About Cave Reef
Cave Reef, also known simply as The Caves, is a shore dive located in southern Dahab, Egypt. This site is distinguished by its unique topography, featuring broad overhangs and cavern-like recesses rather than an intricate, true overhead cave system, making it an accessible and scenic dive. Its significance lies in offering a distinct reef profile combined with the allure of shallow, cave-like environments. Divers typically begin with a giant stride entry from a ledge directly into the deep blue, leading to the cave structure beneath. Shallow reefs extend to the left and right, abundant with both hard and soft corals. The main dive unfolds along a sandy slope, with the principal feature line stretching southward from the entry point. The cave mouth itself is found at a depth of approximately 3-5 meters, while the sloping reef and overhangs continue down to depths ranging between 30 and 35 meters. The diverse coral structures at Cave Reef support a variety of marine life. Common sightings include large groupers, moray eels, and scorpionfish. Divers may also encounter lionfish, nudibranchs, pipefish, pufferfish, and wrasse, with tiger sharks having been spotted on occasion. Entering the main cave allows divers to swim to its back, then turn to observe light filtering through schools of anthias and bannerfish, often swimming upside down on the cave's ceiling, providing a memorable spot for a safety stop. This site is best dived in calm conditions due to the nature of the entry, which can be challenging with crashing waves. It is considered an intermediate dive, often done as a single dive, with moderate current and surge to consider.
Highlights
Cave-like overhangsGiant stride entryFiltering light in main caveAbundant hard and soft coralsLarge groupersScorpionfish and moray eelsSchools of anthias and bannerfish
Dive site facts: Cave Reef
- Depth
- 3–35 m
- Current
- Moderate
- Entry
- Liveaboard only
- Level
- Intermediate
- Dive type
- Cave reef, Cave & cavern, Cave & cavern
- Coordinates
- 24.8778° N, 35.1583° E
Conditions & Currents
Conditions at Cave Reef require careful consideration. The site experiences moderate currents and moderate surge, which can impact the dive experience. Entry is a giant stride from a ledge and ideally should be performed during high tide and calm seas; rough conditions or low water levels can make both entry and exit difficult. Visibility is generally excellent, estimated at around 30 meters. Due to the presence of overhead environments, divers should plan conservatively, and an intermediate certification level is recommended to navigate the conditions and structures safely. No specific information regarding thermoclines or boat traffic is available.
Why dive Cave Reef from a liveaboard?
Cave Reef is one of '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 Cave Reef on their itineraries.
Liveaboards diving Cave Reef
These liveaboards may visit Cave Reef on selected itineraries — the exact dive sites depend on departure, weather and conditions.
DUNE Longara
Egypt
30 guests
$148/day
JP Marine
Egypt
28 guests
$108/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
$171/day
Blue Liveaboard
Egypt
24 guests43 m
$171/day
Odyssey
Egypt
26 guests40 m
$183/day
Discovery I
Egypt
20 guests
$103/day
Star Jet
Egypt
28 guests35 m
$145/day
SS Serena Dreams
Egypt
18 guests33 m
$168/day
Amelie
Egypt
12 guests23 m
$115/day
Dive sites similar to Cave Reef
Same character, same waters — six more sites divers love for the exact same reasons.Compare seasons, access and liveaboard routes — then pick the site that fits your trip best.
© Esri — Maxar, Earthstar, GIS
Carless Reef
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Carless Reef is a renowned advanced dive site near Hurghada, notable for its two prominent coral pinnacles that rise from a sandy bottom at 30 meters.
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- Advanced
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- Strong
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- Depth
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Cape Rouge
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Cape Rouge is a notable dive site in Djibouti, known for its pristine underwater environment where the Red Sea meets the Indian Ocean.
- Suitable for
- Advanced
- Current
- Mild
- Access
- Liveaboard or dayboat
- Depth
- 15–40 m
- Theme
- Reef
© Esri — Maxar, Earthstar, GIS
Farasan Islands
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The Farasan Islands, situated in the southern Red Sea off the coast of Jazan, represent Saudi Arabia's premier destination for biodiverse diving.
- Suitable for
- Advanced
- Current
- Strong
- Access
- Liveaboard only
- Depth
- 10–40 m
- Theme
- Wall / Reef
© Esri — Maxar, Earthstar, GIS
Gota Soraya
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Gota Soraya stands out as one of the Red Sea's premier wall dives, located in the southern region near the Sudanese border.
- Suitable for
- Advanced
- Current
- Moderate
- Access
- Liveaboard only
- Depth
- ≤ 20 m
- Theme
- Wall
© Esri — Maxar, Earthstar, GIS
Umm Kharalim
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Umm Kharalim, also known as St. John's Caves, is a distinctive dive site nestled within the remote St. John's reef system in the southern Red Sea, close to Egypt's border with Sudan.
- Suitable for
- Advanced
- Current
- Strong
- Access
- Liveaboard only
- Depth
- 3–15 m
- Theme
- Cave & cavern
© Esri — Maxar, Earthstar, GIS
Marsa Abu Dabab
Egypt
Marsa Abu Dabab is a distinctive, horseshoe-shaped bay located on Egypt's southern Red Sea coast, approximately 35 kilometers north of Marsa Alam town.
- Suitable for
- Beginner
- Current
- Moderate
- Access
- Shore / dayboat
- Depth
- 2–20 m
- Theme
- Reef