The Canyon (Dahab)

A limestone slot canyon punched through the fringing reef 8 km north of Dahab, entered through a shallow sandy lagoon called the Fish Bowl at 14 m. The fissure snakes upward from the depths almost closed at the top, with three windows in the roof: the Fish Bowl entry, a wide opening at 22 m, and the seaward exit at 52 m where divers swim out into open water. Inside, glassfish swarm the chimney walls in clouds thick enough to dim the surface light. The coral garden outside at 5 to 10 m holds octopus, scorpionfish, lionfish and bluespotted ribbontail rays, and serves as both the safety stop and the recreational alternative for divers staying out of the slot itself.