Route Description - St.Johns/Daedalus
The St. Johns and Daedalus itinerary explores some of the southern Red Sea’s most spectacular reefs, combining thrilling pelagic encounters with pristine coral gardens and fascinating underwater formations. Search for hammerhead and thresher sharks at Daedalus, explore Elphinstone’s dramatic walls, and discover the colourful reefs, swim-throughs and caves of Sataya and St. John’s. With opportunities to encounter manta rays, turtles, dolphins and abundant reef life, this route offers an unforgettable mix of adventurous diving and stunning underwater scenery.
Daedalus Reef
Located approximately 80 km offshore from Marsa Alam, Daedalus Reef, also known as Abu El Kizan, is a large offshore reef renowned for its pelagic encounters. A historic lighthouse, built by the British in 1861, stands on an artificial island at its centre. More predictable currents provide opportunities to encounter schooling hammerhead sharks, thresher sharks, grey reef sharks and whitetip reef sharks. Manta rays are regularly sighted between March and October, while whale sharks occasionally pass through during summer. The reef features colourful broccoli corals, pristine hard coral formations, glass sweeper-filled overhangs and vibrant soft corals. Highlights include Anemone City, a section of reef wall covered in magnificent anemones, and a nearby wall adorned with elephant ear coral.
Elphinstone Reef
Located approximately 6 km offshore from Marsa Alam, Elphinstone is a famous cigar-shaped reef featuring long plateaux to the north and south, surrounded by steep walls covered in colourful hard and soft corals. Currents can vary from gentle to strong, creating opportunities for exciting pelagic encounters. Seasonal sightings include oceanic whitetip sharks, while hammerhead sharks, grey reef sharks, silky sharks and manta rays are occasionally encountered. Barracuda gather in the blue, while cornetfish hunt anthias around divers.
Marsa Shoana (Marsa Alam)
A popular local dive site and frequent first stop on itineraries, Marsa Shoana features a white sandy seabed bordered by a gently sloping reef dotted with coral formations of various sizes. Its diverse habitats support a wide range of marine life, including green turtles, rays, dolphins and the occasional dugong, making it an excellent introduction to the underwater world of Marsa Alam.
Sha'ab Maksour (Sataya)
Sha'ab Maksour is a large reef with broad northern and southern plateaux bordered by steep walls. Its healthy hard coral formations include Porites, dome and mountain corals, alongside impressive table corals in the shallows. Divers can encounter schools of snapper, dogtooth tuna and hawksbill turtles, while macro enthusiasts may spot unusual species such as the Nembrotha megalocera.
Sha'ab Claude (Sataya)
Sha'ab Claude is known for its beautiful underwater passages, short tunnels and cave-like chambers, all found at relatively shallow depths of less than 15 metres. Sunlight filters through cracks in the reef ceiling, illuminating the sandy and rubble-covered seabed. Cave sweepers shelter in the darker sections, creating striking scenes for underwater photographers.
Malahi (Sataya)
Meaning ‘fun’ in Arabic, Malahi is an exciting dive site characterised by towering pinnacles resembling ancient columns. Winding corridors, swim-throughs and passages create a maze-like underwater landscape lined with hard corals and rocky formations. Schools of snapper and goatfish inhabit the passages, while keen-eyed divers can search for wart slugs and nudibranchs.
Sataya Reef (Sataya)
Also known as Sha'ab Sataya, this impressive reef is guarded by seven large coral formations called Dha'ab Hassan, which surround the entrance to the lagoon. The reef rim lies at depths of approximately 18 to 22 metres, becoming shallower towards the lagoon. Its outer wall is particularly suited to drift diving, with large soft coral outcrops and occasional sightings of whitetip reef sharks resting beneath table corals.
St John's Caves (St John's)
St John's Caves are a spectacular destination for underwater photographers, featuring intricate passageways, tunnels and chambers where sunlight filters through cracks in the reef overhead. The surrounding dive sites, including Paradise Reef, Elturfa and Elorug Reef, offer encounters with bluespotted rays, porcupinefish and colourful marine life. Delicate hydroids line the passages, glowing in shades of red, orange and yellow under torchlight. Divers may also encounter Napoleon wrasse, juvenile clown coris, bicolour parrotfish and gold-dotted flatworms, while night dives can reveal Spanish dancers.