grouper and Coral Grouper are common on most reefs, and Giant Moray can be found tucked into crevices.
The area truly caters to a range of skill levels. Shore-entry sites such as Gorgonia Beach, Ras Hankourab, and Abu Ghusun are rated beginner-friendly and stay shallow. Intermediate divers have plenty of offshore pinnacle and reef options, while Gota Shaab Sharm, with its steep walls and current exposure, is reserved for advanced divers.
Most sites require a boat, including the offshore pinnacles at Habili Wadi Gimal, Habili Dahara, and Erg Gubar. However, several sites offer direct shore entry: Gorgonia Beach, Abu Ghusun, Sharm Lulli, and Ras Hankourab can all be reached without a boat. Shore sites tend to be shallower and are a practical option for those based nearby.
Pinnacle and reef structures dominate, with several sites also featuring walls and drop-offs. Dahara stands out for combining a reef, wall, pinnacle, and wreck in a single location. Seagrass meadows appear at Shams Alam House Reef, rounding out a varied set of underwater habitats across the region.
