Everything I Saw Scuba Diving Dolphin House (Shaab El Erg) in Hurghada, Egypt

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I dove Dolphin House (Shaab El Erg) in May 2026 from the All Star Scuba Scene liveaboard out of Hurghada, Egypt.

It's one of the most well-known dive sites in the Red Sea for one reason: wild bottlenose dolphins live here.

David Attenborough and the BBC reserved this reef for two weeks to film a documentary episode on the dolphins. That's the kind of place this is.

My day boats take beginner divers and snorkelers here.

Dive Log · Hurghada, Egypt

Dolphin House (Shaab El Erg)

Garmin Descent MK3i
Max Depth
49ft / 14.9m
Avg Depth
26ft / 7.9m
Dive Time
62min
Water Temp
75.2°F / 24°C
Visibility
100ft
Entry
Boat
Recommended Certification
Open Water
Reef Red Sea Beginner 27.408811, 33.854285

Getting There

Dolphin House is a boat dive. Most divers access it from Hurghada, either by day boat or liveaboard. I dove it from the All Star Scuba Scene liveaboard, which anchors at the site directly.

If you're not on a liveaboard, day trips depart from Hurghada Marina and most dive centers in the area run regular trips to this site.

What I Saw

Dolphin House is named for its resident pod of wild bottlenose dolphins.
There's two man made heart formations out of dead coral.

They're wild and not guaranteed on every dive, but this reef is one of the most reliable places in Egypt to see them in the water.

David Attenborough and the BBC reserved this reef for two weeks to shoot a documentary episode specifically on the dolphins. The footage from that shoot has been referenced widely since.

Schools of goatfish on top of the reef.
Royal angelfish skirting away from the camera.
A curious snake eel.
Maroon lionfish with it's fins stretched out.
Austin floating above the rainbow reefs.

Conditions

Visibility on my dive in May 2026 was around 100 feet. The reef is shallow enough that natural light reaches the bottom easily. The max depth I hit on my dive was 49 feet, well within Open Water range.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Austin Tuwiner

I'm a PADI Divemaster based in South Florida.

With over a decade of diving experience, I help readers become better divers, buy their next piece of gear, and plan their dream dive vacation!

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