Ras Mohammed National Park on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt is located directly on the Red Sea and is known for its spectacular underwater world. Its coral reefs are among the most beautiful dive sites in the world.
Who arrives for the first time in the approximately 500km² large national park will be disappointed. No lush vegetation and exotic animals - only desert landscape and a few mangrove sumps as far as the eye can see.
But put on your diving goggles and stick your head in the Red Sea - and enjoy the incredible explosion of light and color. Azure, crystal-clear water, countless iridescent fish and colorful corals against a panorama of wild sand dunes - Ras Mohammed National Park is known among divers as an absolute highlight. Its coral reefs on the Red Sea offer over 200 different coral species and close to 1,000 fish species.
In addition, there are about 100 different sponges and other mollusk species and about 150 crustacean species. Turtles also thoughtfully make their circles through this unforgettable underwater paradise.
The most popular reefs in Ras Muhammed National Park
Ras Mohammed National Park is located in Egypt in the south of the Sinai Peninsula about 20km from the highly frequented resort of Sharm el Sheikh. According to estimates, the coral reefs are about 70,000 years old and are among the best diving spots in the world.
Jackfish Alley
In Jackfish Alley you will find two small grottos, which are beautifully overgrown and can be dived through. But beware: Due to the constant currents, only experienced divers should venture here.
On a sandy road you can watch sharks sleeping with a little luck. Rays also look over from time to time. Here you can see mainly jack fish (often translated as spiny mackerel, but other species are also called so) and some predator species, such as tuna, barracuda or even dolphins.
Shark Reef
The Shark Reef is located on a steep reef wall. If you float over the top, you will have the impression of falling 800 meters to the bottom of the sea - an amazing feeling! Here the current is especially strong, due to the high oxygen content, the diversity of corals and fish is particularly magnificent. In the early morning hours you can still almost claim the reef for yourself. The warning of unpredictable currents applies here as well!
Yolanda Reef
Named after a cargo ship that sank here in 1980, Yolanda Reef is worth seeing mainly because of its unusual "inhabitants". The cargo ship had mainly loaded toilet bowls, which are still lying around on the seabed and the reef today. Meanwhile overgrown with algae, but still clearly recognizable as such, they offer a bizarre and in any case unique sight! The wreck of the Yolanda itself can unfortunately no longer be dived.
Natural paradise also above water
The overwhelming beauty that it reveals, especially through its colorful underwater world in the Red Sea, was protected in 1983 by the establishment of the national park "Ras Mohammed Marine Protected Area".
Only if you take a closer look, you will notice the life above the water surface. Ras Mohammed National Park is home to some rare mammals, such as the Dorcas gazelle, the Nubian ibex or the red desert fox. In the air, terns, gulls, herons and sea eagles can be spotted.
Twice a year, in September/October and April/May, the sky fills with a white rush of wings as thousands of storks migrate across the Sinai between Europe and Africa to their winter or summer quarters.
At the Information Center in the center of Ras Mohammed National Park, the interested visitor can attend video presentations and learn about the fragile ecosystem of the National Park and the safety regulations associated with it. This is also the marine biology research center of Ras Mohammed National Park.
