Diver giving the OK sign on the fish-filled coral reef of Abu Ramada near Hurghada

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Abu Ramada („Az Akvárium”)

The Aquarium nickname is well earned: the fish schools swirling around the coral towers can be so dense you lose sight of the reef.

Book a dive here

Depth

6–26 m

Visibility

20–30 m

Current

Mild to moderate

Level

OWD and up

Boat ride

~50 min by boat

Area

Giftun National Park

Quick answer:Abu Ramada – nicknamed “The Aquarium” – lies about 50 minutes by boat from Hurghada, with depths of 6–26 m, divable from OWD level. Schools of snappers and goatfish, morays and lionfish live around its sand-based coral towers. Its easy profile and astonishing fish density make it one of Hurghada's most popular dive sites.

Dive profile

Abu Ramada („Az Akvárium”)

Your level

Reef

6–26 m

Your dive

18 m

Level needed

Open Water Diver

Abu Ramada island sits on the south-eastern edge of the Giftun National Park, about 50 minutes by boat from Hurghada. Its nickname – “The Aquarium” – was not invented by marketers: the swirl of fish around the coral towers (ergs) standing on the sandy bottom is so dense that at times you cannot see the next tower through it.

The dive runs between 6 and 26 metres, typically as an easy drift from erg to erg. Packed schools of snappers and goatfish billow around the coral heads, morays watch from the cracks, butterflyfish pairs and emperor angelfish patrol the tower walls, and motionless lionfish hover in the water column waiting for prey.

The white sand scatters the morning light beautifully, which is why photographers adore this site. Currents are usually mild to moderate and the profile is simple – if you hold an OWD certification, Abu Ramada is an unmissable classic of your Hurghada days.

What makes Abu Ramada („Az Akvárium”) special?

Nowhere around Hurghada fits the word “aquarium” better: the fish density around the coral towers makes you feel suspended in the middle of a giant tank.

Highlights

Coral towers (ergs) on bright white sand
Schools of snappers and goatfish in their thousands
Morays in almost every crevice
Ideal light for photographers

Frequently asked questions

The schools of snappers and goatfish swirling around the coral towers are so dense that the scene genuinely resembles an overcrowded aquarium. The fish are used to divers and let you get remarkably close.

An Open Water certification is enough to enjoy it fully: the towers start around 6 metres, the sandy bottom lies at 18–26 metres and the current is usually mild. Your guide tailors the profile to the group's level.

The tower tops start around 6 metres, so snorkelers admire the fish schools mostly from above – for dedicated snorkeling, the nearby shallower Gota Abu Ramada is an even better pick.

Visibility often reaches 20–30 metres, currents are mild to moderate, and the island's lee almost always offers a calm entry point – a reliably divable site most of the year.