About Big Brother
Big Brother Island, a prominent pinnacle in the southern Red Sea, rises from significant depths approximately 60 miles off the Egyptian coast near El-Quseir. This remote location, accessible solely via liveaboard, is renowned for its vibrant marine life and two iconic shipwrecks. The island itself is relatively small, stretching about 400 meters in length, and is home to a Victorian lighthouse staffed by Egyptian soldiers. Big Brother's topography features sheer vertical walls that plunge into hundreds of meters of water, offering a dramatic underwater landscape. The island hosts two significant wreck sites: the Numidia, a British cargo ship that sank in 1901, with its bow starting at 8 meters and extending down to 80-85 meters; and the Aida II, a supply ship lost in 1957, resting between 25 and 60 meters. These wrecks are extensively encrusted with corals, providing both historical exploration and thriving artificial reefs. This site is celebrated for its abundant pelagic life, including frequent sightings of oceanic whitetip sharks, often cruising close to divers. Hammerheads, thresher, and grey reef sharks are also regularly spotted in the area, alongside schools of tuna and barracuda. The reefs and wrecks teem with anthias, moray eels, and Napoleon wrasse, with turtles making occasional appearances. The nutrient-rich currents foster a healthy array of hard and soft corals, sponges, and gorgonians, creating spectacular visual displays. Diving here typically involves drift dives along the walls or plateaus due to the currents. Divers can expect up to four day-time dives, as night diving is prohibited within this protected national park. Given its exposed location and potentially strong currents, Big Brother is best suited for advanced divers with solid buoyancy control and an understanding of liveaboard diving techniques.
Highlights
Numidia wreck explorationAida II wreck diveOceanic whitetip shark encountersHammerhead and thresher shark sightingsVibrant hard and soft coralsLighthouse on Big Brother IslandDeep vertical wallsLarge schools of pelagic fish
Best Season
The Brothers Islands are suitable for diving year-round due to consistent water temperatures. However, for enhanced chances of rare shark sightings and optimal pelagic encounters, the spring season from late March to May, or the fall season from September to November, are considered ideal. During June to September, shark sightings may require deeper dives.
Dive site facts: Big Brother
- Depth
- 8–85 m
- Current
- Strong
- Entry
- Liveaboard only
- Level
- Advanced
- Dive type
- Wreck, Drift, Wreck
- Region / port
- Egypt
- Coordinates
- 27.5750° N, 34.7936° E
Conditions & Currents
The exposed location of Big Brother means that currents are a significant factor, often flowing from north to south and capable of being strong. These nutrient-rich currents are responsible for the vibrant marine ecosystem but necessitate that most dives are drift dives along the walls or plateaus. Divers must possess solid buoyancy skills and be prepared for demanding conditions, including occasional downwellings. Visibility typically remains excellent, often exceeding 30 meters, providing clear views despite the currents. No night diving is permitted at this protected site. Given these dynamic conditions, Big Brother is best suited for experienced, advanced divers, usually as part of a liveaboard trip, and requires careful dive planning and computer monitoring, especially on multi-dive days.
Why dive Big Brother from a liveaboard?
Big Brother is one of Egypt's signature dive sites. A liveaboard sleeps you on the water and puts you in the water for three to four guided dives per day, including dawn and night dives that day-boat operators rarely offer. You skip the daily commute back to port and reach quieter, less-crowded sites in the same region on a single trip.
Below are the liveaboards that include Big Brother on their Egypt itineraries.
Liveaboards diving Big Brother
These liveaboards may visit Big Brother on selected itineraries — the exact dive sites depend on departure, weather and conditions.
DUNE Longara
Egypt
30 guests
$155/day
JP Marine
Egypt
28 guests
$109/day
Snefro Pearl
Egypt
12 guests
$150/day
Snefro Love
Egypt
20 guests
$154/day
Sindalahs
Egypt
26 guests38 m
$155/day
Hammerhead II
Egypt
20 guests
$172/day
Blue Liveaboard
Egypt
24 guests43 m
$172/day
Odyssey
Egypt
26 guests40 m
$185/day
Discovery I
Egypt
20 guests
$97/day
Star Jet
Egypt
28 guests35 m
$145/day
SS Serena Dreams
Egypt
18 guests33 m
$159/day
Amelie
Egypt
12 guests23 m
$115/day
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- Suitable for
- Beginner
- Current
- Moderate
- Access
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SS Thistlegorm
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The SS Thistlegorm is one of the world's most renowned shipwrecks, a British cargo vessel sunk during World War II. It lies in the Strait of Gubal, a narrow passage connecting the…
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- Advanced
- Current
- Strong
- Access
- Liveaboard or dayboat
- Depth
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- Theme
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Giannis D
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The Giannis D, a Greek cargo ship, sank in April 1983 after running aground on the northwestern corner of Sha'ab Abu Nuhas, a prominent reef known as the "ship graveyard" in the Strait of Gubal.
- Suitable for
- Advanced
- Current
- Moderate
- Access
- Liveaboard or dayboat
- Depth
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- Theme
- Wreck / Reef