Shark and Yolanda Reefs Liveaboard Diving

This paired site in Ras Mohammed National Park is routinely ranked among the world's best dives — a sheer wall at Shark Reef dropping into the abyss, connected by a saddle to Yolanda Reef, where the wreckage of a cargo ship's toilets and bathtubs still litters the slope. It's as famous for drama, with a near-vertical drop-off and big fish action, as for novelty, with divers posing next to a coral-encrusted bathtub.

Shark Reef's wall drops from the surface past 2,600 ft (800 m), though divers typically work the 60-100 ft (18-30 m) range along the face. The dive usually drifts across the saddle into Yolanda Reef's coral garden and plateaus at 33-66 ft (10-20 m), then finishes shallow over Yolanda's scattered cargo at 66-98 ft (20-30 m).

Yes, and it's one of the defining features of the site — currents run consistently and can shift direction mid-dive, which guides use to their advantage to cover the wall and spot pelagics. Entries are typically quick, negative descents to avoid drifting off the site before reaching the reef.

The wall and drift sections call for Advanced Open Water or equivalent current experience, since conditions can turn strong with little warning. The connecting saddle area, known as Anemone City, is shallow and sheltered enough that newly certified divers can enjoy it comfortably.

Grey reef sharks patrol the wall year-round, and large schools of snapper, barracuda, batfish, and sweetlips are a near-constant feature. Look for giant morays and blue-spotted stingrays around the Yolanda's cargo debris, a resident Napoleon wrasse, and, in the right season, hammerhead or oceanic whitetip sharks out in the blue.

October through February is prime time for pelagics, with hammerhead sightings most reliable in November and December below about 98 ft (30 m). Divers chasing sheer volume of fish life instead favor July and August, when the wall and saddle turn into what regulars call "fish soup."

Both — day boats run out of Sharm El Sheik for roughly $60-90 USD as of 2026, and it's a standard stop on Ras Mohammed liveaboard itineraries. The advantage of a liveaboard is timing: getting on site at dawn, ahead of the day-boat fleet, makes a real difference on a site this popular.

It runs from about 72°F (22°C) in winter up to roughly 84°F (29°C) in summer. Most divers wear a 3mm suit in summer and step up to 5mm from November through March.

The headline dive along Shark Reef's wall is best left to advanced, current-comfortable divers, particularly given the open-water exposure and depth of the drop-off. That said, Anemone City, the shallow saddle between the two reefs, is calm and protected enough to be a favorite for newly certified divers.

Most itineraries schedule a single dedicated dive here, occasionally two if conditions and scheduling allow, since it's usually combined with other Ras Mohammed sites, such as Shark Observatory or Eel Garden, on the same day. Given the site's reputation, operators often prioritize an early morning slot to dive it before day-boat traffic arrives.

The Yolanda was a cargo ship that ran aground on the reef in 1980 while carrying a shipment of bathroom fixtures — toilets, bathtubs, sinks, and tiles. A later storm pushed the ship's hull itself down the wall into the deep, but much of its coral-encrusted cargo remains scattered across the slope around 66-98 ft (20-30 m), making for one of the Red Sea's more surreal photo stops.

The main things to watch are the strong, direction-changing currents and the sheer drop-off at Shark Reef, where there's no bottom in sight, so good buoyancy and a clear dive plan matter more here than at a typical reef. As of 2026, standard Ras Mohammed National Park entry permits and fees apply, and dives are guide-led given how quickly conditions can change.