Sudan

Found in large schools patrolling the drop-offs of the offshore reefs.

Scalloped Hammerhead Shark

Commonly seen on almost every offshore reef, often curious about divers.

Grey Reef Shark

Massive schools of chevron and great barracuda often congregate at the reef points.

Barracuda

Large groups of these giant fish can often be seen grazing on the reef flats.

Bumphead Parrotfish

Sudan offers a raw and pristine Red Sea experience that stands in stark contrast to the more crowded reefs further north. The Sudanese Red Sea is a land of legends, where Jacques Cousteau conducted his pioneering Precontinent II underwater living experiment at Shaab Rumi. The reefs here are characterized by exceptional coral health and dramatic drop-offs that fall into the abyssal depths, attracting schools of scalloped hammerheads and other large pelagics. Sudan is also home to iconic shipwrecks, most notably the 'Umbria,' often cited as one of the best wreck dives in the world, perfectly preserved with its cargo of vehicles and bombs. Because of the limited tourism infrastructure, most diving is conducted via liveaboard, allowing divers to reach remote atolls like Sanganeb with its historic lighthouse. For the adventurous diver, Sudan provides a sense of discovery and a level of marine life abundance that harkens back to the early days of Red Sea exploration, all set against a backdrop of rugged desert landscapes and warm Sudanese hospitality.

Liveaboards are the lifeblood of Sudanese diving. They provide the only way to reach the best reefs and provide a comfortable base in a region with limited land-based infrastructure.

Coral Hotel Port Sudan

Basiri Hotel

Palace Hotel

Angarosh, known as the Mother of Sharks, is the ultimate destination for shark enthusiasts diving the Sudanese Red Sea. This isolated seamount far offshore feat...

Angarosh & Offshore Pinnacles

The Northern Reefs extend from Port Sudan toward the Egyptian border, encompassing some of the least-explored diving territory in the entire Red Sea. This remot...

Northern Reefs

Port Sudan is the gateway to the Sudanese Red Sea and the departure point for most liveaboard expeditions to the country's legendary offshore reefs. The nearsho...

Port Sudan & Nearshore

Qita' el Banna and the Jibna Islands represent some of the most secluded and rarely dived locations in the Sudanese Red Sea. Qita' el Banna, known locally as Th...

Qita' el Banna & Jibna Islands

Sanganeb Atoll is the crown jewel of Sudanese diving and one of the most iconic reef systems in the Red Sea. Rising from abyssal depths as an isolated seamount,...

Sanganeb Atoll

Sha'ab Rumi holds a special place in diving history as the site of Jacques Cousteau's pioneering Precontinent II underwater habitat experiment in 1963. The rema...

Sha'ab Rumi

Sha'ab Suedi is renowned among liveaboard divers for the dramatic Blue Belt wreck, a 90-metre cargo ship that sank in 1974 and now lies on its starboard side at...

Sha'ab Suedi

The Suakin Archipelago and Southern Coast represent the frontier of Sudanese Red Sea diving, extending south from the historic port of Suakin toward the Eritrea...

Suakin Archipelago & Southern Coast

Abington Reef

Angarosh (Mother of Sharks)

Blue Belt Wreck

The Cable Wreck

Cousteau's Conshelf II (Precontinent II)

Dar El Gani Reef

Darraka

Gezira Seghir (Little Island)

Harvey Reef (Marsa Harari)

Hummam

Jibna Islands

Masamirit Reef

Merlo Reef

Mitsi Reef

The Plongeur Reef

Qita' el Banna (The Baron)

The Arch (Sanganeb)

The Caves (Sanganeb)

Sanganeb Lighthouse

Sanganeb North Plateau

Sanganeb South Plateau

Sha'ab Rumi North Point

Sha'ab Rumi South Point

Sha'ab Suedi Lagoon

Sha'ab Suedi South Point

Shab Darraka

Suakin Harbour

Suyafa Reef

Towartit Reef

Wadi Gimal North

Wingate Reef (Umbria Wreck)

For divers, the most common transport is a transfer from Port Sudan airport directly to the harbor. Internal travel between Khartoum and Port Sudan is via domestic flights or long-distance buses.

Liveaboard Diving in Sudan

Experience Overview

Featured Operators

Remote Reach

Booking Advice

Where to Stay in Sudan