South Lagoona Reef
28.0005°N 34.4826°E · reef
South Lagoona Reef is a drift reef dive on the western side of Tiran Island in the Strait of Tiran, Red Sea — a short boat ride from Sharm el-Sheikh. It is the southern section of the Laguna Reef system, which local fishermen know as Marsa Shabir. The area offers the best mooring shelter in the Tiran strait and is a popular overnight anchorage for dive boats.
Overview
The outer side of South Lagoona is an interesting drift dive between the North Laguna and South Laguna navigation beacons. Tidal currents strongly influence dive direction here — dives are best done in the afternoon and will run either north or south depending on conditions. South of the South Laguna beacon, a wide plateau at 15–25 m carries large table corals (Acropora sp.) and narrows northward into a steep, fauna-rich wall.
Marine Life
The hard coral wall supports numerous fish species including schools of butterflyfish. Gorgonian fan corals are found on the deeper plateau sections. Divers drifting with the current have opportunities to spot pelagic species cruising the wall — larger fish are common along this exposed reef edge. Glassfish and anthias inhabit the reef’s crevices and overhangs.
Dive Profile
The main lagoon averages 10–12 m in depth. The southern plateau drops to 15–25 m. Tidal currents determine dive direction; suitable for all experience levels with proper drift dive awareness. Best in afternoon sessions. Boat access from Sharm el-Sheikh.
Site Information
- Location: South Laguna, western Tiran Island, Strait of Tiran, near Sharm el-Sheikh, Red Sea, Egypt
- Entry Type: Shore entry
- Site Type: Reef
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Maximum Depth: 25 meters
Additional Resources
- Last Updated: 2026-05-17
Sources: Camel Dive Club – Laguna Reef, Red Sea Diving – Lagoona Reef. Last updated 2026-05-17.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
165 verified species observations (74 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1968 and 2023, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Grampus griseus · Risso's dolphin
- Stenella attenuata · Pantropical spotted dolphin
- Tursiops truncatus · Common bottlenose dolphin
- Stenella longirostris · Spinner dolphin
- Tursiops · Bottlenose dolphins
- Tursiops aduncus · Indian ocean bottlenose dolphin
- Bathygobius fuscus
- Istigobius decoratus
- Stenella · Spinner dolphins
- Rhincodon typus · Whale Shark
- Meiacanthus nigrolineatus
- Trimma avidori
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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