Both routes in the Red Sea are excellent, but they are different trips, and the wrong choice for your skill level or timing can cost you. The north is wrecks and history. The south is pelagics and open-water exposure.
Routes vary and boats overlap, so "north" and "south" do not always map onto what an operator is selling you. Ask for the itinerary, not the label.
North and south at a glance
| Compare | North | South |
|---|---|---|
| Headline draw | SS Thistlegorm, Ras Mohammed | Brothers Islands, Daedalus, Elphinstone |
| Diving style | Wrecks, reefs, wall dives | Pelagic, open water, drift |
| Best for | Advanced Open Water, 20–50 dives | 50+ dives, current experience |
| Best season | March to May and September to November, in our season records | October to December, in our season records |
| Surface conditions | Generally calmer | Longer crossings, can be rough |
| Marine life | Grey reef sharks, barracuda, wreck species | Hammerheads, oceanic whitetips, threshers |
| History and atmosphere | High: WWII wrecks, Ras Mohammed National Park | Remote, exposed, a wilder feel |
| Departure port | Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada | Hurghada, Port Ghalib, Marsa Alam |
Northern Red Sea: wrecks, history and forgiving diving
Where north boats depart
North itineraries almost always leave from Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada. Sharm is the more common base for the classic route, and it puts Ras Mohammed, the Straits of Tiran and the Thistlegorm within reach in a single liveaboard week.
I've done the north route out of Sharm on multiple occasions, on the Freedom 3 and Freedom 4, and the logistics are straightforward.
Manie Eksteen, PADI Staff Instructor
You fly into Sharm El Sheikh International, transfer to the marina, and you are aboard by early evening.
The key sites in the north
SS Thistlegorm. The Thistlegorm is the headline act. A British WWII cargo vessel sunk in 1941, she sits at 30–32 m and holds motorcycles, trucks, aircraft parts, rifles and artillery shells in her holds. The fish life is excellent. The holds are inside the wreck, which is overhead diving, so go in only with wreck training and a guide.
The current is manageable on most days. You descend on the anchor line, take your time at the wreck, and ascend on the same line.
I've taken newly certified Advanced divers on this wreck and they've handled it without issue.
Manie Eksteen, PADI Staff Instructor
That is one instructor's experience, not a rule. Our guidance for the north is Advanced Open Water with 20–50 dives, 30+ for the Thistlegorm, and the holds need wreck training and a guide.
Ras Mohammed National Park. Ras Mohammed is the other anchor of the north route. Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are the headline sites: two reefs meeting at a steep wall, strong current, and the bathtubs from the Yolanda cargo wreck scattered on the slope below. Grey reef sharks, barracuda and giant trevally are reliable. In the cool months, visibility regularly reaches 25–30 m.
The Straits of Tiran. The Tiran reefs give you four sites, Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas and Gordon, in a channel between the Sinai and Saudi Arabia. Expect strong current, big pelagics and wall dives that drop to serious depths. Jackson Reef has a freighter wreck perched on its northern tip, and dolphins in the channel are common.
Abu Nuhas. Abu Nuhas is the wreck graveyard, with four ships on one reef. The Giannis D is the showpiece: intact, deep enough to be interesting and shallow enough to be accessible. The Carnatic is older, more broken up and covered in soft coral, which makes her a photogenic wreck.
Who the north suits
The north suits Advanced Open Water divers with 20–50 dives who want to build wreck experience without getting in over their heads. The current at Ras Mohammed and Tiran can be significant, but you will have a guide, and experienced operators manage the sites well. Stay inside your certification depth: 18 m for Open Water, 30 m for Advanced (PADI). The Thistlegorm sits at 30 m.
It is also the route for divers who care about history. The Thistlegorm is not just a dive. It is an important piece of history, and one of many great wrecks in the Red Sea.
Best time for the north
The north can be dived all year. In our season records March to May and September to November are the best months. December to February is good too, but winter wind can limit offshore access around Ras Mohammed and Tiran.
July and August are popular, with warmer water and a more social atmosphere, and visibility of 15–20 m. If you have flexibility, aim for October or November: that is the best version of the north route.
For the month-by-month breakdown, see best time to dive the Red Sea.
A sample north 7-night itinerary (illustrative)
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Departure in the evening, night dive en route |
| Day 2 | Sha'ab Abu Nuhas (Giannis D, Carnatic) |
| Day 3 | SS Thistlegorm (2–3 dives) |
| Day 4 | Ras Mohammed (Shark Reef, Yolanda) |
| Day 5 | Straits of Tiran (Jackson, Woodhouse) |
| Day 6 | Ras Za'atar and Sha'ab Mahmoud |
| Day 7 | Return to Sharm |
Itineraries vary by operator and conditions. This one is representative, not guaranteed.
Southern Red Sea: sharks and blue-water diving
Where south boats depart
South routes usually leave from Hurghada, Port Ghalib or Marsa Alam. Port Ghalib and Marsa Alam are closer to the southern sites, and they are increasingly popular as the infrastructure improves.
The open-water crossings to Brothers and Daedalus are real: 6–8 hours in some cases, in exposed seas that can be rough. That is a material difference from north departures, and it is worth weighing if you are prone to seasickness or prefer calm surface intervals.
