Ras Um Sid
Depth is the range from the top of the site to its usual maximum; "recommended cert" is the mainstream-agency level operators usually ask for, not a legal rule. Currents and visibility change daily — treat everything here as planning ranges.
The headland below Sharm's lighthouse hides one of the densest gorgonian forests in the northern Red Sea: tier upon tier of fans angled into the current on a wall that slides from snorkel depth past 30 meters. Glassfish swarm the overhangs, morays share holes with cleaner shrimp, and the point concentrates barracuda and jacks when the tide moves. Because it sits minutes from the harbor, Ras Um Sid serves as everything from a first fun dive to a photographer's late-afternoon regular - the fans glow amber when the sun drops. It survived heavy shore development above; below the surface the terraces remain in remarkably good order.
The moment you come for: The gorgonian forest; glassfish-filled overhangs; convenient depth options for every level.
Topography: Sloping wall dense with gorgonian fans, cut by sandy gullies
Current: A gentle drift usually carries divers along the wall toward the point.
Entry: Dived by boat on the way back from Ras Mohammed and, conditions permitting, from shore beside the lighthouse headland.
Know before you splash
Hazards: Boat traffic near the harbor; occasional surge on the shore entry.
Nitrox: Worth it here — profiles sit in the range where enriched air meaningfully extends no-stop time (with the training to use it).
Who you'll meet
Clownfish & Anemonefish
Giant Moray Eel
Great Barracuda
Hawksbill Turtle
Lionfish
Spanish Dancer
For photographers
Wide angle: ★★★★☆ · Macro: ★★★☆☆ — editors' 1–5 rating of what this site gives each style of shooting