Red Sea — Marsa Alam · boat
Elphinstone Reef
Editorial plate — compiled from published sources, not yet confirmed by a verified diver. Dived here? Verify this plate.
Red Sea — Marsa Alam
25.31000°N, 34.86000°E
A cigar-shaped offshore reef near Marsa Alam, famous for autumn oceanic whitetips and plateaus at both ends that drop into the deep.
- Depth
- 5–40 m
- Vis
- 20–35 m
- Current
- strong
- Health
- Unscored
23–30 °C
Awaiting verified ratings
- Geo (surface approx.)
- 25.31000°N, 34.86000°E
- Entry / access
- boat
- Difficulty
- advanced
Approximate position from published sources.
The reef runs north–south for over 400 m, with plateaus at each tip and walls falling past 100 m. Most dives drift along the east or west wall to the north or south plateau, where reef sharks and pelagics patrol. A tunnel known as the Arch links the walls off the southern plateau but sits too deep for recreational diving. It is reached by day boat from Marsa Alam or by liveaboard.
Advanced Open Water; open-ocean drift experience
- Best season
- Oct–Dec for oceanic whitetips
- Last reviewed
- 20 Oct 2026 by editorial
Hazards
- high · Strong current along exposed walls
- high · Sheer drop-offs past 100 m
- high · Elphinstone Arch lies beyond recreational limits
- low · Crowding from many moored boats
Marine life
Typical: oceanic whitetip shark, grey reef shark, scalloped hammerhead shark, manta ray, giant trevally, barracuda, napoleon wrasse, tuna, hawksbill turtle
Durable site rating
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Questions people search
How deep is Elphinstone Reef?
5–40 m.
Is Elphinstone Reef suitable for beginners?
advanced — Advanced Open Water; open-ocean drift experience
Sources
- Elphinstone dive site · Dive The World
Supports: depth, current, level, visibility, waterTempC, bestSeason, marineLife, hazards
- Elphinstone Reef · PADI
Supports: depth, current, visibility, waterTempC, bestSeason, marineLife
- Elphinstone Reef · Blue Ocean Dive Center
Supports: depth, current, level, bestSeason, hazards, entry
Where sources disagree
Max depth >40 m (Dive The World) vs 60 m (Blue Ocean) vs 70 m (PADI); arch depth ~65 m (Blue Ocean) vs caves at 30–35 m (Dive The World); oceanic whitetip season Oct–Dec (Dive The World, Blue Ocean) vs Sep–Nov (PADI); distance from Marsa Alam 12 km (PADI) vs 25 km (Dive The World). Blue Ocean notes no night dives.
Listed by: Blue Ocean Dive Center
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