Daedalus Reef is an isolated reef, about 80 kilometers from Marsa Alam, on the southern route of scuba diving in the Red Sea, halfway between Saudi Arabia and the coasts of Egypt. It has rich waters provided by its depths of over 500 meters in some areas, combined with strong currents, which create an ideal habitat for marine life that attracts large pelagic species such as longimanus sharks or whales, while also maintaining excellent coral health.
This reef, less than a kilometer wide, has become one of the best diving spots in the Red Sea, with walls covered in hard and soft corals and where the best sightings of large schools of hammerhead sharks in the area occur.
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The best liveaboard offers in the Red Sea
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Daedalus Reef is a marine park with fewer diver visits compared to the north, thanks to its isolation, resulting in an almost pristine environment where life flourishes. The strong currents that hit this reef tend to run from north to south along its rugged walls, and winds can cause swells and surface waves that sometimes make diving challenging. However, the incredible action below the surface makes you forget about those difficult conditions as soon as you dive in.
Diving at the northern point can be the most challenging due to strong currents, but this also guarantees encounters with predators. This is where most of the dive time is spent due to the presence of pelagic species, mainly schools of hammerhead sharks, especially during the summer months, as well as other large pelagic species like barracudas, trevallies, and tunas.
The southern side offers excellent shelter from the prevailing north winds and is the preferred mooring point for boats. Generally, the current is moderate here, and we can see reef sharks and occasional thresher sharks chasing schools of fish.
On the western wall, there's an "Anemone City" similar to Ras Mohammed, where huge concentrations of anemones and their clownfish are found, along with a section with extensive growth of blue coral.
Descending along the eastern side, on another stunning wall, thresher sharks are also commonly seen.
One of the dizzying walls of Daedalus Reef. Image by Derek Keats
Along all four walls, you can enjoy a multitude of colorful reef fish such as anthias, Red Sea bannerfish, butterflyfish, large groupers, moray eels, glassfish... Undoubtedly, one of the best dives in the area, where you can encounter the largest and smallest inhabitants of the ocean.
