Soma Bay draws divers with a broad spread of reef types across sites near Safaga and Hurghada. Shore entries suit newer divers, while boat-access walls, pinnacles and drift sites at places like Abu Kafan and Panorama Reef North challenge experienced divers with deep drop-offs and current. Indian Lionfish, Bluespotted Fantail Ray, Regal Angelfish and Giant Moray are consistently observed across sites. Spring and autumn see the highest dive activity.
Monthly water temperature across Soma Bay's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Water stays warm through the year, peaking in summer and easing slightly in the cooler months of February through April, which nonetheless remain comfortable for diving. Spring and autumn attract the most dive traffic, with April and October standing out as particularly popular. Summer diving is warm but exposed sites can carry stronger currents, favouring more experienced divers.
44 operators
32 more sites to explore
Water temperature around Soma Bay ranges from about 23°C in February to 29°C in July, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
In the warm season (about 29°C) a rash guard or 3mm shorty is comfortable in Soma Bay; in the coldest months (about 23°C) step up to a 3mm full suit.
Fin maps 44 sites in Soma Bay (44 scuba diving sites and 5 snorkelling spots, with some suited to both).
Across Soma Bay's dive sites, April, May, July, September, October and November are most often reported as the best months to visit.
Soma Bay has a rich and well-documented species list. Indian Lionfish, Bluespotted Fantail Ray and Regal Angelfish are observed at the vast majority of sites. Giant Moray, Lunartail Grouper, Day Octopus and Crocodilefish are also frequently encountered, alongside colourful reef fish such as Red Sea Bannerfish, Diagonal Butterflyfish and Twoband Clownfish. Chromodoris Nudibranch sightings add a macro dimension for attentive divers.
Soma Bay caters well to a range of skill levels. Beginner-friendly sites such as Gassous Bay, Tobia Island and Ras Abu Soma offer shallow reef structures and calm conditions, with both shore and boat entry options. Intermediate divers have plenty of walls and drift sites to explore, while advanced divers will find the deep drop-offs and strong-current drift diving at Abu Kafan and Shaab Hamdallah suitably demanding.
The majority of sites in Soma Bay are reached by boat, but shore diving is available at a handful of locations. Abu Saaf ED and Gasus Soraya are both shore-entry sites, and Gassous Bay and Ras Abu Soma can be accessed either from shore or by boat. For divers staying at a resort, it is worth checking which sites are reachable directly from the beach.
