Ras Mohammed

Ras Mohammed: choose the reef, not just the park name

The Ras Mohammed National Park offers some of the best scuba diving in the Red Sea. At the southern tip of Sinai, its coral shelves, steep walls and neighbouring reefs offer quite different dives: a gentle-looking plateau can lead towards an exposed corner with changing current.

Day boats from Sharm El Sheikh and northern Red Sea liveaboards visit the park. Travel time depends on the departure marina, sea conditions and stops; a liveaboard does not guarantee an uncrowded reef. Ask which sites suit your recent experience before choosing the trip.

Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef

Keep an eye in the blue as there may be shoals of barracuda, jacks and other pelagic fish. The attraction is also the landscape: a steep wall gives way to the saddle between the reefs and Yolanda’s coral-covered plateau. A commonly described drift runs from Shark towards Yolanda, but the current determines the actual entry, direction and finish.

The famous bathroom cargo is the memorable detail here—porcelain among the coral rather than an intact shallow shipwreck. Camel Dive describes the plateau at approximately 12–20 metres and distinguishes the shallow cargo from the hull that slipped into deep water. Neither the wall’s full depth nor the deep hull is a recreational target.

Anemone City

The coral formations are beautiful, and the anemones and their clownfish give this shelf its name. Camel describes a coral-covered metal post around 15 metres and sometimes combines the site with nearby Shark Reef. Strong current can make that combination unsuitable; it is not an automatic extension for every group.

Shark Observatory

This is a wall dive with cracks, overhangs and rows of sea fans. Look closely for small life on the reef, then out towards passing fish. The wall continues far beyond recreational depth, so its dramatic scale should not be confused with the depth of your planned dive. Despite the name, a shark sighting is never assured.

Ras Ghozlani

This is a great dive site if you like to observe small reef species. Table corals, pinnacles and sea fans make the transition from the fringing reef to the drop-off particularly attractive. Red Sea Marine describes shallow reef around 8–15 metres and a drop-off around 22–26 metres: calling the entire site a 15-metre dive is misleading.

Access arrangements near the nesting beaches and the permitted side of the reef need checking locally. Confirm that the site is open for your visit and follow the current park briefing rather than an old description of unrestricted access.

Jackfish Alley

A wall, sandy plateau, coral garden and offshore reef give Jackfish Alley more variety than its name suggests. Camel places the coral garden at about 10–18 metres, with the satellite reef separated from the main reef by roughly 50 metres. Rays may rest on the sand; stronger current can affect the outer edge. Caves and swim-throughs are not an invitation to enter an overhead environment without the appropriate training, equipment and plan.

Ras Zaatar

Also written Ras Za’atar or Ras Zatar, this site rewards a slow look at the wall’s overhangs and coral-covered pinnacles. Camel describes a table-coral pinnacle around 22 metres and a wall descending to roughly 45 metres. Those are landscape references, not a recommended maximum depth; the agreed profile must fit your qualification and conditions.

Conditions, experience and seasons

Diving operates year-round, with cooler winter water and warmer summer conditions. Wind, surface swell and changing current can alter the day’s sites. There is no single reliable visibility, depth or difficulty rating for the whole park. Offshore drift dives require comfortable buoyancy, depth control and the entry and pickup skills agreed with your operator.

Leave coral, animals and wreck material untouched, keep fins clear of the reef and respect closed areas. Wildlife encounters depend on conditions and chance; do not follow an animal beyond the agreed dive profile.

Can a non-diver come?

A guided snorkelling outing is a separate choice from joining a diving boat as a passenger. Camel’s Reef Discovery programme accepts snorkellers, provides equipment and visits two sites selected for the conditions, with up to six snorkellers per guide. A particular Ras Mohammed stop must be confirmed rather than assumed.

On 24 October 2026, Camel listed the boat snorkelling trip at €62 per person, plus a €7 park fee where applicable; optional lunch and soft drinks were €10. That gives €69 before optional lunch, or €79 with it. Hotel transfers in Sharm and listed snorkelling equipment were included. These are one operator’s published terms, not a park-wide tariff; reconfirm the destination, inclusions and fee before booking.

Map of the principal reefs

CDWS reference positions locate five named sites. They are not entry, pickup or underwater navigation instructions. Anemone City is described above; confirm its location and any combination with Shark Reef in the local briefing.

1. Shark & Yolanda Reef: 27.725000° N, 34.259167° E.
2. Shark Observatory: 27.733333° N, 34.260000° E.
3. Jackfish Alley: 27.766667° N, 34.256667° E.
4. Ras Zaatar: 27.764167° N, 34.255833° E.
5. Ras Ghozlani: 27.791944° N, 34.262500° E.

Ras Mohammed on video

The original video by Pierluigi Leggeri is retained as a view of the park, not a promise of the animals you will see.

Play Ras Mohammed video

Questions about diving Ras Mohammed

Sources and local briefings

Checked 24 October 2026: CDWS site directory; Camel Dive site descriptions; Red Sea Marine topography and access description; Camel snorkelling programme; Camel published prices. These references support planning; the local briefing determines the actual dive.