Ras Hornkorab
24.5510°N 35.1508°E · reef
Ras Hornkorab (also spelled Ras Hankorab) is a headland cape and reef dive site located approximately 70 kilometres south of the town of Marsa Alam, marking the southern boundary of the main Marsa Alam diving region. It is one of the southernmost regularly dived sites accessible from Marsa Shagra and Marsa Alam dive resorts.
Overview
The cape projects into the Red Sea and is characterised by the fringing reef system typical of the southern Egyptian coast — close to the mainland, with excellent coral cover and clear water. The southern Red Sea in this area is noted for consistently good visibility (20–30 metres on average) and warm tropical water year-round (22–30°C). Wall and reef diving are both available around the cape, with depths reaching 40 metres on the steeper sections.
Marine Life
The broader Marsa Alam region — in which Ras Hornkorab sits as a southern anchor point — is renowned for its exceptional marine biodiversity. Bottlenose and spinner dolphins visit the area. Sea turtles (hawksbill and green) are commonly encountered on reef dives throughout the region. Oceanic whitetip sharks, silvertip sharks, and grey reef sharks patrol offshore; tuna and barracuda are regularly present. Dugongs have been recorded in sheltered bays along this stretch of coast. Manta rays occur in summer months (May–August), and hammerhead sharks are periodically sighted (May–August). The southern Red Sea fringing reefs support dense hard and soft coral communities with groupers, moray eels, Napoleon wrasse, and abundant anthias.
Dive Profile
Boat access typical of the Marsa Alam region; day boats and liveaboards from resorts north of the cape visit the site. Diving ranges from shallow reef tops to wall sections reaching approximately 40 metres. The site is accessible to intermediate-level divers, with deeper wall sections better suited to experienced divers.
Site Information
- Location: Approximately 70 km south of Marsa Alam, southern Red Sea, Egypt
- Entry Type: Shore entry
- Site Type: Reef
- Maximum Depth: 40 metres
- Difficulty: Intermediate
Additional Resources
- Last Updated: 2026-05-17
Sources: Marsa Alam Dive Sites — Scuba Diving Place, Red Sea Diving — Marsa Alam, Egypt Tours Plus — Marsa Alam Dive Sites. Last updated 2026-05-17.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
282 verified species observations (238 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1986 and 2023, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Conus striatus
- Gibberulus albus
- Hastula hectica
- Conus arenatus
- Bulla arabica
- Canarium erythrinum
- Naria nebrites
- Clanculus pharaonius
- Centrocardita akabana
- Atys ehrenbergi
- Conus virgo
- Conus pennaceus
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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