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Underwater view of Dolphin House (Samadai), Marsa Alam Red Sea

Marsa Alam South · Boat Dive

Sha'ab Samadai - Dolphin House

A horseshoe-shaped reef 9 km offshore where a resident pod of ~60–80 spinner dolphins rests during the day. Access is regulated by HEPCA under a three-zone system — Zone A is closed (dolphin sanctuary), Zone B is restricted snorkeling with a permit, and Zone C is the outer reef where divers explore three classic dive sites: the South-West Pinnacles, the South-East Pinnacles, and the Caves.

Depth

5-30m

Level

Beginner

Access

Boat Dive

Visibility

20-35m

Current

Mild current

About this site

A horseshoe-shaped reef 9 km offshore where a resident pod of ~60–80 spinner dolphins rests during the day. Access is regulated by HEPCA under a three-zone system — Zone A is closed (dolphin sanctuary), Zone B is restricted snorkeling with a permit, and Zone C is the outer reef where divers explore three classic dive sites: the South-West Pinnacles, the South-East Pinnacles, and the Caves. Permits cap daily visitors and boat numbers.

Highlights

  • Resident spinner dolphin pod, year-round
  • Three outer dive sites: SW pinnacles, SE pinnacles, the Caves
  • HEPCA permit + zoned access — never crowded inside the lagoon
  • Caves swim-through at 12–20 m with glassfish

Marine life

Spinner dolphinHawksbill turtleNapoleon wrasseGlassfishAnthiasBluestripe snapper

Location

24.9898°N, 35.0278°E · ~9 km south of Marsa Alam

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Real reviews . Real divers

What divers say about Dolphin House (Samadai)

4.4/5226 Google reviews
View all on Google Maps

mamien

Nov 2025

Google

It was a super calm day with no strong current, making it perfect for setting out off the coast and snorkeling. The guide was initially worried that the dolphins might not appear, since they usually prefer some waves or current, but we were lucky — many family pods appeared and disappeared throughout the snorkeling, creating an unforgettable experience. Unfortunately, there were also flocks of tour groups, including ours, and some young kids tried to chase the pods every time they appeared. That was frustrating because instead of dolphins, you often saw only bubbles from kicking legs. As this is a protected natural area, snorkelers must wear safety jackets, and I ended up with lashes around my upper arm from the jackets rubbing roughly in the water. Anyhow, despite these frustrations and the high cost of USD 94 (Nov 2025) for one snorkeling trip with dolphins and another for the reef — including transportation from and to the resort and lunch, which I felt was overpriced — it was still a great experience.

Ondřej Nasswettr

Jan 2026

Google

I was not lucky to see the dolphins but our amazing snorkelling guide Timo took us in very quiet places and showed us what many people didn’t have a chance to see. Next time I will be there as diver 😁

Jing Liu

Jul 2025

Google

I rated this experience 3 stars because I was fortunate enough to see dolphins, which is often a matter of luck. However, I found that the snorkeling guide did not take us to a good spot; there were fewer fish than I expected. Additionally, I noticed that the yacht we used seemed to be burning polluted fuel in the Red Sea, which is concerning for the environment. They need to be more mindful of the area. As they mentioned, there is a dolphin house, so they should anchor the yacht in specific locations to allow snorkelers to swim in those areas.

PingYing Zhu

Sep 2025

Google

With my family (2 adults and 2 boys), we had a wonderful time snorkeling at the Dolphin House with CORAYA DIVERS. Ahmed, our instructor and snorkeling guide, led us safely and smoothly through the experience. It was incredible to be immersed in the wild dolphin family (5 adults and 4 adorable calves). Watching them swim freely in the Red Sea, without disturbing them, was truly magical. Thanks to Ahmed’s guidance, it became a meaningful and unforgettable memory for all of us.

Martin Fischer

Sep 2025

Google

Great family day trip aboard Night Dream with Coraya Divers and our guide Ahmed. Two snorkeling 🤿 mini-tours in the House of Dolphins 🐬 both filled with nearly continuous swimming with the friendly and joyful mammals: 5 adults and 4 babies. Coraya Divers took us to the reef early, before the arrival of other boats, so we had the pleasure of starting in calm environment, thank you guys. Ahmed is like a dolphin himself, reading the swimming pattern of the mammals with precision and bringing his small team close to the dolphins for unusual eye-to-eye interaction.

Public Google reviews of Dolphin House (Samadai) as a dive site - they describe the location itself, not a specific trip with us.

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Pod of spinner dolphins underwater at Sha'ab Samadai (Dolphin House), Marsa Alam
Spinner dolphinsIconic
Full Day
2 dives

Dolphin House

Spinner dolphins in a protected horseshoe reef just offshore.

Sha'ab Samadai, 9 km offshore Marsa Alam
9hMax 12All levels
Daily boat tripHotel pickup & drop-offLunch on board

From

€120/diver

Details
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