Shaab Rumi
Sudan · Red Sea
Shaab Rumi is the offshore reef where Jacques Cousteau ran the Conshelf II underwater habitat experiment in 1963 — remains are still divable. Pristine walls, hammerhead schools, oceanic whitetips, and almost no other divers.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Shark plateau and intact southern Red Sea reef. Liveaboard only access keeps diver pressure low.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
Warmer than usual right now, but not hot enough to bleach.
Fishing
Some fishing is allowed here, in marked zones.
Sources · MERMAID and partner coral surveys · NOAA Coral Reef Watch · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
What you will see
22 species across the dive sites here
Anthias
Seen 1 month ago
at Conshelf II (Précontinent II)
Least concern
Glassfish
Seen 1 month ago
at Umbria Wreck
Least concern
Scalloped hammerhead
Seen 1 month ago
at Shaab Rumi South Plateau
Critically endangered
Thin-Shelled Rock Crab
Seen 10 months ago
at Shaab Rumi South Plateau
Checkerboard Wrasse
Seen 11 months ago
at Umbria Wreck
Least concern
Red Sea Goatfish
Seen May 2025
at Umbria Wreck
Least concern
Bigeye trevally
Seen year round
at Sanganeb Atoll
Least concern
Bluestriped snapper
Seen year round
at Conshelf II (Précontinent II)
Least concern
Grey reef shark
Seen year round
at Shaab Rumi South Plateau
Endangered
Lionfish
Seen year round
at Umbria Wreck
Least concern
Napoleon wrasse
Seen year round
at Umbria Wreck
Endangered
Schooling barracuda
Seen year round
at Shaab Rumi South Plateau
Least concern
Silvertip shark
Seen year round
at Shaab Rumi South Plateau
Vulnerable
Soft coral overgrowth
Seen year round
at Conshelf II (Précontinent II)
Whitetip reef shark
Seen year round
at Sanganeb Atoll
Vulnerable
Reef manta ray
Seasonal visitor
at Sanganeb Atoll
Vulnerable
Blue-Green Chromis
Rare sighting
at Umbria Wreck
Least concern
Bumphead Parrotfish
Rare sighting
at Shaab Rumi South Plateau
Vulnerable
Indian Sailfin Tang
Rare sighting
at Umbria Wreck
Least concern
Summan Grouper
Rare sighting
at Shaab Rumi South Plateau
Least concern
Yellow Boxfish
Rare sighting
at Shaab Rumi South Plateau
Least concern
Yellowstripe Goatfish
Rare sighting
at Umbria Wreck
Least concern
Dive sites
Shaab Rumi South Plateau
scalloped hammerhead · grey reef shark · silvertip shark · schooling barracuda
Umbria Wreck
glassfish · lionfish · napoleon wrasse · red sea goatfish
Conshelf II (Précontinent II)
anthias · soft coral overgrowth · glassfish · lionfish
Sanganeb Atoll
scalloped hammerhead · grey reef shark · whitetip reef shark · schooling barracuda
What divers say
Cousteau's habitat is still there at 10m. The diving above it has barely changed in 60 years.
Good to know
Visa
Sudan visa required; situation has been politically volatile — check current advisories.
Logistics
Most trips run through Egyptian operators; flight to Port Sudan.