Hurghada
Image generated by artificial intelligence
Why dive in Hurghada?
BEST SEASON
Featured Animals 10
- Unlikely
- Likely
- Very likely
Diurnal Frequent sightingsBluecheek Butterflyfish
Chaetodon semilarvatus
The Bluecheek Butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus) is a striking golden-yellow fish with delicate red vertical lines and a distinctive blue patch around its eyes. Endemic to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, it typically inhabits coral reefs where it feeds on coral polyps, algae, and small invertebrates. This species is known for forming monogamous, long-term pairs that often patrol and defend their feeding territories.
BEST SEASON
Cathemeral Frequent sightingsCommon Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
The Common Bottlenose Dolphin is a robust dolphin characterized by its short, stocky snout and grey coloration with a paler underbelly. Highly intelligent and social, these dolphins form complex fission-fusion societies. They are found globally in temperate and tropical marine waters, and are known for their active swimming, leaps, and use of echolocation for hunting.
BEST SEASON
Nocturnal Frequent sightingsGiant Moray
Gymnothorax javanicus
The Giant Moray (Gymnothorax javanicus) is the largest moray eel by body mass, known for its powerful jaws and distinctive leopard-like spots behind its head in adulthood. It is a nocturnal predator, primarily feeding on fish and crustaceans within coral reef ecosystems. This species plays a crucial role as an apex predator and is often observed in cooperative hunting with groupers.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsGreat Barracuda
Sphyraena barracuda
The Great Barracuda is a large predatory fish known for its fearsome appearance and speed. It has an elongated body, pointed head, and large teeth, making it a proficient hunter in coastal and open waters.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsGreen Sea Turtle
Chelonia mydas
The green sea turtle is a large marine reptile distinguished by its heart-shaped carapace and a single pair of prefrontal scales.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsHawksbill Sea Turtle
Eretmochelys imbricata
The Hawksbill Sea Turtle is a medium-sized marine turtle recognizable by its distinctive hawk-like beak and overlapping scutes, which create a serrated edge on its carapace. Primarily found in tropical coral reefs, it plays a crucial role in these ecosystems by feeding mainly on sponges, which are toxic to most other animals. This species is critically endangered due to historical exploitation for its beautiful shell and ongoing threats like habitat loss and bycatch.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsHumphead Wrasse
Cheilinus undulatus
The Humphead Wrasse is one of the largest reef fish, identifiable by a prominent hump on its forehead and thick fleshy lips. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning individuals are born female and some transition to males later in life. This carnivorous species plays a crucial role in coral reef ecosystems by preying on hard-shelled invertebrates and toxic animals like the crown-of-thorns starfish.
BEST SEASON
Nocturnal Frequent sightingsLionfish
Pterois spp.
Lionfish (genus Pterois) are venomous marine fish native to the Indo-Pacific, characterized by their conspicuous warning coloration of red or black bands and fan-like fins tipped with venomous spines. They are opportunistic predators, feeding primarily on small fish and invertebrates. While typically solitary, they may aggregate for breeding or to share shelters, and are known for their nocturnal hunting behavior.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsOcellated Eagle Ray
Aetobatus ocellatus
The Ocellated Eagle Ray, also known as the Whitespotted Eagle Ray, is a large ray characterized by a dark greenish-grey to black dorsal surface covered with numerous white spots, and a white underside. It possesses a flattened, diamond-shaped body, a prominent snout, and a long, whip-like tail armed with venomous spines. This species primarily feeds on hard-shelled invertebrates, such as mollusks and crustaceans, which it crushes with its specialized dental plates.
BEST SEASON
Nocturnal Frequent sightingsWhitetip Reef Shark
Triaenodon obesus
The Whitetip Reef Shark is a slender, medium-sized shark easily identified by the distinctive white tips on its dorsal and upper caudal fins. Primarily nocturnal, it spends its days resting in caves and under ledges on coral reefs and hunts at night for bony fishes, crustaceans, and cephalopods. These sharks are generally social, often found in groups during the day, but can hunt individually or cooperatively.
