Shaab Eshta

Overview

Shaab Eshta, sometimes written Ishta, is a charming shallow reef south of the Giftun Islands, a short hop from Hurghada and a favourite for beginners, courses and snorkellers. The name means "cream" in the local dialect and doubles as slang for "cool," which fits. Its two coral peaks, separated by a narrow channel, are sometimes likened to a heart or a clover leaf, and the surrounding beds of turtle grass make it an unexpectedly rich little hunting ground for unusual critters. Easy, calm and full of character.

The Dive

This is small, shallow and relaxed diving, with depths running roughly 9 to 12m over a sandy bottom. The site is essentially two ergs, a small one to the north and a larger one to the south, that you can circle twice in a lazy figure-of-eight at slightly different depths. The real interest lies out in the turtle-grass beds, where odd and unfamiliar fish hide, and in the channel between the ergs. The sea is calm more often than not and the current is light except where it squeezes through that central gap, so it is a forgiving site ideal for new divers and training.

Marine Life

The turtle grass is the star: packs of lionfish, bluelined emperors, southern stingrays, turtles and even seahorses live in and around it. The gap between the ergs holds schools of goatfish, sweetlips and snappers, and on the rubble slope you can find stonefish, humpback scorpionfish and crocodilefish for the sharp-eyed. A small cave shelters a turtle at night, a gully on the southern erg hides hatchetfish, and a big Malabar grouper patrols the area.

Good to Know

Diveable year-round and reliably calm, it sits 45 minutes to an hour by boat from Hurghada, in the Magawish area. Visibility is typically good at 15 to 30m. Genuinely beginner- and snorkeller-friendly, it is a textbook gentle reef and a strong choice for early dives, night dives and macro hunting alike.