Far Garden

Overview

Far Garden is the furthest and arguably finest of "the Gardens," the string of local reefs running north from Naama Bay along the Sharm El Sheikh coast. A scenic drift along a coral-draped wall, it is best known as a corridor for big visitors — manta rays and even whale sharks pass through on occasion — making an otherwise easy, all-levels dive genuinely exciting. Healthy coral, towering pinnacles and a wall dropping into the blue give it a real sense of the open sea.

The Dive

The dive opens onto a narrow plateau studded with thick, upright coral pinnacles that reach almost to the surface and blaze with anthias. The plateau then gives way to a steep wall cloaked in soft and hard coral, which is the heart of the dive — drift along it with one eye on the drop-off for passing pelagics. The wall runs deep, well past recreational limits, so the dive sits in a comfortable 5–25m band while the blue does the rest. Towards the end the wall plateaus back into a shallow coral garden, a relaxed place to spend a safety stop watching porcupine pufferfish and leopard blennies in the fire coral.

Planned as a full drift, it relies on a gentle to moderate current carrying you along the wall. The forgiving depth and easy profile make it suitable for all levels, while the wall and big-animal potential keep experienced divers coming back.

Marine Life

The plateau pinnacles are smothered in anthias, and the wall holds the full Red Sea reef community in soft and hard coral. Out on the drop-off, watch for eagle rays, batfish, snapper, turtles and barracuda — and, in the right season, the channel's headline acts, manta rays and whale sharks. The shallow coral garden at the end is good for macro and reef fish on the safety stop.

Good to Know

Far Garden is a short boat ride north from Naama Bay / Sharm El Sheikh and, being a local site, is an easy and dependable choice in most conditions. Visibility is typically a clear 20–25m or better. As a drift dive it rewards good buoyancy and an eye on the blue; the manta and whale-shark sightings are seasonal and never guaranteed, but they give this gentle wall an outsized reputation. When it is crowded, the neighbouring Fiddle and Middle Gardens make fine alternatives.