Marsa Abu Dabbab North
25.3421°N 34.7416°E · muck
Marsa Abu Dabbab is one of the most celebrated dive and snorkel sites in the Egyptian Red Sea, located approximately 30 km north of Marsa Alam. The northern section of the bay contains the primary seagrass meadow that serves as the main feeding ground for the bay’s resident megafauna, most notably dugongs and green sea turtles.
Overview
Abu Dabbab Bay hosts resident dugongs — locally reported as two individuals known to local dive guides, ranking among only seven known dugongs along the entire Egyptian Red Sea coast. The bay also supports over 100 resident sea turtles according to the Red Sea Project organisation, making turtle encounters near-certain. The shallow, calm conditions make this site accessible to all levels including first-time divers and snorkellers.
Marine Life
- Resident dugongs (Dugong dugon) feeding on seagrass meadows
- Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Bowmouth guitarfish (guitar sharks) resting on sandy bottom
- Ornate ghost pipefish and thorny seahorses among seagrass fronds
- Reef fish communities along the bay’s coral margins
Dive Profile
Entry is directly from the beach into shallow, calm water. The central bay is a vast seagrass meadow averaging 0–10 m depth with minimal current. Visibility is typically 10–20 m but can be reduced by fine sand suspension. The northern bay margins offer slightly more coral structure.
Tips
- Visit on a weekday morning for smaller crowds — this is one of the most popular sites in Marsa Alam
- Dugong presence is not guaranteed; they range widely across the bay
- No aggressive approach to wildlife; maintain a respectful distance from dugongs and turtles
Photography
Excellent for wide-angle and behavioural shots of dugongs and turtles. Shallow bright conditions suit natural-light photography. Best early morning before boat traffic increases sediment.
Site Information
- Location: ~30 km north of Marsa Alam, Egyptian Red Sea
- Entry Type: Shore entry
- Site Type: Muck dive
- Maximum Depth: 10 meters
- Difficulty: Beginner — suitable for all levels
Sources: Divezone – Abu Dabbab, Girls That Scuba – Marsa Alam, Sambo Divers – Abu Dabbab Bay. Last updated 2026-05-17.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
41 verified species observations (19 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1996 and 2026, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Stenella longirostris · Spinner dolphin
- Tursiops aduncus · Indian ocean bottlenose dolphin
- Balaenoptera edeni · Eden's whale
- Nerita sanguinolenta
- Conomurex fasciatus
- Maculastrombus mutabilis
- Clanculus
- Fasciolariidae
- Dolomena plicata
- Aplysia nigrocincta
- Stomatella auricula
- Rochia virgata
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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