Ras Ghozlani

Overview

Ras Ghozlani sits at the mouth of Marsa Bareika in Ras Mohammed National Park, and is widely considered one of the healthiest and most diverse coral sites in the whole Sinai region. Closed to divers for many years by the park authorities, it opened to tourism only relatively recently, and the result is a reef of extraordinary, almost untouched coral — intact table corals and pristine slopes that have not been worn down by decades of traffic. For divers who care about reef health, this is one of the best in Sharm.

The Dive

The site follows the classic Sharm profile but in mint condition: a gorgeous fringing reef from 8-15m, a sandy plateau scattered with coral heads and large pinnacles that slopes gently down, and a drop-off around 22-26m lined with beautiful pinnacles, intact table corals and sea fans. There is no mooring and the current is generally strong, so it is dived as a drift — which is the perfect way to glide over the reef and take in its tranquillity. Keep the reef on a shoulder and hold a recreational depth in the 8-26m band; the coral here is the reason to come, so there is no need to go deeper than the drop-off.

Marine Life

The sloping reef and coral blocks are frequented by pufferfish, groupers and Napoleon wrasse, with eagle rays a regular sighting cruising over the plateau. The healthy, low-traffic corals support a dense reef-fish community, and the drift along the drop-off is a good vantage for whatever is moving through the blue off Marsa Bareika.

Good to Know

Best suited to divers comfortable with drift diving in current, and it is well worth treating the pristine coral with extra care on buoyancy. Visibility is typically very good, commonly 10-30m. Access is by boat as part of a Ras Mohammed National Park trip from Sharm — a highlight of the park for anyone who values reef quality over big-animal drama.