Gabr el Bint

Gabr el Bint, the grave of the girl, lies about 7.5 km south of the Caves inside the Nabq protected area; most divers come on a boat day trip of about an hour from Dahab, some centres still run overnight camel safaris, and the small number of visitors has kept the reef pristine. On the more colourful northern side, divers drop to about 20 to 25 m along a wall with massive boulders covered in anthias and glassfish, watching trevally hunt fusiliers, until they reach gorgonian fans that local centres rank among the healthiest and largest in the Red Sea. They then rise to about 10 m, cross a saddle and return along a sandy ledge rich in coral heads with crocodilefish, scorpionfish, stingrays, Red Sea walkman and often a turtle, ending among black-and-white snappers at 5 to 10 m. The southern dark side is a steep wall falling to around 60 m and split by chasms, sandy ravines, overhangs and caves and decorated with table corals, where milkfish and at times reef sharks appear. Whale sharks and dolphins are reported here too, and currents are common.