Shaab Abu Nugar is one of the most northern sites we run, almost into the El Gouna area and about 75 minutes out. The name means father of pools, after the holes and small lagoons cut into the main reef. The diving is shallow, between 5 and 14 m, with weak current and long visibility, which makes it a site you can stay on until the tank tells you to leave.
- Depth
- 5-14 m
- Visibility
- 20–30 m
- Season
- Jan - Dec
- Boat ride
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- All levels
Shaab Abu Nugar
The plan of the reef
On the chart
Shaab Abu Nugar
75 min from the marina
Topography and dive profile
A large reef broken by pools and small lagoons, with many ergs standing off it and table corals and coral clusters scattered across the sand. Yellow and purple gorgonians, horn corals and brain corals all hold ground here, and the hard-coral variety is what the site is known for.
Eagle rays pass along the outer edge, turtles graze the shallows, broomtail wrasse and parrotfish work the coral, and giant groupers sit in the bigger structures. Nudibranchs and blue-spotted stingrays reward anyone who slows down on the sand. Dolphins turn up occasionally.
What you'll see
- ◇Eagle rays
- ◇Green turtles
- ◇Broomtail wrasse
- ◇Giant groupers
- ◇Blue-spotted stingrays
Who it suits
Every level. Nothing is deeper than about 14 m, the current is weak, and the visibility is usually long enough to keep the group together without effort · which is what makes it a genuinely good long dive for a beginner rather than merely a safe one.
When the captain runs this site
The northern end of the captain's range, about 75 minutes out and usually only when the wind allows. The wider reef also carries Gota Abu Nugar on its eastern side and Shaab Iris on its southern side, both of which we run as separate dives. Standard 2-tank day rate.
Frequently asked
No. Shaab Abu Nugar is the whole reef, and it carries several dive sites: Abu Nugar at the northern part, Gota Abu Nugar on the eastern part and Shaab Iris on the southern part. We list Gota Abu Nugar and Shaab Iris separately because they dive differently.
Abu Nugar means father of pools in Arabic, after the holes and small lagoons cut into the main reef. They are the defining feature of the site and the reason the shallow ground stays interesting for a full tank.
Yes, genuinely. Maximum around 14 m, weak current and long visibility. The only thing that makes it a bigger day than a Giftun site is the transit · about 75 minutes each way.