Best Diving in Sudan for 2025
If you want an off-the-beaten-path underwater experience, you need to go diving in Sudan. The Red Sea here has some of the most phenomenal diving of anywhere in the world.
The focus of Red Sea diving tends to be on the Egyptian side of the border. That’s part of what makes diving in Sudan even more exceptional.
You may see many boats and fellow divers while in Egyptian waters. However, in Sudan, you may feel like the only boat in the sea.
For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it.
– JACQUES COUSTEAU
Scuba Diving in Sudan
Unfortunately, there are current political issues in Sudan. I have to advise you to check for travel advisories before you plan your trip.
If you decide to take the plunge, consider a liveaboard experience!
This is a great way to spend your time on the water. Your days will be focussed around diving, and your accommodation and meals will be taken care of.
It really is a beautiful way to spend your time here. Contact Cassiopeia Safari for all the details, and see what you think.
The Red Sea of Sudan is blissfully balmy all year long. The colourful reefs are a playground for manta rays, and dolphins, as well as green and hawksbill turtles.
You may also see pilot and humpback whales, as well as schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks.
Travel Tip: Arabic and English are the official languages of Sudan. But there are around 114 languages indigenous to the country.
If you’ll be in the area, but aren’t yet certified to dive, this is your chance. Contact the local Professional Association of Diving Instructors – PADI – and they can take care if that for you.
The great thing about taking a dive course on location instead of at home? You get to do your open water training somewhere a little more fun than a chlorine pool in a rec centre.
1. Sha’ab Rumi Conshelf II
- Best Time to Go: See Diving Season above
- Depth: 46m Visibility: 28m-20m
This coral barrier lies 48 km north of Port Sudan. It’s one of Sudan’s most popular spots for shark diving.
White tip, silky, and grey reef sharks can be found here all year long, along with hammerheads.
This site is also known as the location of Cousteau’s Conshelf II. It was actually a tiny underwater village, built on the bed of the Red Sea by Jacques Cousteau’s team in 1963.
The original, Conshelf I, was built off the coast of Marseilles the previous year.
This success encouraged Cousteau’s team to build the Conshelf II village. At 10m underwater, the main location consisted of 4 structures.
The main living quarters were called Starfish, as it is, in fact, shaped like a starfish.
Next to that sat an aquarium, a storage unit for equipment, and a garage for the diving saucer/submarine. In addition to these structures, another 15m down was the “deep station”.
The successful experiment saw 2 men live underwater for an entire week in a steel cylinder called “Diogenes”.
Jacques Cousteau’s film, “World Without Sun” was filmed on-site here
You can read more about these, and subsequent, interesting experiments here. Divers at Sha’ab Rumi Reef get to explore the remains of this underwater world.
The equipment hangar is still relatively intact, as is the garage. Of course, after so many years both of these structures have been taken over by the sea.
They’re covered in coral structures, and play host to all kinds of marine life.
There is enough to see on this reef to keep you diving for days. You’ll find yourself among coral groupers, barracuda, hammerhead and reef sharks, as well as batfish.
2. Sha’ab Rumi South Plateau
- Best Time to Go: See Diving Season above
- Depth: 10m – 30m Visibility: up to 30m
The South Plateau of the Sha’ab Rumi reef is also known as the Roman Reef. It’s considered to be the most beautiful reef in all of Sudan, if not all of the Red Sea.
The craggy reef wall of the South Plateau is full of nooks and crannies. These create homes for all manner of sea creatures.
Scalloped hammerheads and other sharks lurk in the deep blue. If you move slowly, they may approach near enough to give you the chance to admire them up close.
Near the main reef, you’ll find the remnants of a shark cage. This is the cage that was used by the aquanauts in the Cousteau project nearby.
You’ll have to look closely as, after all these years, it’s now entirely covered with coral.
As a treat, a school of Sweetlips likes to hang around the old shark cage. Have your camera ready, they love to pose for pictures.
As you drift through the area, it’s easy to lose yourself in the colourful reef. Farther along, the bottom of the plateau is covered with leather, stoney, and gorgonian corals.
You’ll also pass a wide field of anemones waving in the current.
You might even see scorpionfish and stonefish lurking around. Again, you’ll have to look carefully, as these guys are masters of camouflage.
Barracuda and enormous humphead wrasse swim in schools like the playground bullies of the reef.
Humphead wrasse can grow up to 1.8 metres long, as can barracuda. Treat them with respect, as with all wildlife, and never feed or provoke them.
Once in a while, even dolphins are seen in the area. I wonder if this is where they come for vacation? Roman Reef is a diver’s paradise. As such, it can be one of the busier sites when diving in Sudan.
As well, there is a strong current, making this a dive most suited to someone with experience.
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3. The Umbria Wreck
- Best Time to Go: See Diving Season above
- Depth: 5m-38m Visibility: up to 20m
The wreck of the cargo ship SS Umbria is probably the most well-known dive site in the Sudanese Red Sea. The wreck lies in calm waters, sheltered by the Wingate Reefs.
Considered one of the best wreck dives in the world, the Umbria is in remarkably good shape.
The 33m Italian cargo ship was deliberately sunk to prevent its takeover by British troops in 1940.
