Amphoras
Also known as: Amphoras - Local, Amphoras Reef
Sandy coral slope with pinnacles on Sharm's local coast, dived as a drift to the remains of a 17th-century ship and her amphoras.
Last updated October 2026
The dive
The wall ends at about 12 metres, and from there a sandy slope leads away, dotted with coral pinnacles in several colours of soft coral. Glassfish gather around the pinnacles, with feather stars and starfish on the coral itself. The dive is a drift, usually run in the afternoon, and the current carries you along the slope toward a drop-off at 20 to 22 metres. The amphora remains lie at the bottom of that slope, in the deeper band.
What makes it special
A 17th-century Turkish ship gives this slope its name, and the pottery she carried is what divers come looking for. Operators describe an original anchor stick with inscriptions among the remains, while the hull has gone from view. Coral has grown over the amphora fragments so thickly that finding them is a small hunt in itself, and a dive with a goal like that changes how you move across the slope.
Between searches the pinnacles reward slow swimming. Pipefish, nudibranchs and scorpionfish sit among the coral, small enough to pass unseen at drifting pace.
Know before you go
The remains sit at 22-28 m, deeper than the wall and upper pinnacles, so decide with your guide at the briefing how far down the slope your dive will go. Encrusted pottery looks like lumps of coral until you are close, which makes this a dive for slow, close looking at the bottom of the slope.
Why Dive Amphoras
What makes this dive site stand out.
- 17th-century wreck remains
An anchor stick with inscriptions and encrusted amphora fragments lie at depth
- Coral pinnacle slope
A wall to about 12 m, then sand and coral pinnacles down to a drop-off
- Small life on the pinnacles
Pipefish, nudibranchs and scorpionfish, with glassfish and feather stars
- Easy afternoon drift
Graded beginner or all levels by several operators
Depth & Profile
Location
27.8679°N, 34.3239°E
Conditions & difficulty
Several operators grade the site beginner or all levels, and the wall and upper slope start within 12 m. The amphoras lie at 22-28 m, deeper than that upper part of the dive.
A drift over a gentle slope; the amphora area is the deeper end of the dive.
Marine Life
Rules and permits
- Conduct: no touching, no feeding, no taking anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
How deep are the amphoras, and how do you find them?▾
Operators put the pottery at 22 m and at about 28 m, so plan for the whole 22-28 m band at the bottom of the slope. The route described for the drop-off follows a long chain from 22 m to a modern anchor behind a coral block at 25 m. Behind two large coral towers beyond it lie the original anchor stick, with some inscriptions, and the amphora remains. The pottery is richly encrusted in coral and quite difficult to find, and the ship herself can no longer be seen.
Are eagle rays and turtles seen along the drop-off at Amphoras?▾
Accounts differ. One operator calls the drop-off a great observation point for eagle rays, turtles and larger pelagic species swimming along it; another rates pelagic sightings at the site as rare. Treat them as a possible bonus on a dive whose regular interest is on the pinnacles.
Is there still mercury on the seabed at Amphoras?▾
The ship is described as carrying amphoras of mercury. The spilled metal is said to have once made mirror-like patches on the sea floor, but that effect is long gone, and what divers look for today is the pottery and the anchor.
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