Ben El Gebel ('between the mountains' in Arabic, named for its position between Big Giftun and Small Giftun) is a small cluster of coral heads sitting in the protected channel between the two main Giftun islands. The diving is gentle · max 20 m, no current, sheltered conditions year-round. The signature feature is two short swim-throughs at 12-14 m where glassfish swarm in numbers. Suits every certification level.
- Depth
- 8-20 m
- Visibility
- 18–25 m
- Season
- Jan - Dec
- Boat ride
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- Open Water+
Topography and dive profile
Three connected coral heads forming a rough triangle, the largest 20 m tall. We drop on the southern coral head, swim through the first short channel (8 m long, daylight visible) into the central head, around its perimeter, then through the second swim-through to the northern head and back to the start. The whole route is about 200 m of dive distance, completed in 50-60 minutes at a slow pace.
The swim-throughs are the highlight · both short, both with daylight visible from the entry, both packed with glassfish that part as you swim through. No proper penetration training required (these are pass-throughs, not enclosed spaces). Resident reef octopus tucked into the central head's coral crevices.
What you'll see
- ◇Glassfish in the channels
- ◇Trumpetfish
- ◇Reef octopus
- ◇Stingrays
- ◇Schooling fusiliers
Who it suits
All certification levels. The shallow profile and sheltered conditions suit beginners. The swim-throughs are the kind of thing AOW Peak Performance Buoyancy students love practising on · slow, controlled, easy depth.
When the captain runs this site
When the captain runs the central Giftun rotation, Ben El Gebel is one of the gentler alternatives to the bigger named sites. Standard 2-tank day rate.