9 of the Top Beginner-Friendly Dive Sites In and Around Sharm el Sheikh

Right in the heart of Sharm el Sheikh’s resort area, Na’ama Bay is one of the prime easy diving spots in Sharm el Sheikh. Many local dive schools use the bay both for training and for introductory dive experiences. You can enter straight from the beach without needing to roll off the boat, and there are lots of sandy patches at different depths that are great for practicing your skills. Further out, however, you’ll find seagrass fields that draw marine life including turtles, as well as coral pinnacles alive with tropical fish.

Insider tip: Diving can be a high-risk sport. If you’re joining an introductory dive experience, look for one that spends at least a couple of hours training you in the basics. Each dive professional should be responsible for no more than two students at a time.

One of the most popular Sharm el Sheikh dive sites for novices, Shark's Bay has something for all levels, from newbies on introduction dives to tech divers—and, with entry from the shore, there’s no need for the expense of a boat. Underwater photographers love it for colorful nudibranchs, as well as stonefish and scorpionfish, while the gently sloping reef draws critters including octopuses. It’s right up by the airport, so travel time is minimal.

A great spot for beginner scuba diving in Sharm el Sheikh, White Knight has something to offer divers of all levels, although you’ll need to dive from a boat. As well as colorful coral gardens, the site boasts an eel garden—a sandy area where slender garden eels (not moray eels, which are chunkier) pop out of the sand and sway like surreal stems of grass. Beginners can also get a look at the start of its stunning underwater canyon.

Insider tip: Kids as young as 8 can try scuba diving on a PADI Bubblemaker or an SSI Scuba Explorer experience—provided they are confident in the water and the supplier has gear in their size.

Part of the Gardens group of three dive sites, Near Garden is just a 15-minute boat ride from Na’ama Bay and one of the top easy dive locations in Sharm el Sheikh. Drift diving can be a lovely, leisurely way to explore a dive site, with little finning required as you glide along with the gentle current. Coral pinnacles and undulating gorgonians (sea fans) create a magical feel, while if you’re lucky you may spot a white-tip reef shark.

In the south of Sharm el Sheikh, Temple takes its name from the slabby coral blocks and slender pinnacles that rise toward the surface of the ocean like an ancient underwater temple. Consistent conditions and a marine menagerie that includes batfish, butterfly fish, lionfish, parrotfish, and more make it one of the best beginner-friendly dive sites in Sharm el Sheikh—and one of the city’s most popular dive sites full stop.

Insider tip: Coral grows slowly, and it can take decades to undo the damage of a misplaced fin kick. Even on an intro dive, it’s important to stay well clear of the reef.

One of the more popular introductory diving spots in Sharm el Sheikh, Marsa Bareika sits within Ras Mohammed National Park, a protected area known for its vibrant marine life. Most of the dive sites in the park are for intermediate or advanced divers only, but Marsa Bareika is a sheltered bay so currents are rarely an issue. You can enjoy coral pinnacles and vivid soft corals, with a gentle sandy slope to get you started easily and a canyon for more experienced divers to explore.

Once you’ve visited all the Sharm el Sheikh dive spots suitable for beginners, Dahab awaits just an hour up the coast. As the name would suggest, Three Pools features three shallow pools, with warm, clear water and sandy bottoms, surrounded by coral that’s home to clownfish, anemones, and more. It’s one of the top scuba diving and snorkeling spots in Dahab. Sadly, snorkelers and introductory divers have damaged the coral by standing on it and hitting it with their fins.

Another Dahab dive spot that’s suitable for beginners, Golden Blocks sits close to Three Pools and, like Three Pools, is entered from the shore. Enjoy towers of golden coral, an enormous sea fan, and lovely shallow coral gardens with table corals where grouper and lionfish often wait. You may exit through Moray Garden, where greedy-looking moray eels slither through the branches of the coral. Some horseback riding and all-terrain vehicle (ATV or quad bike) adventures start from here.

This protected area on the Sinai coast north of Dahab offers a quintessentially Egyptian diving experience: The chance to load your gear up on camels and camp out in a national park for a day or spend the night is not to be missed. Surprisingly, given the remoteness, much of the diving—or snorkeling—here is beginner-friendly, with a wealth of marine life, undamaged coral, and, during night dives, the Spanish dancers—a marine mollusc that swirls and twirls like a flamenco artist’s skirts.