Diving and snorkeling from Sahl Hasheesh: the reefs, the Sunken City and how a dive day works

Sahl Hasheesh is a bay on Egypt's Red Sea coast, south of Hurghada. Wikipedia puts it about 18 km south of Hurghada International Airport. Wikivoyage gives about 15 km south of downtown Hurghada. It sits between Hurghada and Makadi Bay, and the bay has several islands and coral reefs.

Abu Hasheesh island in the bay is a local protected area, described as having a thriving community of marine life. Wikivoyage says a pre-arranged transfer is usually easier than a taxi from resort areas like Sahl Hasheesh. For our trips that question goes away: pickup and drop-off at your Sahl Hasheesh hotel are included.

The Sunken City is an artificial reef, not an ancient ruin. It is a set of concrete columns, arches and statues built in shallow water off the beach near the Sahl Hasheesh pier. It was made to look like ruins, and fish now gather around it. Wikipedia calls it a "partly submerged artificial city" that is popular for diving and snorkeling.

Sources do not agree on how deep or how far out it is, so we give no figure here:

• Visitor reviews say that at low tide you can almost walk out to the first columns in waist-deep water.
• One travel guide says it lies several hundred metres offshore and goes to about 20 m.
• Another visitor guide says it is best for confident swimmers, because of the depth and possible currents, and not for young children.

Visitors also report that the structure is slowly breaking down, and that new building work may change how you reach the beach in front of it. Ask at your hotel or the beach before you go. Don't touch the columns or the coral growing on them.

Yes. The Sunken City and the reef areas in front of some beaches are both within reach from the shore. What you find in front of your own beach varies from one stretch of the bay to the next, so ask where the marked entry point is. One guide notes that some resorts mark snorkeling zones with buoys, and that mornings are usually the calmest time.

Shore snorkeling here is good for an hour before breakfast. The offshore reefs and islands need a boat. Our guide to beach snorkeling around Hurghada compares Sahl Hasheesh with El Gouna, Makadi Bay and Soma Bay. The snorkeling safety tips cover water shoes, sun and keeping clear of boats.

The main reefs are around Abu Hashish, a reef area in the middle of the bay, and along the headlands to its north. Our dive-site directory lists these sites. Depths are the deepest point recorded in published dive guides. A blank cell means we found no reliable figure.

Two more sites, Tofa Abu Hashish and the Abu Hashish South wall, have too few independent descriptions to say more. Wondering about the sharks? Are there sharks in Hurghada? explains what is really seen and how rarely.

Our driver collects you from your Sahl Hasheesh hotel, and the boat leaves from a marina in Hurghada. The day is about 8.5 hours, hotel to hotel.

1. 08:00 pickup. We confirm your exact pickup time when you book.
2. Board and sail out. About an hour and a half to the first site, with a dive briefing and map on the way.
3. Dive 1, about an hour, usually the deeper site while the sea is calm.
4. Lunch and soft drinks on board, with about two hours to rest between dives.
5. Dive 2, about an hour.
6. Back at the marina around 16:00, then the drive to your hotel.

The captain chooses the sites each day by weather, sea state and permits. A dive guide describes the crossing from Hurghada to Abu Hashish as long and sometimes rough, so the Sahl Hasheesh reefs are a calm-day choice from Hurghada. Most days are spent on the reefs nearer Hurghada and the Giftun islands, which our guide to Hurghada's dive sites covers. If a Sahl Hasheesh reef matters to you, tell us when you book.

The guided 2-dive day costs €50 (normally €60), with no more than 4 divers per guide and lunch included. Full gear is €10 a day. Multi-day packages take up to 10% off; see the price list. You pay in cash on the day, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before.

Snorkel from the beach first, then pick the boat day that matches what you want to do.

Not sure between a try dive and a course? Try dive, Scuba Diver or Open Water sets the three side by side.

Abu Hasheesh island is a protected area, and Ras Abdallah already shows some reported reef damage. That damage is a good reason to dive and snorkel gently.

• Float, don't stand. Use the marked entries and jetties instead of walking over coral.
• Don't touch the coral, the Sunken City's columns or the animals living on them.
• On a dive, keep your buoyancy under control and your gauges and fins tucked in.

Read reef etiquette in the Red Sea for the rest.