St John's Reefs are the southernmost dive sites in Egyptian Red Sea waters, a remote liveaboard-only system of roughly 290 km² in Foul Bay near the Sudanese border. Famous for pristine soft- and hard-coral walls, caves and swim-throughs, and current-swept submerged pinnacles (habilis) that draw grey reef sharks and seasonal oceanic whitetips.
Destination info
Conditions, highlights, and the resident marine life.
Conditions
Water and air temperature across the year.
WaterAirDryShoulder
Description
St John's Reefs lie on the Tropic of Cancer in Foul Bay, the far-southern corner of Egypt's Red Sea coast directly below the Ras Banas peninsula and close to the Sudanese border. The system spreads across about 290 km² and sits roughly 210 km south-southeast of Marsa Alam—around 14 hours of open-water cruising—so it is reachable only by liveaboard safari departing Marsa Alam or Port Ghalib; no day boats run here. The reefs and surrounding islands fall within the Gebel Elba protected area (established 1985), one of Egypt's largest, which encompasses 22 Red Sea islands and a vast stretch of coral and mangrove coastline. Two contrasting environments define the diving: surface-breaking reefs such as Gota Kebir and the famously photogenic St John's Caves offer shallow coral gardens threaded with tunnels, caverns and swim-throughs, while exposed submerged pinnacles—the 'habilis' Habili Ali and Habili Gaffar—rise from 100 m or more to just below the surface and concentrate pelagic action in strong current. Water runs 23–24°C in winter and up to 30°C or warmer in late summer, with visibility commonly 20–35 m. The habilis are advanced sites: strong, splitting currents, sheer drop-offs and significant depth mean they are dived only in calm weather and only by experienced divers. May and June are the prime window for oceanic whitetip sharks at Habili Ali, and the offshore reefs of the deep south are Egypt's best chance at whale sharks in late spring and early summer.
Highlights
What makes this dive worth the trip.
St John's Reefs are the southernmost dive sites in Egyptian Red Sea waters, lying on the Tropic of Cancer in Foul Bay near the Sudanese border. Spanning roughly 290 km², they are remote enough that no day boats reach them—diving is liveaboard-only, around 14 hours and 210 km south-southeast of Marsa Alam.
The deep south's signature draw is its predators: grey reef sharks and seasonal oceanic whitetip sharks patrol the current-swept walls of the submerged pinnacles Habili Ali and Habili Gaffar, with May and June the prime window for oceanic whitetip encounters at Habili Ali.
The offshore reefs of St John's are Egypt's best chance of seeing whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), which appear in the southern Red Sea from late spring through mid-summer—usually juveniles between 3 m and 7 m long.
Marine life
39 species you’re likely to encounter on a dive here.
Dive sites
6 signature sites at this destination.
Habili Ali
The easternmost site in the St John's system, a small oval submerged reef (habili) about 270 m long and 80 m wide lying roughly 44 km off the Egyptian coast, with the seabed only at around 200 m. Magnificently coral-covered walls plunge on all sides, with small overhangs at about 13 m on the eastern side and sea fans clustering from 40 m down. Strong currents and sheer drop-offs make it an advanced-only dive, approachable only in calm weather, but they also draw the big animals—grey reef sharks, hammerheads, and the oceanic whitetips that arrive in May and June.
10–40 madvancedLiveaboardStrongVisibility 20–35 m
Habili Gaffar
A compact submerged reef at the heart of St John's, about 30 m across at the surface and lying roughly 1.3 km east of Umm Arouk. The habili rises from over 100 m, forming a ledge at around 70 m before climbing steeply to about 3 m below the surface; a northern wall protrusion near 40 m splits the current. The reef flat is carpeted in soft and hard corals and surrounded by clouds of anthias and fusiliers, while shoals of barracuda and snapper, hunting jacks, and grey reef sharks work the deeper, current-swept sections. A strong, near-constant surge means it suits experienced divers only.
5–40 madvancedLiveaboardStrongVisibility 20–35 m
Gota Kebir
An extensive surface-breaking reef on the eastern side of the central St John's area, more than 800 m long and offering several drift-dive options. Two plateaus sit at about 15 m and 30 m-plus: the northern plateaus draw whitetip reef sharks and blue-spotted ribbontail rays, while deep fissures and tunnels carve the southeastern corner and green turtles graze the shallows. The varied profile and generally manageable conditions make it one of the more accessible St John's sites.
5–40 mintermediateLiveaboardModerateVisibility 20–35 m
St John's Caves
The system's most popular shallow site, prized for being intensely photogenic. A network of coral tunnels, caverns, overhangs and swim-throughs runs through pristine hard- and soft-coral gardens, with shafts of light pouring through the cave mouths into the blue. Depths are shallow and conditions usually benign, making it accessible to a wide range of divers when the habilis are too rough. Resident reef fish, glassfish in the caverns, moray eels and the occasional bumphead parrotfish populate the structure.
5–18 mbeginnerLiveaboardLightVisibility 20–35 m
Gota Soraya
A small, steeply walled reef in the central St John's area whose deeper faces are dominated by gorgonians and sea whips. Napoleon wrasse drift at the edge of visibility and groups of bumphead parrotfish maraud across the flats, while a cavern entrance opens at around 10 m on the southern side. The steep profile and exposure place it a notch above the easiest sites.
5–40 mintermediateLiveaboardModerateVisibility 20–35 m
Dangerous Reef
Despite the name, one of the gentler St John's sites and the southernmost of the system, with a reasonably shallow flat bottom around 30 m that allows overnight anchorage and night diving. Multiple swim-throughs and reef breaks permit penetration of the structure, where divers find squid, nudibranchs (including Spanish dancers) and moray eels out hunting. A reliable choice for relaxed and night dives between the more demanding habilis.
5–30 mintermediateLiveaboardLightVisibility 20–35 m
Where to dive & stay
Local dive centers, resorts, and hotels.
Featured operators coming soon
Verified dive centers, resorts, and hotels around St John's Reefs will list here — pricing, photos, and direct contact.
