Bannerfish Bay, Dahab: dive site guide

Updated October 2026 · by Mohamed Fathy, PADI & SSI dive instructor in Dahab

Depth

3–18 m

Level

Open Water and up

Entry

Shore (Lighthouse entry)

Area

Town

Bannerfish Bay dive guide: what to expect

Bannerfish Bay Dahab sits right in town, between the Lighthouse and Mashraba, and shares its entry with the Lighthouse. Several centres on the bay use it as their house reef, so you may well dive it on your first day. Don't let the easy access fool you, though: it is one of the most underrated sites in Dahab, and some people call it the best macro dive in the area.

Diving Bannerfish Bay Dahab begins at the Lighthouse entry. Instead of following the Lighthouse reef wall, you head the other way into the bay and drift down a gentle sandy slope. At about 12 m you reach a big seagrass meadow, and this is where you slow right down. Seahorses, frogfish, ghost pipefish, nudibranchs, stonefish, scorpionfish and small crustaceans all hide in the grass, and moray eels peer out from the edges. It feels a bit like muck diving, and it rewards patient divers with good eyes.

A turtle is often seen grazing on the seagrass, completely unbothered by divers. In the middle of the meadow lie a small car wreck and a few tyres, which have become a little artificial reef of their own. Swim on past the seagrass and you come to a small reef packed with schooling bannerfish, which is where the bay gets its name.

Current is usually limited and the bay is sheltered, so conditions are calm on most days. Sites list a maximum depth of around 25–30 m on the outer slope, but most of the interesting life is between 5 and 15 m, and we usually keep the plan around 18 m to make the most of your air and no-stop time. That also makes it ideal for Open Water divers, refreshers and anyone on a course.

Bannerfish Bay is a great night dive too, when the macro life gets even busier. Bring a torch, move slowly and keep your fins well above the seagrass, which is fragile and a vital nursery for the whole reef.

Bannerfish Bay dive map

The dive, step by step

1. Entry

   Walk in at the Lighthouse entry, fin out over the shallow sand and descend at 3–5 m.

2. Down the slope

   Head into the bay down the gentle sandy slope to the seagrass meadow at about 12 m.

3. Seagrass meadow

   Hover slowly over the seagrass looking for seahorses, frogfish, ghost pipefish and the grazing turtle. Pass the small car wreck and tyres.

4. Bannerfish reef

   Continue to the small reef at the end of the meadow to see the bannerfish school, staying within 18 m.

5. Return and safety stop

   Turn back up the slope, make your safety stop at 5 m and exit at the Lighthouse entry.

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Conditions

Max depth

18 m (recreational plan); the outer slope reaches about 25–30 m

Dive time

50–70 min

Current

Usually limited or none

Visibility

Usually 20–30 m

Best time

Year-round; excellent as a night dive

Requirements

Open Water and up; good buoyancy needed over the seagrass

What you'll see

• Seahorses
• Frogfish (anglerfish)
• Ghost pipefish
• Nudibranchs
• Moray eels
• Stonefish
• Scorpionfish
• Crustaceans
• Green turtle
• Bannerfish

Guide's tips

• Bring a torch and a macro lens
• Hover high over the seagrass and never kneel in it
• Great as a first night dive

Snorkeling at Bannerfish Bay

Listed as snorkel-friendly with an easy entry, but the seagrass is at about 12 m, so snorkellers mostly see it from above on clear days.

Snorkeling guide →

Safety notes

• Stonefish and scorpionfish lie camouflaged in the seagrass and sand; never put your hands or knees down.
• The seagrass is fragile: keep your fins high and avoid stirring up the bottom.
• Boats and other users around the town bay; ascend close to the slope and use a torch or SMB as needed.

Questions about Bannerfish Bay