Utopia Beach House Reef

The house reef of Utopia Beach Club, in Ras Allasad bay, has six official dives, three in the northern sector and three in the southern sector. From the southern sector, the way back to the lagoon runs through a cave system in the reef, with openings in the roof that let in sunlight. This route is recommended only with an experienced guide. Near the northern entry, the rusty frame of a broken metal pier has become a macro photography spot.

Dolphins, turtles and moray eels are frequently sighted, and eagle rays sometimes appear. On the outer reef there are also tuna and many colourful reef fish. Along the reef edges, well-preserved corals shelter giant clams (Tridacna) and fish such as Red Sea bannerfish, emperor angelfish, regal angelfish, wrasse, Arabian Picasso triggerfish and Sohal surgeonfish, while bluespotted stingrays and tentacled flatheads appear on the sand. In the southern sector, the lagoon has a hard coral garden with clownfish, and on the wall a black coral shelters a longnose hawkfish, with grey moray and jewel grouper among anthias. A dive along the reef has turned up a large pufferfish, a giant clam shell and a small shoal of juvenile batfish.

In the El Quseir region, the best months to travel are usually March to May and September to November. June to August is usually very hot, and the water is usually more pleasant in autumn. For diving, the best season in the region usually runs from April to October.