Abu Dabbab Bay
Marsa Alam · Egypt
Abu Dabbab is one of the very few places on Earth where dugongs reliably share their habitat with scuba divers, grazing on extensive Halodule and Cymodocea seagrass meadows in the sheltered bay. Green and hawksbill turtles rest on the sandy plateau and graze on seagrass alongside the dugongs, creating an extraordinary large-mammal encounter in shallow, calm water. The fringing reef at the bay mouth adds coral walls, moray eels, and schools of sergeant majors for those who want classic reef diving after the seagrass meadow.
Conditions
Depth
3 to 18 m
Good for beginners
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
15 to 25 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
21 to 32°C
3mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 22 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 23 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 15 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Still | Still | Still | Still | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Blue-spotted ribbontail ray
Last confirmed May 9, 2026 · 57 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Indian Lionfish
Last confirmed Jun 19, 2026 · 64 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Masked Puffer
Last confirmed Jun 19, 2026 · 41 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Green sea turtle
Last confirmed Jun 19, 2026 · 17 records
Very likely
Most dives
Red Sea Anemonefish
Last confirmed May 31, 2026 · 36 records
Very likely
Most dives
Red Sea Bannerfish
Last confirmed Apr 10, 2026 · 37 records
Very likely
Most dives
Hawksbill sea turtle
Last confirmed Mar 12, 2026 · 7 records
Very likely
Most dives
Dugong
Last confirmed May 9, 2026 · 4 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Gear