Aboard were tonnes of explosives, cement, and a lot of wine, along with 3 Fiats. The cars are still very recognizable.
Because of the explosives still on site – be careful what you touch!
If you want to go inside the bridge of the ship, you’ll need to have a PADI Wreck Diver Certification. There is, however, so much to see without venturing inside.
The ship is now host to schools of butterfly fish, barracuda, and different spiny fish species, to name just a few. Surfaces are also covered with corals, and eels peek out of crevices.
There really is a lot to see here. If you have time, plan for 2 dives on the site. If you’re getting close to your next flight, remember that there is plenty for snorkellers to see.
Light and visibility are great at the surface, and a large portion of the wreck is accessible there.
4. Angorosha Reef
- Best Time to Go: See Diving Season above
- Depth: 5m – 60m Visibility: up to 20m
Angorash is a beautiful, warm, and colourful site, full of an enormous number and diversity of marine flora and fauna.
For example, the soft-coral-covered wall that marks the sight is host to masses of colourful anthias.
The word Angarosh translates to “Mother of Sharks”. You may cross paths with tiger sharks and silver tips while you’re in the water here.
Grey reef sharks and hammerheads are around, too, patrolling the area in groups.
The main draws, though, are actually the majestic manta rays. On top of that, you’ll also come across schools of barracuda and myriad other fish.
Best of all, there is a real chance of seeing a rare dugong at this site. One of the few remaining populations lives right in this area.
Angarosh Reef lies in Dungonab Bay, within Mukkawar Island Marine National Park. The bay tends to have a strong current, so you’re better off having some experience under your belt to dive here.
5. Sanganeb Reef
- Best Time to Go: See Diving Season above
- Depth: 10m – 30m Visibility: up to 30m
The Sanganeb Reef is the Red Sea’s only atoll. It is a lone coral reef about 25 km off the coast of Sudan that has been a part of the Sanganeb Marine National Park since 1990.
As such, it boasts a variety of healthy corals that support a wealth of aquatic life. The underwater views of the reef and its inhabitants are breathtaking.
The Sanganeb Reef is known to have one of the most opulent arrays of coral in Sudan. There are actually more than 120 different species of coral on display for you here.
Enormous table corals and fields of whip corals play host to myriad aquatic species. In fact, over 300 species of marine life call these waters home. Many of these are rare, and endemic to the area.
Along with the amazing coral, you’ll find large schools of snapper and jackfish. Barracuda also patrol these waters.
And of course, grey reef and blacktip sharks will be sharing the water with you, and hammerheads too. If you should see them, move slowly for your best chance of getting close.
The outer drop-offs have hollows and chasms where even more sea life hides, watching the goings-on in the neighbourhood.
Be sure to include a trip up the lighthouse in your visit. Built by Britain before Sudan achieved independence, the 50m lighthouse affords a spectacular view of the area.
Climb the 298 steps to the top and you can look out over the 12 km² nature reserve that is the Sanganeb Reef. The different shades of turquoise are mesmerizing.
Sudan Dive Site Map
Diving Season: Due to high temperatures in summer, the dive season in Sudan is limited to September – June, or January – May. This depends on your source. During these months, the water is a lovely 24ºC – 26ºC.
However, November and December are windy months here. This is when hammerhead sharks are most likely to be seen, but conditions may be rough.
During the rest of the year, the water temperatures could rise above 30ºC. These high temperatures cause many sea creatures to retreat to the cooler depths, out of reach of recreational divers.
Travelling Solo in Africa – Diving Safely
Do be safe if you’re diving as a solo traveller, regardless of your experience or certification. I never recommend diving solo. The intro page has a section dedicated to diving safely as a solo traveller. Please be sure to read it through, if you haven’t already. Enjoy!
🤿 Dive Safety When Travelling
If you have a flight out after a dive, be sure to plan ahead. There is a necessary preflight surface interval that must be adhered to.
The length of this interval varies. They are anywhere from 12 hours for a single dive to 18 hours for multiple dives or several days of diving, as stated by PADI and DAN.
The US Air Force enforces a 24-hour interval after any number of dives. And the US Navy feels that only 2 hours is necessary before a flight of any altitude.
The concern about flying too soon after diving is the risk of decompression sickness. The preflight interval ensures that all residual nitrogen in your bloodstream has had time to dissipate.
If no interval is taken, flying can have the same effect as surfacing too quickly during a dive, causing nitrogen bubbles to form.
I recommend 2 full days between your last dive and any flight. This, of course, is your decision. I encourage you to read PADI’s post-dive safety tips.
Summing It Up: The Best Diving in Sudan
Africa has, simultaneously, some of the most famous, and some of the least-known dive sites in the world. Sudan is the perfect example of that.
Whether you’re an experienced diver or aren’t certified yet, Sudan is definitely worth checking out.
Get certified while you’re here! Also, don’t miss out on all of the dry-land Sudanese fun. For example, the Republican Palace Museum and Dinder National Park are great places to visit.
If you’ve got a flight coming up, spent some time at one of these, or explore one of the amazing pyramids. You’ll be glad you did!
Enjoy, and stay safe.
Happy travels!