BEST SEASON
More marine life 58
Barred MorayEchidna polyzona
Bigeye TrevallyCaranx sexfasciatus
Black DurgonMelichthys niger
Bluering AngelfishPomacanthus annularis
Bluespotted CornetfishFistularia commersonii
Bluestreak Cleaner WrasseLabroides dimidiatus
Blunt-head ParrotfishChlorurus microrhinos
Broomtail WrasseCheilinus lunulatus
Bullethead ParrotfishChlorurus sordidus
Clown TriggerfishBalistoides conspicillum
Coral HindCephalopholis miniata
Ember ParrotfishScarus rubroviolaceus
Emperor AngelfishPomacanthus imperator
Fimbriated MorayGymnothorax fimbriatus
Garden EelHeterocongrinae
Giant clamTridacna gigas
Grey Reef SharkCarcharhinus amblyrhynchos
Harlequin ShrimpHymenocera picta
Honeycomb MorayGymnothorax favagineus
Leaf ScorpionfishTaenianotus triacanthus
Longhorn CowfishLactoria cornuta
Lyretail AnthiasPseudanthias squamipinnis
MandarinfishSynchiropus splendidus
Masked PufferArothron diadematus
Moorish IdolZanclus cornutus
Oceanic Whitetip SharkCarcharhinus longimanus
Orange-lined TriggerfishBalistapus undulatus
Painted FrogfishAntennarius pictus
Painted Spiny LobsterPanulirus versicolor
Pennant CoralfishHeniochus acuminatus
Pharaoh CuttlefishSepia pharaonis
Pinktail TriggerfishMelichthys vidua
Red Sea ClownfishAmphiprion bicinctus
Redtooth TriggerfishOdonus niger
Reef Manta RayMobula alfredi
Regal AngelfishPygoplites diacanthus
Rusty ParrotfishScarus ferrugineus
Scrawled FilefishAluterus scriptus
Silver SweeperPempheris schwenkii
Snowflake MorayEchidna nebulosa
Spanish DancerHexabranchus sanguineus
Spot-fin PorcupinefishDiodon hystrix
Spotted Eagle RayAetobatus narinari
Spotted SeahorseHippocampus kuda
Stellate PufferArothron stellatus
Tawny Nurse SharkNebrius ferrugineus
Teira BatfishPlatax teira
Tentacled FlatheadPapilloculiceps longiceps
Threadfin ButterflyfishChaetodon auriga
Tiger SharkGaleocerdo cuvier
Titan TriggerfishBalistoides viridescens
Whale SharkRhincodon typus
White-spotted PufferfishArothron hispidus
Yellow BoxfishOstracion cubicus
Yellow Longnose ButterflyfishForcipiger flavissimus
Yellowfin TunaThunnus albacares
Yellowmargin TriggerfishPseudobalistes flavimarginatus
Yellowspotted TriggerfishPseudobalistes fuscus
Where is Hurghada
Red Sea · Egypt
Frequently asked questions about Hurghada
When is the best time to dive in Hurghada?
The best time to dive in Hurghada is from March to May and from September to November. In those months the water is between 21°C and 28°C.
What marine life can you see diving in Hurghada?
Divers can encounter 68 species in Hurghada. Highlights include Bluecheek Butterflyfish, Common Bottlenose Dolphin, Giant Moray, Great Barracuda, Green Sea Turtle, and Hawksbill Sea Turtle.
When can you see the Ocellated Eagle Ray in Hurghada?
The Ocellated Eagle Ray is most often seen in Hurghada from March to October.
When can you see the Bluecheek Butterflyfish in Hurghada?
The Bluecheek Butterflyfish can be seen in Hurghada all year round.
When can you see the Common Bottlenose Dolphin in Hurghada?
The Common Bottlenose Dolphin can be seen in Hurghada all year round.
What is the water temperature in Hurghada?
Water temperature in Hurghada ranges from 21°C in January to 30°C in June.
What wetsuit do I need to dive in Hurghada?
Most divers wear a 5 mm wetsuit in January, when the water drops to 21°C, and a rash guard or a 1–3 mm shorty in June, when it reaches 30°C.
What is the visibility like when diving in Hurghada?
Visibility in Hurghada ranges from 15 m to 40 m. The water is clearest from June to November.
What are the currents like in Hurghada?
Divers in Hurghada can expect light, strong, or moderate currents, depending on the month and the dive site.
What can you see on a night dive in Hurghada?
After dark, Hurghada reveals nocturnal species such as Giant Moray, Lionfish, Whitetip Reef Shark, Fimbriated Moray, Honeycomb Moray, and Leaf Scorpionfish.
Where is Hurghada located?
Hurghada is a dive destination in Egypt, in the Red Sea.
Every answer is built from the conditions and sightings data we keep for Hurghada. Spotted something that looks off?
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