Erg Marsa Alam
25.0685°N 34.9435°E · reef
Erg Marsa Alam is a dive site in Red Sea, Middle East.
Overview
Erg Marsa Alam is a dive site at coordinates 25.069°N, 34.943°E, placing it approximately 10 km east of Marsa Alam in the open Red Sea — consistent with an offshore reef or erg pinnacle south of Elphinstone Reef and east of the town. The name uses the Arabic term “erg” (high pinnacle) combined with “Marsa Alam,” indicating this is likely a coral pinnacle or erg formation in the reef complex offshore from the town. The ergs around Marsa Alam are characterised by towering coral pinnacles on a sandy bottom, colonised by hard and soft corals and hosting a full complement of Red Sea reef species. The site does not appear by this exact name in major English-language dive databases, suggesting it may be a locally designated dive spot.
No site-specific dive sources were found under this exact name. The following reflects the general character of the Sha’ab Marsa Alam / erg reef system at this location.
The Sha’ab Marsa Alam reef complex features a horseshoe-shaped offshore reef with numerous ergs on the eastern side rising from 5 m above the seabed, reaching up to 3 m below surface. The pillars are covered in soft corals. Marine life includes Napoleon wrasse, parrotfish, turtles, reef sharks, and schooling fish. The site is 10 minutes by boat from Marsa Alam marina and suitable for drift diving when current is running.
Site Information
- Location: Offshore reef area, ~10 km east of Marsa Alam, southern Red Sea
- Entry Type: Shore entry
- Site Type: Reef
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Maximum Depth: ~25 m
No site-specific dive sources located under this exact name. Description reflects general characteristics of the Marsa Alam offshore erg reef system. Last updated 2026-05-17.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
177 verified species observations (62 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1895 and 2013, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Stenella longirostris · Spinner dolphin
- Tursiops truncatus · Common bottlenose dolphin
- Mobula
- Tursiops aduncus · Indian ocean bottlenose dolphin
- Stenella attenuata · Pantropical spotted dolphin
- Decapterus russelli
- Alepes djedaba
- Mobulidae
- Gobiodon ater
- Saurida undosquamis
- Tursiops · Bottlenose dolphins
- Chromodoris quadricolor
Scientific survey records skew toward sampled taxa (molluscs, corals) and do not reflect what you are guaranteed to see on a dive.
Source: OBIS (obis.org), aggregated Darwin Core occurrence records.
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