Brothers Islands
Egypt · Red Sea
Two tiny rocks 60km offshore in the Egyptian Red Sea, the Brothers are two seamounts wrapped in soft coral and patrolled by oceanic whitetips, threshers, hammerheads, and the occasional silky. Liveaboard-only.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Strong currents and offshore pelagics. Coral cover on the walls is among the best in the Red Sea.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
No unusual heat right now.
Fishing
Quiet water, and the protection is actively patrolled.
Sources · MERMAID and partner coral surveys · NOAA Coral Reef Watch · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
What you will see
42 species across the dive sites here
Freckled Hawkfish
Seen 12 days ago
at Marsa Alam
Least concern
Green sea turtle
Seen 22 days ago
at Marsa Alam
Least concern
Indian Lionfish
Seen 22 days ago
at Marsa Alam
Least concern
Masked Puffer
Seen 22 days ago
at Marsa Alam
Least concern
Scalloped hammerhead
Seen 27 days ago
at Elphinstone Reef
Critically endangered
Bluecheek butterflyfish
Seen 1 month ago
at Abu Dabbab
Least concern
Red Sea Anemonefish
Seen 1 month ago
at Marsa Alam
Least concern
Bluespotted Fantail Ray
Seen 1 month ago
at Marsa Alam
Least concern
Bluespotted ribbontail ray
Seen 1 month ago
at Abu Dabbab
Least concern
Napoleon Wrasse
Seen 1 month ago
at Sha'ab Sataya (Dolphin House Fury Shoals)
Endangered
Hawksbill turtle
Seen 1 month ago
at Sha'ab Sataya (Dolphin House Fury Shoals)
Critically endangered
Whitetip reef shark
Seen 1 month ago
at Sha'ab Sataya (Dolphin House Fury Shoals)
Vulnerable
Dugong
Seen 1 month ago
at Abu Dabbab
Vulnerable
Glassfish (golden sweeper)
Seen 1 month ago
at Numidia Wreck
Least concern
Spinner dolphin
Seen 1 month ago
at Sha'ab Samadai (Dolphin House)
Least concern
Masked Butterflyfish
Seen 2 months ago
at Marsa Alam
Least concern
Red Sea Bannerfish
Seen 2 months ago
at Marsa Alam
Least concern
Humphead wrasse
Seen 3 months ago
at Daedalus Reef
Endangered
Silky shark
Seen 3 months ago
at Daedalus Reef
Vulnerable
Red Sea anthias
Seen 3 months ago
at Numidia Wreck
Least concern
Blue-Spotted Cornetfish
Seen 3 months ago
at Big Brother
Least concern
Coral Grouper
Seen 3 months ago
at Big Brother
Least concern
Oceanic whitetip shark
Seen 6 months ago
at Big Brother
Critically endangered
Scalloped hammerhead shark
Seen 9 months ago
at St John's Reef
Critically endangered
Halavi guitarfish
Seen 11 months ago
at Abu Dabbab
Critically endangered
Thresher shark
Seen Dec 2024
at Little Brother
Vulnerable
Spanish dancer
Seen Nov 2024
at Sha'ab Sataya (Dolphin House Fury Shoals)
Rusty Parrotfish
Seen Oct 2024
at Big Brother
Least concern
Green turtle
Seen Aug 2024
at St John's Reef
Least concern
Giant barracuda
Seen year round
at Rocky Island
Least concern
Giant moray
Seen year round
at Rocky Island
Least concern
Grey reef shark
Seen year round
at Big Brother
Endangered
Magnificent anemone & anemonefish
Seen year round
at Daedalus Reef
Red soft coral
Seen year round
at Elphinstone Reef
Pelagic thresher shark
Seasonal visitor
at Daedalus Reef
Endangered
Reef manta ray
Seasonal visitor
at Elphinstone Reef
Vulnerable
Bottlenose dolphin
Rare sighting
at Rocky Island
Least concern
Manta ray
Rare sighting
at Daedalus Reef
Vulnerable
Pelagic thresher
Rare sighting
at Rocky Island
Endangered
Seahorse
Rare sighting
at Abu Dabbab
Silvertip shark
Rare sighting
at Little Brother
Vulnerable
Whale shark
Rare sighting
at Daedalus Reef
Endangered
Dive sites
Big Brother
oceanic whitetip shark · thresher shark · scalloped hammerhead · grey reef shark
Little Brother
oceanic whitetip shark · thresher shark · scalloped hammerhead · grey reef shark
Daedalus Reef
scalloped hammerhead · pelagic thresher shark · oceanic whitetip shark · silky shark
Elphinstone Reef
oceanic whitetip shark · scalloped hammerhead · pelagic thresher shark · reef manta ray
Abu Dabbab
dugong · green sea turtle · hawksbill turtle · halavi guitarfish
Sha'ab Samadai (Dolphin House)
spinner dolphin · hawksbill turtle · whitetip reef shark · napoleon wrasse
What divers say
Oceanic whitetips at the Brothers don't keep their distance — they come check you out. It's the most respect I've ever felt for a shark.
Good to know
Park closure
Closed roughly December–April. Confirm dates with your operator.
Park fees
Marine park + Brothers tags add ~$80–120 on top of trip price.