Soma Bay Garden

Overview

Soma Bay Garden is the long, gently sloping southern reef of Ras Abu Soma, near Safaga — a healthy, easygoing coral garden made for relaxed one-way drifts. Running from the shallows down a coral-clad slope to a sandy plateau dotted with coral blocks, it is suitable for every level and a staple house-reef and day-boat dive of the Soma Bay area.

The Dive

The reef descends gradually from around 1m at the top to roughly 30m, with an average working depth near 12m, so it sits comfortably within easy recreational range across its whole length. With a current that usually pushes from the north, it is typically dived as a gentle one-way drift: you follow a sloping wall of healthy hard coral as it curves around the point, then arrive over a shallow sandy plateau studded with coral blocks, each one a small hub of activity. At greater depth the slope gives way to open sand where the more elusive residents hold station. It is a forgiving, cover-a-lot-of-ground dive that rewards an unhurried pace.

Marine Life

The reef is a patchwork of hard and soft corals busy with reef fish, including swimming morays and dense shoals of smaller species. Eagle rays and barracuda pass by along the slope, and out on the deeper sandy terrain the well-camouflaged crocodilefish is the prize find for a sharp-eyed diver. It is a steady, varied reef rather than a big-animal site — the pleasure is in the breadth of small life and the easy drift.

Good to Know

Soma Bay Garden dives year-round and suits all levels, including as a training and check-out dive. Visibility typically runs 10-30m. The reef lies on the Ras Abu Soma headland in the Soma Bay area near Safaga, accessible from the shore as a house reef and by short boat trip, and is usually run as a drift to make the most of the northerly current. Gentle, healthy and reliable, it is an ideal warm-up or relaxed second dive.