Ras Mohammed sits at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, where the Gulf of Suez meets the Gulf of Aqaba, and it's reachable either as a day trip from Sharm el-Sheikh or as an early stop on a Red Sea liveaboard. The park's signature dive is the Yolanda and Shark Reef drift, a wall dive that runs from a wreck site into a current-swept coral pinnacle thick with schooling fish. A park entry fee applies on top of whatever your dive package costs, and that fee changes, so check the current rate with your operator rather than a number printed somewhere online.
What are the entry rules and fees for Ras Mohammed National Park?
Ras Mohammed is a national park, and entry requires a permit fee collected by your dive operator or boat, separate from your dive package price. Rates are set by the Egyptian park authority and do change over time, so treat any specific figure you read as a starting point, not the current price. Bring cash in the local currency as a backup, since payment methods at the park gate can be limited.
Ras Mohammed vs Straits of Tiran, which should I dive?
Ras Mohammed generally offers stronger wall diving and the park's protected status, with more consistent conditions at its sheltered sites. The Straits of Tiran, further north, is known for its four named reefs (Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse, Jackson) and can run stronger, less predictable current, which some divers seek out and others avoid. If you're choosing one for a single day trip and want the calmer, more reliably spectacular option, Ras Mohammed is the safer pick. If you want a shot at big pelagic action in open current, Tiran is worth the trade-off.
When is the best time to dive Ras Mohammed?
The main season runs roughly June through September, when water is warmest and visibility tends to be at its clearest. Diving happens year-round out of Sharm el-Sheikh, and winter months bring cooler water but often calmer surface conditions, so the "best" window depends partly on what you're optimizing for.
Is Ras Mohammed good for beginner divers?
Some of it, yes. The park has sheltered, shallower sites suited to newer divers, alongside the current-exposed wall dives that demand more experience. Yolanda and Shark Reef in particular can run a meaningful current and isn't the place to learn drift diving for the first time. Tell your operator your certification level and dive count; they'll route you to the appropriate sites.
What's the current like at Yolanda and Shark Reef?
This drift dive starts near the wreck of the Yolanda, a cargo ship that sank on the reef decades ago, then follows the wall along Shark Reef where current can run from mild to genuinely brisk depending on tide and time of day. Visibility is usually strong, often past 20 m, and schooling barracuda and jack are a common sight along the drift. Current comfort and a buoyancy that doesn't drift you into the wall matter more here than at most of the park's other sites.
Day trip or liveaboard, how should I access Ras Mohammed?
A day trip from Sharm el-Sheikh covers the park's core sites well and is the standard way most divers experience it. A liveaboard makes sense if you're combining Ras Mohammed with the Straits of Tiran, the wrecks further north, or a longer Red Sea itinerary, since it removes the daily boat commute and lets you dive multiple regions on one trip.
FAQ
What's the best month for hammerhead chances? Hammerhead sightings in the wider Sinai region skew toward summer months, but they're never guaranteed at Ras Mohammed specifically. Treat any sighting as a bonus, not a reason to book.
What gear do I need for the drift? A dive computer, a surface marker buoy, and comfort deploying it mid-drift. A reef hook can help at current-heavy points, used only on dead substrate.
Does the marine park fee bundle with Sharm dive packages? Often, but not always, and the amount changes. Confirm with your specific operator whether the fee is included in your quoted price or billed separately.
What's the minimum certification level? Open Water covers the park's sheltered sites. Advanced Open Water or solid drift experience is the standard expectation for Yolanda and Shark Reef.
Plan your Ras Mohammed trip on Diveity
Diveity tracks the Ras Mohammed area's dive sites and conditions. Browse the dive site atlas before you go, and keep a running dive log once you're back. Diver accounts are free.
