CoralCommonVisible while snorkeling

Red Sea corals

Anthozoa (többféle faj)

Red Sea corals are not scenery: they are builders, hunters and millions of living animals – without them this entire underwater world would not exist.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Coral is neither plant nor rock but animal: a colony of thousands of tiny polyps resembling miniature sea anemones. Stony corals build limestone skeletons around themselves – the reef itself is made of these, the work of millions of polyp generations. Microscopic algae (zooxanthellae) live inside the polyps' tissue: they give coral its colour and, through photosynthesis, most of its nutrition. At night the polyps open up and hunt plankton with their tentacles.

The northern Red Sea is one of the last refuges for corals: the species here tolerate heat exceptionally well, and researchers believe this may be one of the last great reef systems to survive the warming of the oceans. Around Hurghada live dozens of hard and soft corals, fan corals and gorgonians – among them the infamous fire coral (Millepora), which is not even a true coral, and whose stinging cells leave a burning, nettle-like mark on careless skin.

With us, every dive is also a coral dive: the "aquarium" of Gota Abu Ramada, the wall of Small Giftun and the coral towers of Carless Reef are the finest gardens. The rule is the same everywhere: look and photograph, but never touch – a single touch can break off decades of growth, and fire coral strikes back. Use reef-safe sunscreen, and the reef will stay this beautiful for the next generation too.

Did you know?

Coral is an animal, not a plant: every coral branch is built on the shared skeleton of thousands of tiny polyps. The largest coral heads on Hurghada's reefs are several hundred years old – older than the city of Hurghada itself.

How to behave around it

Touch nothing on the reef: coral is damaged by contact, and the mustard-yellow fire coral inflicts a painful, burning rash. Watch your buoyancy and your fin strokes, never stand on the coral, and use reef-safe sunscreen – the active ingredients of conventional creams harm corals.

Where can you meet it?

The coral gardens of Gota Abu Ramada, the wall of Small Giftun, the towers of Carless Reef and the coral pillars of El Aruk show the Red Sea coral world at its very finest.

Frequently asked questions

Only if you touch them: the sharp limestone skeleton can cut skin, and fire coral's stinging cells cause a burning, itching rash that lasts for days. You can recognise fire coral by its mustard-yellow colour and whitish branch tips. The solution is simple and protects the reef too: we touch nothing.

The colour comes from the zooxanthellae algae living in the polyps. If the water stays too warm for too long, the coral expels the algae and its white skeleton shows through the tissue – this is coral bleaching. The northern Red Sea is a fortunate exception: its corals are the most heat-tolerant on Earth, which is why Hurghada's reefs are still so vivid today.

Perfect your buoyancy, touch nothing and mind where your fins are kicking. Clip off dangling gauges, collect no "souvenirs" – neither coral nor shells – and use reef-safe sunscreen. Stick to this and your presence leaves no trace, while the experience stays with you.