Ras Za'atir (Ras Atar) - Dive site - Egypt

A guide to scuba diving at Ras Za'atir (Ras Atar)

Dive site: Ras Za'atir (Ras Atar)

Location: Egypt, South Sinai

Dive type: Reef dive, cave dive, wall dive

Skill level: Beginner

Visibility: Ras Za'atir (Ras Atar) has a visibility of 20 m / 65 ft is most of the time.

Depth: Ras Za'atir (Ras Atar) has an average depth of 20 m / 65 ft, while the maximum depth reaches down below 30 m / 100 ft.

Water temperature: The water temperatures at Ras Za'atir (Ras Atar) will depend on season. February is the coldest period of the year, with water temperatures generally staying down around 20° C / 68°F. In September, after the warm Egyptian summer season, water temperatures will usually have gone up to about 27° C / 81° F.

Dive site information: Ras Za'atir (Ras Atar) is within the Ras Muhammed National Park. This reef is somewhat like the Ras Ghozlani reef, but more contoured, with lots of cracks and fissures. Some of the larger caves can be explored. The current runs along a sheer wall and into a cove.

Marine life: Ras Zaatir (Ras Atar) has a nice, but not remarkable, assortment of coral species. Generally good coral quality, but the corals suffer from silting and sandfall from the north. Hard and soft corals, including plenty of xeniid corals, can be seen here. The larger caves are home to glass sweepers and soft corals. Black corals grow along the wall in deeper waters and are popular among the longnose hawkfish. Plenty of small invertebrates live at Ras Za'atir (Ras Atar), such as nudibranchs and feather tube worms. Larger open ocean fish species also frequent the Ras Za'atir area. Larger fish species here include sharks, manta rays and barracudas. Some scuba divers claim that it is actually easier to spot sharks here, than in nearby Sharks Bay.