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Hotels, dive operators, gear, and how to get here are on the Brothers Islands location page.
Overview
A sheltered horseshoe bay 34 km north of Marsa Alam where a broad seagrass meadow fills the sandy centre between two fringing coral reefs. The grass is grazing ground for the bay's resident dugong — the 'sea cow' that gives the site its fame — and for giant green and hawksbill turtles that crop the blades at arm's length. Halavi guitarfish lie half-buried on the sand, seahorses and pipefish shelter in the seagrass, and the north and south reefs hold the usual Red Sea anthias, butterflyfish and morays. Most of the action sits between 5 and 12 m, with the outer reefs sloping past 18 m. Calm, near current-free and entered straight off the beach, it suits snorkellers, first dives and macro shooters alike — though dugong sightings are never guaranteed.
Briefing note
Shore dive with an easy wade-in entry; the bay is a protected area and a small beach access fee usually applies. Dugong and turtles are wild and free-ranging — keep your distance, never chase, touch or block their route to the surface, and avoid finning up the seagrass. Boat traffic crosses the bay, so stay within the marked swim zones in the shallows and deploy an SMB on the outer reefs. Dugong sightings are unpredictable and can never be guaranteed.
What you'll see
7 species curated- rareDugong
- year-roundGreen sea turtle
- year-roundHawksbill turtle
- seasonalHalavi guitarfishPeak: May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep
- year-roundBluespotted ribbontail ray
- rareSeahorse
- year-roundBluecheek butterflyfish
Conditions
| Month | Water | Visibility | Current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22–24 °C | 15–25 m | none |
| Feb | 21–23 °C | 15–25 m | none |
| Mar | 22–24 °C | 15–25 m | none |
| Apr | 23–25 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| May | 25–27 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| Jun | 27–29 °C | 10–20 m | mild |
| Jul | 28–30 °C | 10–20 m | mild |
| Aug | 28–30 °C | 10–20 m | mild |
| Sep | 28–30 °C | 15–25 m | mild |
| Oct | 26–28 °C | 20–30 m | none |
| Nov | 24–26 °C | 20–30 m | none |
| Dec | 23–25 °C | 15–25 m | none |
Season calendar
Peak season highlighted · current month outlined
Gear for this site
Beyond the basic kit- Surface marker buoy — Boats and watersports cross the open bay; mark your position before surfacing on the outer reefs
- Macro lens or close-up filter — Seahorses, pipefish and nudibranchs hide in the seagrass and along the reef flanks
Next step
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