Taba Diving

Taba’s peaceful coral ridges and seamounts are teeming with Red Sea reef life and swirling pelagics, yet there are no dive crowds. Whether you dive from shore, boat or via scenic Jeep and car rides, you can enjoy diving all day long in this stunning Marine Protected Area.

 

Diving in Taba

Taba is a small town located on the coast of the Red Sea, in Egypt, right at the border with Israel at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba in the Sinai province. This is a smaller diving destination but it still has its underwater charms which attracts scuba divers. Flourishing corals, peaceful dives, no crowds, and some unique smaller species to be spotted, is what scuba diving in Taba offers. There are not many dive centers and resorts here, but it is a well known diving destination in its own right. This area is also a protected marine area which means that dive centers here do operate with an environmentally conscious mindset. 

Best time to dive

Due to Taba being located more north on the Red Sea the waters here do get colder in the winter months; around 19 degrees Celsius from January to March. On the flip side, during the summer months, July and August, when the outside temperature reaches above 36 degrees Celsius, the water does warm up to 30 degrees Celsius. The visibility is still above average between 10 and 25 metres, sometimes much more, and no extreme weather conditions to hinder diving activities.

Types of diving

The dive sites here and reached in multiple ways, some can be done from shore from the dive centers and dive resorts, some by boat and some by jeep or car. The dive sites here are suitable for beginners as well as advanced divers and a great place to take diving courses. It is the kind of diving area which attracts divers who want to come and admire flourishing marine ecosystems.

What to see

Taba is not the top location in Egypt to come and see large pelagic life, but it has its own unique spirit and marine ecosystems that will still impress divers, There are different species of rays which have been spotted in the dive sites here, including the elusive Feather Tailed Ray and only lucky days Eagle Rays. Other species spotted here include; Barracuda, Batfish, Groupers and multiple species of Seahorses.

Best places to dive

Zack’s Table is a sandy bottom dive site with large table corals which house multiple species including Trevally, Groupers, Scorpion Fish and Moray Eels hiding in between the corals. On special dives, Guitar Sharks and Stingrays have been spotted. 
 
The Fjord dive site is a spectacular site above and below water. There is a deep well here which is covered in bright red anemones and ridges of hard corals with all their colourful fish inhabitants. This site provides divers and snorkelers with a bright and vibrant experience. And the drive there is already a stunning start to the day.
 
Maxwell’s is a unique sea mound which starts at 60 metres and rises all the way up to 12 metres. The top is covered in coral pinnacles and closer to the bottom is covered in coral tables which creates shelter for species such as rays and Moray Eels. It is a beautiful experience to descend past this mound and watch it transform and admire the species which live on this mound at different depths.
 
Muqabilla is a dive site which is reached after a 5 minute boat ride with a deeper profile and where you can see large schools of Barracuda and potentially other larger species out in the blue. Just keep an eye out.