Marine Life . 10 species

SharksApex encounters in the Red Sea blue.

Marsa Alam is one of the best places in Egypt for shark encounters. From year-round whitetip reef sharks to the legendary oceanic whitetips and hammerhead schools of high season, our waters host ten regularly-sighted species.

10Species in this group

BestJune-September (hammerheads) . October-December (oceanic whitetips)

Where11 dive sites

About sharks

Sharks are the icons of Red Sea diving. The waters around Marsa Alam host a mix of resident reef sharks and seasonal pelagic visitors. Elphinstone Reef is the headline site, with oceanic whitetips peaking October-December and scalloped hammerhead schools cruising the plateau in summer.

The species

Every shark you can meet in Marsa Alam.

Seasonal

Oceanic Whitetip Shark

Carcharhinus longimanus

A bold, curious pelagic shark with bright white-tipped fins. Cruises the surface looking for slow-moving prey.

Did you know? Often escorted by pilotfish that hitch a ride on their bow wave.

Size: 3.5 m
Diet: Tuna, squid, turtles
Season: October to December

Best places to see one

Elphinstone Reef

Seasonal

Scalloped Hammerhead

Sphyrna lewini

Distinctive hammer-shaped head packed with electroreceptors. Forms large schools at offshore plateaus in summer.

Did you know? Their hammer head improves both 360 degree vision and prey detection.

Size: 4 m
Diet: Stingrays, fish, octopus
Season: May to September

Best places to see one

Elphinstone Reef Sha'ab Sharm Habili Ali (St. John's)Daedalus Reef

Common

Grey Reef Shark

Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos

Stocky, fast-moving reef shark common at offshore reefs. Often seen patrolling drop-offs in small groups.

Did you know? Recognises individual divers and may return on subsequent dives.

Size: 2.5 m
Diet: Reef fish, squid, octopus
Season: Year-round

Best places to see one

Elphinstone Reef Habili Ali (St. John's)Dangerous Reef (St. John's)

Common

Whitetip Reef Shark

Triaenodon obesus

Small, slender reef-dwelling shark. Often spotted resting under ledges or hunting cooperatively at night.

Did you know? One of the few sharks that can pump water over their gills while stationary.

Size: 1.7 m
Diet: Eels, crustaceans, small fish
Season: Year-round

Best places to see one

Abu Dabbab II Um Halhala Sha'ab Marsa Alam

Rare

Silvertip Shark

Carcharhinus albimarginatus

Striking silver-trimmed fins. Bold and curious - may approach divers closely on offshore plateaus.

Did you know? They are dominant over other reef sharks at cleaning stations.

Size: 3 m
Diet: Reef fish, rays, octopus
Season: Summer

Best places to see one

Elphinstone Reef Daedalus Reef

Common

Blacktip Reef Shark

Carcharhinus melanopterus

Smaller reef shark with conspicuous black-tipped fins. Often seen in shallow lagoons and reef flats.

Did you know? They are highly site-loyal - the same individuals patrol the same reef for years.

Size: 1.8 m
Diet: Small fish, crustaceans
Season: Year-round

Best places to see one

Sha'ab Marsa Alam Sataya Reef

Rare

Thresher Shark

Alopias vulpinus

Famous for its elongated upper tail, which it uses like a whip to stun schools of fish.

Did you know? Their tail can be as long as their entire body and reaches 130 km/h whip speed.

Size: 6 m (tail included)
Diet: Schooling fish
Season: Spring (March-May)

Best places to see one

Daedalus Reef

Rare

Whale Shark

Rhincodon typus

The world's largest fish - a gentle filter feeder that occasionally drifts past Red Sea sites.

Did you know? Each whale shark has a unique spot pattern - like a fingerprint.

Size: 12 m
Diet: Plankton, small fish
Season: Spring and autumn

Best places to see one

Elphinstone Reef Daedalus Reef

Rare

Tiger Shark

Galeocerdo cuvier

Massive shark with vertical tiger-stripe pattern that fades with age. Rare in the Red Sea.

Did you know? Tiger sharks have stomachs that can hold almost anything - they are nicknamed "garbage cans of the sea".

Size: 5 m
Diet: Turtles, fish, rays, almost anything
Season: Summer

Best places to see one

Daedalus Reef

Rare

Giant Guitarfish

Glaucostegus typus

Bizarre cross between shark and ray, with a flat ray-like front and shark-like rear.

Did you know? Genetically they are rays, not sharks - but they look like both.

Size: 3 m
Diet: Crabs, mollusks
Season: Year-round

Best places to see one

Abu Dabbab Bay Marsa Mubarak

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