Marsa Mubarak
Also known as: Marsa Embarak, Marsa Mobarak
Sheltered bay south of Port Ghalib: fringing reef, coral gardens and seagrass where green turtles graze almost daily and a resident dugong is seen.
Last updated October 2026
The dive
At the mooring, a shallow coral garden of small blocks and a set of pinnacles sits in a few metres of water. The north side of the bay is a fringing reef with a drop-off and patch reefs at 2-6 m, where sohal surgeonfish, Klunzinger's wrasse and Red Sea raccoon butterflyfish work the coral, and it can be drifted back to the boat. The south side holds another large coral garden, enough for at least two more dives.
Between them, closer to the beach and across the middle of the bay, the seagrass lies at 4-6 m. It can look empty. Green turtles graze it almost every day, often with shark suckers riding on their shells, and bluespotted ribbontail rays sit in the sand, with honeycomb and feathertail rays reported by one operator. The same operator's guides watch for a cloud of sand: it probably means the dugong is close.
The bay is big enough that operators split it further. One names eight sub-sites, among them Madrassah for stonefish, scorpionfish, frogfish and crocodilefish, Shaab Abu Mahmoud with a resident whitetip reef shark and schools of goatfish and unicornfish, and Panorama, where hawksbill turtles and yellowtail barracuda are reported.
What makes it special
The dugong here has a name. Divers call it Dyson, and a 2015-2017 photo-identification study of dugongs along the Marsa Alam coast recorded one individual sighted mainly in this bay, at an average depth of 3 m and about 230 m from shore.
It is a resident, and still a matter of luck. One diver who saw it in 2018 described the boat afterwards: repeat visitors were split between those seeing it for the first time after many trips and those who had seen it every time. The turtles are the dependable half of the bay, and the reef on either side turns a wildlife stop into a full day of diving.
Know before you go
Across the Marsa Alam area, much of the hard coral died in the 2024 bleaching event, when the water reached 32 C in September; divers reported new growth by that December, and monitoring through 2025 recorded substantial recovery. Those figures describe the area as a whole, not this bay's reef in particular.
Visitor numbers are high, much of it snorkel tours from Port Ghalib. When the dugong is spotted, several boats converge on it quickly, so on the seagrass dive stay with your group and look up before you surface.
Why Dive Marsa Mubarak
What makes this dive site stand out.
- Turtles almost every day
Large green turtles graze the seagrass at 4-6 m, often carrying shark suckers.
- A named resident dugong
Known to divers as Dyson and seen mostly on the left side or in the centre of the bay.
- Several dives in one bay
Mooring pinnacles, a north coral garden drift, the seagrass and a south coral garden.
Depth & Profile
Location
25.5128°N, 34.6519°E
Conditions & difficulty
Operator prices in 2026: a boat day with two guided dives for certified divers runs EUR 85-130, equipment extra; an intro dive day is EUR 110 with full equipment.
Intro dives and snorkelling stay on the 2-6 m reef and seagrass; the deeper routes pass the 18 m Open Water limit.
Summary
Easy inside the bay; Habili Gudda, an outer block reached only by zodiac, is an advanced dive exposed to current and waves.
Safety considerations
What can go wrong here, and what divers do about it. Conditions change - take the briefing from the operator on the day.
- Surface and boat traffic: When the dugong is spotted, several day boats converge on the area quickly.Stay with your group and look up before surfacing.
- Overhead: The Shaab Abu Ziyad sub-site has a lined and mapped cavern system.Enter only with cavern training; otherwise stay on the open reef.
- Current: Habili Gudda's blocks sit outside the bay, exposed to current and wave action.Plan it as an advanced dive and stay close to the guide.
Marine Life
Rules and permits
- Conduct: no touching, no feeding, no taking anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freedive down to the dugong at Marsa Mubarak?▾
No. On dugong tours a floating vest is mandatory in the water, so snorkellers watch from the surface and skin diving or freediving down to the animal is not possible. That was the rule as of 2024.
Where in the bay should I look for the dugong, and at what time?▾
On the seagrass on the left side or in the centre of the bay. Early morning and late afternoon give the best chance, when fewer boats are around. It is not there every day: in one 2018 account, a group spent the whole first dive searching the seagrass without luck, and on the second the guides split them between another search and the reef. A sighting in December 2024 shows it was still using the bay.
Which parts of Marsa Mubarak are beyond a newly certified diver?▾
Two sub-sites. Shaab Abu Ziyad has a lined and mapped cavern system meant for trained divers only, and Habili Gudda, reached only by zodiac, is an advanced dive on blocks exposed to current and wave action. The deeper routes in the bay also pass the 18 m Open Water limit. The rest of the bay is rated easy and suitable for all divers.
Can I walk to Marsa Mubarak without a boat?▾
From the beach at Iberotel Costa Mares, yes, or from Three Corners Fayrouz Plaza along a path south, about 20 minutes (800 m). Swimming along the house reef from Fayrouz to the bay is reportedly no longer allowed. Coming in from the road without staying at a hotel is uncertain and best avoided. Enter from the north side of the beach to be closer to the reef, and bring what you need: there are no restaurants on the beach.
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