Best Snorkeling in Red Sea for underwater photography
Lahami Bay - Egypt - The Red Sea
Recommended for the 'mature'/ dedicated snorkeling photographer who wants a quiet, isolated resort
Lahami Bay - East coast of Egypt on the Red Sea.
Right down south, not far from North Sudan. Two hours by car/ taxi - from Marsa Alam airport.
Perhaps for the more 'mature' snorkelling photographer. Is little nightlife. Mainly couples.
Didn't meet another Brit. Italians and Germans got here first.
Seems it is the topography which sets this bay apart. The coral reefs are quite steep sided. In some places are nearly vertical, but end in a gently sloping coral sand bottom.
Perhaps for the more 'mature' snorkelling photographer. Is little nightlife. Mainly couples.
Didn't meet another Brit. Italians and Germans got here first.
Seems it is the topography which sets this bay apart. The coral reefs are quite steep sided. In some places are nearly vertical, but end in a gently sloping coral sand bottom.
So, you can choose your depth. Whatever suits you. 1 metre, 2 meres, 5 metres or considerably
deeper for scuba.
Can dive down and can even lie on the bottom to photograph whatever you have spotted. So, you are totally still to focus and compose, shots.
In many parts of the world you can't lie on the bottom, it's either too deep or is living coral.
One reason why this fits the bill as a 'best snorkeling in the Red Sea' holiday destination.
Can dive down and can even lie on the bottom to photograph whatever you have spotted. So, you are totally still to focus and compose, shots.
In many parts of the world you can't lie on the bottom, it's either too deep or is living coral.
One reason why this fits the bill as a 'best snorkeling in the Red Sea' holiday destination.
Map and description of snorkelling spots
Entry - is easy from the gently sloping, sandy North beach (marked in yellow).
Entry can't be made over the shallow corals shown in dark red.
Most of the coral reefs have shallow flat tops, so snorkelling over them is not recommended due to risk of coral damage.
Most of the coral reef walls are near-vertical and drop off to flat sandy bottoms.
Visibility improves with depth (except on a calm day when it is good anywhere). Even in 2M - a good number and range of corals and fish.
Big reef - the Southern inshore tip is only a metre or so deep. This gently increases to about 12M at the outer Northerly tip.
Entry can't be made over the shallow corals shown in dark red.
Most of the coral reefs have shallow flat tops, so snorkelling over them is not recommended due to risk of coral damage.
Most of the coral reef walls are near-vertical and drop off to flat sandy bottoms.
Visibility improves with depth (except on a calm day when it is good anywhere). Even in 2M - a good number and range of corals and fish.
Big reef - the Southern inshore tip is only a metre or so deep. This gently increases to about 12M at the outer Northerly tip.
Baby reef - it's walls are probably only about 2M but the fish life is good as is the ease
of photography. A calm day is necessary for good visibility.
Small pinnacle - probably about 4 metres of somewhat sloping wall.
Banana reef - 4M - 5M at its Northerly end. Can be good fish here.
Inner/ South West side - day tried first 100M along, visibility was poor and disappointing for both corals and fish but ...
Outer/ North East side - first 100M along deepens quickly. A great wall of corals and good fish.
Apparently dive centre will take snorkellers, with
divers, right along this side to the Southern islets. Wish I had picked a calm day and gone for it.
Small pinnacle - probably about 4 metres of somewhat sloping wall.
Banana reef - 4M - 5M at its Northerly end. Can be good fish here.
Inner/ South West side - day tried first 100M along, visibility was poor and disappointing for both corals and fish but ...
Outer/ North East side - first 100M along deepens quickly. A great wall of corals and good fish.
Apparently dive centre will take snorkellers, with
divers, right along this side to the Southern islets. Wish I had picked a calm day and gone for it.
Weather - hardly ever rains; very hot during Northern summer. Very comfortable over Christmas and
the New Year even in the water.
It's the reefs that set it apart and do they ever in terms of coral! Best corals I've seen plus good, numerous and varied fish. My focus is now much more on corals than it was prior to this resort.
Current more often from the North but not strong anytime during my December/ January fortnight.
Visibility is very good when no or little wind - (unfortunately I hit a bit of wind). Visibility usually excellent on deeper, outer reef 'fronts'.
It's the reefs that set it apart and do they ever in terms of coral! Best corals I've seen plus good, numerous and varied fish. My focus is now much more on corals than it was prior to this resort.
Current more often from the North but not strong anytime during my December/ January fortnight.
Visibility is very good when no or little wind - (unfortunately I hit a bit of wind). Visibility usually excellent on deeper, outer reef 'fronts'.
Warning. Dive centre will not issue weights without your producing a certificate they
accept. Get confirmation in writing BEFORE booking.
Is only one, isolated, fairly expensive resort. Lahami Bay is a big resort- several pools, nice gardens, good sized rooms, nice beds and noisy mosquitoes to eat you alive. Take repellant.
You are 'captive', not one shop, no obvious evening bar.
Food - is there anywhere in Egypt without obligatory dysentery ? Overall the resort isn't quite up to the reefs but go for the coral reefs.
