The Bells

A thrilling chimney descent through a narrow slot in the reef — the signature entry into Dahab’s Blue Hole system, opening onto a vibrant soft-coral wall at depth.

Overview

The Bells is a dive site immediately north of the famous Blue Hole at Dahab on the Sinai Peninsula’s Gulf of Aqaba coast. The name refers to the entry: a narrow crack in the reef table at the surface, roughly 2 metres wide, that descends as a vertical chimney down to 26–28 metres. As divers pass through one by one, their tanks sometimes knock against the walls — producing a ringing sound that gave the site its name. The chimney narrows at around 23 metres before opening into a cavern-like room at 26–28 metres that exits directly onto the open wall. Below the entry, the reef drops away in a sheer wall covered in colourful gorgonians, black coral, and large soft coral trees. Most divers then drift with the gentle current south along this wall before entering the Blue Hole through the saddle at around 7 metres — making The Bells–Blue Hole traverse one of the most scenic dive routes in the northern Red Sea.

Site Information

• Location: Dahab, Sinai Peninsula, Gulf of Aqaba, Egypt
• Entry Type: Shore entry
• Site Type: Wall dive
• Difficulty Level: Advanced
• Maximum Depth: 28 meters
• Typical Visibility: 20–40 meters
• Current: Generally mild drift southward along wall
• Best Time: Year-round; avoid peak summer midday heat on the surface

Marine Life

The wall south of The Bells entry is richly colonised. Large gorgonian fans host longnose hawkfish and pygmy seahorses. Black coral trees grow at depth on the outer face. Anthias shoals throng the shallower sections of the wall. Turtles are common, often seen grazing on soft coral at 10–15 metres. Whitetip reef sharks occasionally patrol the wall edge, and spotted eagle rays drift past in the blue. Schools of trevally and barracuda pass along the outside of the reef. The chimney itself hosts glassfish and sometimes lionfish in the crevices.

Dive Profile

Entry is through the chimney — one diver at a time in a controlled descent, typically done feet-first. The chimney opens out at 26–28 metres where divers regroup before beginning the wall drift. From here, maintain 10–25 metres along the wall as you drift southward. The wall is spectacular at mid-range depths where coral coverage is densest. After 15–20 minutes of wall diving, the reef opens into the Blue Hole saddle at around 7 metres, providing the natural exit point for the safety stop. The total dive follows a clear south-to-southeast route with minimal navigation required.

Entry and Exit

Accessed by day boat from Dahab — a short transfer north along the coast. Entry through the chimney requires single-file descent, so stay close to your group. Exit via the Blue Hole saddle and ascend inside or adjacent to the Blue Hole’s protected interior. Boats anchor or drift and pick divers up near the Blue Hole entry beach. Do not deviate from the wall dive; the Blue Hole’s interior below 40 metres is strictly for technical divers only.

Tips and Recommendations

• Practise excellent buoyancy before attempting The Bells chimney — scraping walls damages coral and can dislodge equipment
• Descend slowly through the chimney and wait at the bottom room before proceeding
• Look back up through the chimney from 25 metres — the light rays descending through the slot are spectacular
• Do not enter or explore the Blue Hole’s Arch (at 56 m) under any circumstances without appropriate technical training and equipment — it has claimed numerous lives
• An Egyptian CDWS-certified local guide is mandatory for diving the Blue Hole system
• A 5mm wetsuit is recommended in winter (water can drop to 20°C in January)

Safety Considerations

The Bells chimney itself is a mild overhead environment — the entry requires single-file discipline and good buoyancy to avoid damaging both the reef and your own equipment. The Blue Hole system is one of the world’s most dangerous dive sites due to the Arch at 56 metres and nitrogen narcosis risks at depth. The Egyptian Chamber for Diving and Watersports (CDWS) requires that all divers dive with a certified local guide. Advanced Open Water certification is the minimum required. Never exceed your certification depth. Always carry an SMB for ascent from the Blue Hole interior.

Photography

The chimney entry is a signature photographic opportunity — shooting upward through the slot from 20 metres captures dramatic light rays descending through the water. The wall south of the chimney rewards wide-angle shooting with large gorgonians and fans in the foreground and deep blue behind. Turtles on the wall at 10–15 metres are highly accessible for medium-range wide-angle shots. The transition from the open wall into the Blue Hole’s circular interior makes an outstanding environmental composition.

Sources: Divezone - The Bells, Dive the World - Dahab, PADI - Dahab Dive Sites. Last updated 2026-05-25.