Ras Fanar
27.7331°N 34.2243°E · reef
Ras Fanar is the most northerly dive site of Ras Mohammed National Park, positioned at the southern entrance to the bay of Marsa Bereika where the steep vertical walls of the Ras Mohammed headland meet the gentler coral slope of the bay. “Ras Fanar” translates as “Lighthouse Cape” in Arabic. The site is accessed by boat from Sharm El Sheikh.
Overview
The dive begins at the point where the dramatic Ras Mohammed wall transitions into the sandy and coral-head slopes of Marsa Bereika bay. This junction creates a varied dive featuring both wall and reef garden sections. The wall descends steeply and the site can be dived from 1 metre at the surface down to around 30 metres on the wall section, with the sandy slope extending further. Colorful coral heads are scattered throughout the bay zone, flourishing with the tidal movement. Currents at this exposed headland can be mild to strong.
Marine Life
As part of Ras Mohammed National Park — home to over 200 coral species and approximately 1,000 fish species — Ras Fanar benefits from the exceptional biodiversity of the park. The point’s position at the bay entrance channels plankton-rich currents past the coral heads, supporting abundant fish life including groupers, moray eels, barracuda, jackfish, and anthias. Eagle rays and Napoleon wrasse are periodically observed. The varied terrain of wall, coral garden, and sandy slope creates multiple habitat zones for different species.
Dive Profile
This site is for more experienced divers due to the exposure to variable and potentially strong currents at the headland. The dive typically begins on the wall section at depth and works into the shelter of the bay as current is used for navigation. Maximum depth around 30 metres; the most productive diving is at 10–20 metres across the coral garden.
Entry / Exit
Boat access from Sharm El Sheikh (approximately 45–60 minutes). Dives are current-dependent in terms of entry timing and direction.
Site Information
- Location: Northern boundary of Ras Mohammed National Park, South Sinai
- Entry Type: Shore entry
- Site Type: Reef
- Maximum Depth: 30 metres
- Difficulty: Advanced (due to currents)
Additional Resources
- Last Updated: 2026-05-17
Sources: Ras Fanar dive site details — Red Sea Diving community sources, Ras Mohammed Dive Sites — Circle Divers. Last updated 2026-05-17.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
397 verified species observations (277 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1828 and 2018, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Rhincodon typus · Whale Shark
- Stenella attenuata · Pantropical spotted dolphin
- Tursiops · Bottlenose dolphins
- Grampus griseus · Risso's dolphin
- Tursiops truncatus · Common bottlenose dolphin
- Sargocentron caudimaculatum · Tailspot Squirrelfish
- Tursiops aduncus · Indian ocean bottlenose dolphin
- Priolepis cincta · Banded Reef Goby
- Epinephelus fasciatus · Black-tipped Cod
- Pseudorca crassidens · False killer whale
- Stenella longirostris · Spinner dolphin
- Grammistes sexlineatus
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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