Jackson Reef - Coral Garden & Lighthouse

Jackson Reef's Coral Garden and Lighthouse section is the sheltered, shallower counterpart to the famous Hammerhead Point on the reef's northern corner — an exquisite coral landscape on the southern and eastern flanks of Jackson, sheltered from the strongest currents and ideal for divers who want the quality of Tiran's reefs without the demand of high-current pelagic diving. The Coral Garden descends gently from 5 to 25 meters across a field of massive table corals, staghorn colonies, and pore coral heads, with the ruined hull of the Lara (a 1980s Cypriot cargo ship) perched on the reef's northwest edge as an unusual above-water backdrop. The reef top is alive with anthias, butterflyfish, surgeonfish, and reef parrotfish, while the deeper slopes reveal anemones with clownfish, giant clams, and the occasional Napoleon wrasse cruising the edge. Lighthouse corner, at the reef's northeastern tip, provides a drift opportunity along a dramatic wall draped in gorgonian fans and soft corals. Reef sharks, giant moray eels, and schools of batfish are common sightings, and in summer the occasional hammerhead strays south from Jackson's main pelagic zone. The wall's sheltered aspect means visibility typically holds at 25-30 meters even when the outer reefs are current-swept. The site is accessible to Advanced Open Water divers, though Open Water divers with good buoyancy can enjoy the shallower Coral Garden section. Day boats from Sharm el-Sheikh reach Jackson in under an hour, and the reef is typically combined with Gordon, Woodhouse, and Thomas in the classic four-reef Tiran itinerary. Best conditions run March through November, with the calmest water in spring and autumn.