Marsa Murena
25.3951°N 34.7023°E · reef
Marsa Murena (“Moray Bay”) is a bay dive site on the Egyptian Red Sea coast between El Quseir and Port Ghalib (lat 25.40, lng 34.70). The name — murena being the genus name for moray eels — suggests a bay historically noted for moray eel sightings. The coordinates place this site approximately 43 km north of Marsa Alam, in the transitional zone between the El Quseir and Marsa Alam diving areas.
Overview
Bay dive sites in the El Quseir to Port Ghalib coastal corridor typically feature narrow bay entrances opening to sandy-bottomed inlets with fringing coral reefs on both sides. The inner bay bottom is protected and calmer than the outer reef; coral gardens and reef walls develop on the bay margins. The southern Red Sea coast at this latitude is documented for healthy reef conditions with diverse marine communities. Sources for the broader Marsa Murena area describe bays nestled deep into the land with sandy bottoms, narrow entrances, and coral-rich margins; one source places it 43 km north of Marsa Alam with depths reaching 60 m toward the south.
Marine Life
The bay name suggests a moray eel presence, consistent with the broader region’s documented moray eel populations. The El Quseir coastal reef zone supports diverse reef fish, blue-spotted rays, sea turtles, and large morays. Dugongs and sea turtles are possible in seagrass areas in this coastal stretch.
Site Information
- Location: El Quseir coast, ~43 km north of Marsa Alam, Red Sea, Egypt
- Entry Type: Shore entry
- Site Type: Reef
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Maximum Depth: 25 meters
Additional Resources
- Last Updated: 2026-05-17
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
30 verified species observations (13 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1999 and 2026, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Tursiops aduncus · Indian ocean bottlenose dolphin
- Stenella longirostris · Spinner dolphin
- Balaenoptera edeni · Eden's whale
- Clanculus
- Fasciolariidae
- Nerita sanguinolenta
- Rochia virgata
- Ophiocoma
- Tetraclita rufotincta
- Chthamalus
- Halophila stipulacea
- Halophila decipiens
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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