Red Tooth Trigger Bay, Dahab: dive site guide

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

Depth

3–25 m

Level

Open Water and up

Entry

Shore (Ras Abu Galum trip)

Area

Day trip

Red Tooth Trigger Bay dive guide: what to expect

Red Tooth Trigger Bay Dahab is one of the dive sites inside the Ras Abu Galum protected area, the wild stretch of coast north of the Blue Hole with no road and no hotels. Getting there is part of the adventure: it sits about 90 minutes by camel along the coastal path from the Blue Hole, and today many centres reach the Abu Galum sites by Bedouin speedboat instead. The local Bedouin call this spot simply 'the Garden'.

The entry is easy in most weather. You walk in over stones, and after a short distance the bottom turns into a gentle sandy slope. Diving Red Tooth Trigger Bay Dahab, the action starts straight away: as you descend you are surrounded by big schools of bannerfish and red-tooth triggerfish, the dark blue triggerfish with red teeth that give the bay its name.

The site itself covers only a small area, but it is packed. Corals grow all the way from about 3 m down to 50 m, in small pinnacles of hard and soft corals that are in pristine condition. Swim over the table corals and look for scorpionfish, anemonefish, anthias and pufferfish. Macro fans should check for nudibranchs, including the big Spanish dancer, and turtles and eagle rays have been spotted passing by.

Because the coral is beautiful at every depth, there is no need to go deep here. We keep the dive within 25 m, which leaves plenty of time to explore the pinnacles and the shallow garden, and the bay is a favourite with underwater photographers for that reason.

Published information about this bay is sparse, and one online listing describes it as a steeper, more current-swept advanced site, so conditions on the day matter. It is normally dived as one of the two dives on a Ras Abu Galum day trip; see our Ras Abu Galum page for how the trek and boat trips work.

Red Tooth Trigger Bay dive map

The dive, step by step

1. Getting there

   Travel into the Ras Abu Galum protected area by boat or camel from the Blue Hole, as part of a day trip.

2. Entry

   Walk in over the stones and descend the gentle sandy slope.

3. The Garden

   Explore the coral pinnacles among the schools of bannerfish and red-tooth triggerfish, staying within 25 m.

4. Table corals

   Work back up over the table corals looking for scorpionfish, anemonefish and nudibranchs.

5. Safety stop and exit

   Make your safety stop at 5 m on the shallow corals and exit at the beach.

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Conditions

Max depth

25 m (recreational plan); corals continue to about 50 m

Dive time

50–60 min

Current

Usually mild; one listing reports stronger current on the outer wall

Visibility

Usually 25–30 m

Best time

Calm days for the boat or camel trip; mornings for the best light

Requirements

Open Water and up; protected-area entry and a guide are needed for Ras Abu Galum trips

What you'll see

• Red-tooth triggerfish
• Bannerfish
• Hard and soft coral pinnacles
• Table corals
• Scorpionfish
• Anemonefish
• Anthias
• Pufferfish
• Spanish dancer
• Turtles (occasional)
• Eagle rays (occasional)

Guide's tips

• Book it as part of a Ras Abu Galum day trip
• Bring a camera, as it is good at every depth
• Stay shallow: the best coral is in the top 20 m

Snorkeling at Red Tooth Trigger Bay

Corals start at about 3 m off an easy beach entry, but the bay is only reached on a Ras Abu Galum boat or camel trip.

Snorkeling guide →

Safety notes

• The reef continues to about 50 m; set your turn depth before the dive.
• Remote protected area with no road access: dive conservatively and follow the guide.
• Red-tooth triggerfish are harmless, but keep clear of any nesting titan triggerfish on the sand.
• Protected area: no touching, collecting or feeding.

Questions about Red Tooth Trigger Bay