Novotel House Reef

Novotel House Reef is a fringing reef dive site located directly in front of the Novotel resort on the Egyptian Red Sea coast, near Hurghada. This accessible house reef offers convenient diving just steps from the shoreline and is regularly dived by resort guests and visiting divers alike.

Overview

Novotel House Reef stretches along a shallow fringing reef flat before dropping to a moderate depth of around 20 meters. The reef is well-preserved and supports dense coral growth including table corals, brain corals, and fire coral formations. Visibility regularly reaches 20-30 meters, and the sheltered position close to shore keeps conditions calm for much of the year. Water temperatures range from around 22°C in winter to 30°C in summer.

Site Information

• Location: Red Sea, Egypt (Hurghada area)
• Entry Type: Boat dive
• Site Type: Reef
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate
• Maximum Depth: 20 meters
• Typical Visibility: 20-30 meters (65-100 feet)
• Current: Generally mild, occasional moderate
• Best Time: Year-round; September to May for peak conditions

Marine Life

The reef flat hosts dense schools of glassfish and anthias that shimmer over the coral heads in the shallows. Moray eels occupy crevices along the reef slope, and lionfish are commonly sighted hovering near coral outcrops. Butterflyfish, angelfish, and surgeonfish are abundant throughout. Green and hawksbill turtles visit the reef regularly, and humphead wrasse occasionally cruise the outer edge. Octopus can be found tucked beneath coral ledges on night dives.

Dive Profile

Enter via the resort’s boat or jetty and navigate out to the reef edge. The reef flat sits at 3-5 meters and is ideal for slow exploration before descending the gentle slope to the sand bottom at around 20 meters. The base of the slope often holds bluespotted stingrays and small crocodilefish. Ascend slowly back up the slope and conduct your safety stop over the reef flat in 5 meters.

Entry and Exit

Access is via boat from the resort jetty. Giant stride or back roll entry is standard. The boat remains moored nearby for pickup after your safety stop — deploy an SMB on ascent to signal your position.

Tips and Recommendations

• Night dives here are particularly rewarding — octopus, lobster, and sleeping fish are easy to spot
• The reef flat in the shallows is excellent for a second dive to extend bottom time
• Conditions are typically calmer in the morning before afternoon breezes pick up
• Maintain buoyancy carefully over the reef flat to avoid contact with fire coral

Safety Considerations

Fire coral is present on the reef flat — wear adequate exposure protection. Lionfish blend into coral outcrops and should not be approached closely. Monitor depth on the slope as the profile can lead to inadvertent descents. Always ascend with adequate air reserve for a 3-minute safety stop at 5 meters.

Photography

The shallow reef flat offers excellent natural light for wide-angle reef photography, especially on morning dives when the sun angle illuminates the coral gardens. Macro subjects are abundant in crevices along the slope — look for nudibranchs, Coleman shrimp, and crinoid shrimp. Night diving opens up additional macro opportunities including octopus and sleeping parrotfish.

Sources: Divezone - Red Sea, Dive the World - Egypt Red Sea, Red Sea Scuba Diving, PADI - Diving in Egypt. Last updated 2026-04-04.