Ras Ghazlani - Ras Mohammed

Ras Ghazlani is a lesser-known gem on the eastern edge of Ras Mohammed National Park — a gently sloping coral garden that descends from 5 meters to 25 meters before dropping off into a shallow wall, set in a sheltered bay that provides calm, sunlit diving with exceptional coral quality. The site is named for the gazelles that once grazed the desert cliffs above, and it offers a refreshingly relaxed counterpoint to the more demanding drift dives elsewhere in the park. The dive typically begins at the reef edge in 5 meters and follows the sloping garden down to 18-20 meters, where the reef transitions into a wall that drops to 30 meters before shelving out onto a sandy plain. The coral garden is in pristine condition — dense stands of staghorn coral, massive porites colonies, table corals, and large anemone beds with thriving clownfish populations cover the substrate. The reef top catches more sunlight than the deeper walls, creating vivid color saturation for photography. Marine life is rich and varied. Napoleon wrasse cruise the reef, hawksbill turtles graze the coral heads, and the anemones host huge clownfish populations. Schools of yellowtail snapper, sergeant majors, and butterflyfish patrol the edges, while the deeper wall attracts the occasional grey reef shark, giant moray, and eagle ray. The sandy plain at the base of the wall is home to bluespotted stingrays, garden eels, and cornetfish. Ras Ghazlani is accessible to Open Water divers thanks to its shallow profile and mild currents, making it an ideal alternative to the more demanding Ras Mohammed walls. The site is inside the national park and reached by day boat from Sharm el-Sheikh. Conditions are consistent year-round, with visibility regularly exceeding 30 meters and water temperatures ranging from 22°C in winter to 29°C in summer.