Three Pools, Dahab: dive site guide

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

Depth

3–20 m

Level

All levels

Entry

Shore (through three shallow pools, high tide)

Area

South

Three Pools dive guide: what to expect

Three Pools Dahab is a relaxed southern shore dive about 25 minutes' drive south of town, in the same stretch of coast as Golden Blocks, Moray Garden and The Caves. It takes its name from three natural sandy pools in the reef, linked by low coral ridges, that you pass through at the very start of the dive. On a sunny day, with the light bouncing off the white sand, it is one of the prettiest entries in Dahab.

Diving Three Pools Dahab works best at high tide, when there is enough water to glide easily from one pool to the next. The pools are shallow, around 3–4 m, so take your time: small rays and squid like to hide on the sandy bottom, and juvenile fish and nudibranchs shelter in the coral ridges. Beyond the third pool the reef opens to the sea, and a hard-coral slope with small pinnacles leads down to a sandy plateau and reef wall at around 15–20 m.

Out on the slope you will find big brain corals, salad corals and pipe corals growing on the pinnacles, with lionfish, scorpionfish, crocodilefish and parrotfish around them. Octopus are often found hiding among the coral heads, a resident turtle sometimes patrols the area, and you may meet a few barracuda out in the blue. The usual plan circles the sandy plateau with the reef on your left, then rises back up the slope toward the pools for a long, shallow finish.

Three Pools is quieter than the northern sites and usually sheltered, which makes it a good choice when the north is crowded or the wind is up. When conditions and air allow, guides sometimes turn it into a one-way drift south to neighbouring Moray Garden. It is suitable for newly certified divers, snorkellers and freedivers alike, and it is a lovely second dive of a southern day out.

One small correction to a common mix-up: the caves and overhangs people sometimes associate with this area belong to The Caves, the next site to the south, not to Three Pools itself. If you want both, we can easily combine them on the same southern day trip.

Three Pools dive map

The dive, step by step

1. Entry

   Enter from the beach at high tide and swim into the first of the three sandy pools at 2–4 m.

2. Through the pools

   Glide through the three pools in turn, looking in the sand for small rays and squid, then exit through the third pool to open water.

3. Coral slope

   Descend the hard-coral slope with its brain corals and small pinnacles to the sandy plateau at 15–20 m.

4. Around the plateau

   Circle the plateau with the reef on your left, watching for octopus, crocodilefish and the resident turtle. Stay at or above 20 m.

5. Safety stop and exit

   Rise back up the slope, make your safety stop near the outer pool at 5 m and return through the pools to the beach (or drift on to Moray Garden if planned).

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Conditions

Max depth

20 m (recreational plan)

Dive time

50–70 min

Current

Usually little or none

Visibility

Usually 20–30 m, sometimes more

Best time

High tide makes the pool crossing easier; good on days when the north is busy or windy.

Requirements

All levels from Open Water (Open Water divers stay within 18 m); suitable for snorkellers in the pools

What you'll see

• Small rays in the pools
• Squid
• Brain, salad and pipe corals
• Lionfish and scorpionfish
• Crocodilefish
• Octopus
• Parrotfish
• Resident turtle (often seen)
• Juvenile fish and nudibranchs

Guide's tips

• A good choice when the north is busy
• Wear booties for the lagoon walk
• Combine with The Islands for a south-coast day

Snorkeling at Three Pools

Three shallow sandy pools (3-4 m) linked by coral ridges that suit beginners, best at high tide.

Snorkeling guide →

Safety notes

• The pools are shallow and ringed with coral; at low tide you risk scraping coral and yourself, so time the dive for high tide.
• Lionfish and scorpionfish rest on the pinnacles; keep your hands off the reef.
• If you drift on to Moray Garden, plan transport and agree the exit point before the dive.

Questions about Three Pools