Is only one, isolated, fairly expensive resort. Lahami Bay is a big resort- several pools, nice gardens, good sized rooms, nice beds and noisy mosquitoes to eat you alive. Take repellant.
You are 'captive', not one shop, no obvious evening bar.
Food - is there anywhere in Egypt without obligatory dysentery ? Overall the resort isn't quite up to the reefs but go for the coral reefs.
Access is as easy as it gets off the sandy beach - couldn't be simpler.
But, here's the rub...
decisions,
decisions ...
Do you go -
1- fractionally left for the Big reef?
2 - slightly right for Banana reef
(3 - and if so - which side?)
4 - hard right for the Baby reef?
But, here's the rub...
decisions, decisions ...
Do you go -
1- fractionally left for the Big reef?
2 - slightly right for Banana reef
(3 - and if so - which side?) 4 - hard right for the Baby reef?
To the left - Mangrove Cafe - right beside
the dive hut and North 'entry' beach.
Contrast with the gardens on right.
From the resort to the Cafe is about a couple of hundred metres or so.
Link to Lahami Bay Resort.
the dive hut and North 'entry' beach.
Contrast with the gardens on right.
From the resort to the Cafe is about a couple of hundred metres or so.
Link to Lahami Bay Resort.
The corals are the best I've seen and seem to be in great condition. Added a new dimension to the 'snapping'.
pass cursor over thumbnails left and right to see why coral reefs in Lahami Bay are as good as it gets
Which is better for fish - Lahami Bay or Angsana Ihuru in The Maldives? Who cares, both are good.
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pass cursor over thumbnails to see why snorkeling photography in Lahami Bay is so recommended
Any comments? To email please click on the envelope.
(captions below needn't be read as you will have seen them with the gallery pictures -
repeated below so are visible to Google/ search engines)
captions to Lahami Bay 'coral' gallery pictures
captions to left 'coral' thumbnails
- Coral garden - photographed from the outer, north western drop-off over the top of Banana reef - facing towards the resort. So, the coral itself was very shallow (< 1 metre), hence the colours
- Brain coral (platygyra daedalea) in centre with numerous and varied corals around it
- corals - includes Plate fire coral (Millepora platyphylla) in the foreground - a stinging coral and Finger coral - Bird's nest coral - Seriatopora hystrix - center, slightly right. Southern edge of top of Big reef
- Finger coral - Cauliflower coral - Pocillopora verrucosa
- Finger coral - Birds nest coral - Seriatopora hystrix
captions to right 'coral' thumbnails
- Plate fire coral
- can't identify this cream coral
- Brain coral (platygyra daedalea)
- various corals on outcrop of Small pinnacle
- not a coral - a Prickly tube sponge (Callyspongia crassa) - shallow water - southern top of Big reef
captions to Lahami Bay 'fish and critters' gallery pictures
captions to left 'fish' thumbnails
- Red Sea Anemonefish (Amphiprion bicinctus) - up to 14cm - at Baby reef - Lahami Bay - Red Sea - living symbiotically with bubble anemone. Amazingly, can change from male to female as adults
- Scissortail sergents (Abudefduf sexfasciatus) - 16cm - on edge of drop-off at North end of Big reef - common - in a variety of localities - active so can be challenging to good close ups
- Blackspotted sweetlips (Plectorhinchus gaterinus) - 50cm - at Small pinnacle - as are nocturnal during day are calm and approachable - once know their spot, easy to find there
- Mixed Damselfish- a lot of Blue-green chromis (Chromis viridis) at outer, northern edge of Banana reef
- critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) over drop-off at North end of Big reef - saw one infrequently - too approachable for own good - please do not touch or disturb
- juvenile Clown coris wrasse (Coris aygula) in very shallow water on southern crest of Big reef - grow to 120cm - adult colour totally different - essentially dark grey with a light vertical band mid-way
captions to right 'fish' thumbnails
- Freckled hawkfish (Paracirrhites forsteri) - 22cm - a solitary 'lie and wait' predator - various colour forms - very approachable - quite common but well camourflaged so look out for it - once found, easy to snap
- Sohal surgeonfish or sohal tang (Acanthurus sohal) - 40cm - striking, common, very active and territoria - being active can make it a challenge to get a shot that does it justice
- Blackspot snapper or Ehrenberg's snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii) - max 35cm - common - tends to be in quite large, slow-moving shoals - very approachable - particularly if under an overhang
- Yellow boxfish (Ostracion cubicus) - 45cm - a solitary, approachable, primarily algae eater - bright yellow juvenile changes to more blue-grey with some faded yellow
- Onespot demoiselle (Chrysiptera unimaculata) - 10cm - common - often solitory and in very shallow water. In this case - was kneeling on the bottom over it's hideaway until it's curiousity beat caution
- Lined butterflyfish (Chaetodon lineolatus) - at 45cm is one of the largest butterflyfish - usually in pairs or solitary (occassionally in small groups apparently) - not frequently seen and slightly wary