Sha'ab Sataya (Dolphin reef)

Sha'ab Sataya, also known as Dolphin Reef, is a large horseshoe-shaped reef off the Egyptian Red Sea coast near Marsa Alam, well known as a spot where spinner dolphins gather inside the sheltered lagoon. The site is dived to a maximum depth of around 12 metres and is rated a beginner dive, making the shallow lagoon suitable for snorkelers as well as divers. Boats typically anchor at the reef's mouth, with the calm inner waters used for observing dolphins rather than for deep reef exploration. Divers have also reported angelfish, barracuda, lionfish, scorpionfish, trevally, and even whale sharks around the reef, alongside the resident dolphins.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Spinner DolphinStenella longirostrisReported here · unconfirmed
• Bluespotted Fantail RayTaeniura lymmaReported here · unconfirmed
• Indo-Pacific Bottlenose DolphinTursiops aduncusReported here · unconfirmed
• Pyjama SlugChromodoris quadricolorReported here · unconfirmed
• Rusty ParrotfishScarus ferrugineusReported here · unconfirmed
• Masked PufferArothron diadematusReported here · unconfirmed
• Red Sea AnemonefishAmphiprion bicinctusReported here · unconfirmed
• Indian Bullethead ParrotfishChlorurus sordidusReported here · unconfirmed
• Cauliflower CoralPocillopora verrucosaReported here · unconfirmed
• TrevallyTrevallyReported here · unconfirmed
• BarracudaBarracudaReported here · unconfirmed
• LionfishLionfishReported here · unconfirmed
• AngelfishAngelfishReported here · unconfirmed
• ScorpionfishScorpionfishReported here · unconfirmed
• Whale SharkRhincodon typusReported here · unconfirmed