The key sites in the south
Big Brother and Little Brother. Two isolated islands rise from deep water in the open sea, with steep walls that drop beyond recreational limits. Big Brother has two wrecks, the Numidia (1901) and the Aida (1957), draped down the wall, broken and encrusted.
The diving here is serious: strong currents, downwellings and the blue-water exposure that concentrates pelagic life. Hammerheads and oceanic whitetips are the draw. These are not zoo animals drifting past. They are in their environment and behave like it, and the site demands respect and buoyancy control.
Daedalus Reef (Abu Kizan). Daedalus is a remote, exposed reef in the open Red Sea, and it takes a longer passage to reach. Thresher sharks have been recorded here and hammerheads are seasonal. The remoteness is the difference: crossings that can run 6 to 8 hours, exposed sites and current that north diving does not ask of you.
Elphinstone Reef. Elphinstone sits closer to Marsa Alam and is more accessible within a south itinerary. The northern plateau is the headline: a narrow ridge at around 25 m that drops away on both sides, with a thermocline that brings cold, current-driven water and oceanic whitetips. It is manageable in calm conditions and unforgiving in surge.
Rocky Island and Zabargad. These round out the furthest-south options. Zabargad has a turbulent history as a former penal colony and mining site, and its dive sites have hard coral gardens and turtles.
Who the south suits
The south suits divers with 50+ dives and solid current experience. The open-water crossings, the exposed sites and the downwellings at Brothers need a diver who can hold their depth, manage buoyancy in surge, and stay calm if a current pushes them off a wall. Stay inside your certification depth, whatever the wall offers: 18 m for Open Water, 30 m for Advanced.
This is not a trip to push yourself beyond your limits on. The pelagic encounters at Brothers and Daedalus are the reason to go, but only if you can hold your position, read the water and not burn through your air in the first ten minutes on adrenaline. To work on buoyancy, ascents and descents first, see the Academy lessons.
Best time for the south
In our season records the south peaks from October to December, when oceanic whitetips are at their best. Elphinstone's thermocline brings them in from September to February. Hammerheads at Brothers and Daedalus are most reliable from October to January in our records.
Sources disagree on the hammerhead window: outside sources report summer sightings, with the shallowest hammerheads in May and June. Summer water is warm at 27–30 °C, seas are generally calmer and visibility is 20–25 m. If whitetips and hammerheads are both on your list, October to December is the overlap.
A sample south 7-night itinerary (illustrative)
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Departure, overnight crossing |
| Day 2 | Elphinstone Reef (2–3 dives) |
| Day 3 | Passage south, Daedalus approach |
| Day 4 | Daedalus Reef (2–3 dives) |
| Day 5 | Big Brother and Little Brother |
| Day 6 | Brothers and Rocky Island |
| Day 7 | Return passage, arrival |
This one is illustrative, not a quoted itinerary. South itineraries depend more on the weather than north ones, so operators may adjust to conditions.
What about combined north-south routes?
Some operators run 10–12 night itineraries that cover both. On paper that sounds like the obvious answer. In practice it is a trade-off. You spend more nights in transit between regions, because the southern sites are remote, and you get fewer dives per site than on a dedicated route.
If Brothers is the reason you are going, a dedicated south trip gives you more time at the headline sites in the right conditions. The same applies in the north: a Thistlegorm-focused week gives a depth of experience that a combined route cannot.
Our verdict: if you have to choose, choose by where you are as a diver. If you have never dived the Red Sea, the north is the better first trip. It has more variety, it is more forgiving, and the Thistlegorm alone justifies the journey. Come back for the south.
On a budget? Read diving the Red Sea on a budget: shore vs liveaboard.
Which route should you book?
Book north if:
- You are an Advanced Open Water diver with 20–50 dives.
- Wreck diving is your main motivation.
- This is your first Red Sea liveaboard.
- You are travelling March to May or September to November.
- You want a varied route of wrecks, reefs and current.
Book south if:
- You have 50+ dives and are comfortable in current.
- Hammerheads or oceanic whitetips are the reason you are going.
- You are travelling October to December, the peak for both in our records.
- You want rawer, more exposed, open-ocean diving.
- You have already done the Thistlegorm.
For boats, see the best Red Sea liveaboards.
Ready to look at boats?
Questions
Which is better for beginners, north or south Red Sea?
North, and it is not close. The south, particularly Brothers Islands and Daedalus, involves long open-water crossings, significant current, and dive sites that need solid buoyancy and experience in exposed conditions.
North routes have more forgiving sites alongside the headline dives, and the Thistlegorm suits Advanced Open Water divers with 30+ logged dives and some current experience, as our Thistlegorm guide recommends. If you are early in your diving, start in the north.
Do you need Advanced Open Water for a Red Sea liveaboard?
For north routes, Advanced Open Water is effectively the minimum. Most operators require it for sites like the Thistlegorm (30 m) and the deeper sections of Ras Mohammed.
For south routes it is a floor, not a ceiling. Many operators recommend significantly more experience, particularly for Brothers and Daedalus. Check your vessel's requirements before booking.
What is the best month to see hammerhead sharks in the Red Sea?
Sources disagree. Our season records put the most reliable window at October to January. Outside sources report summer sightings, from May to September.
How do I choose a Red Sea liveaboard operator?
Look at four things: the departure port (it decides which sites you reach), the route (north, south or combined), the vessel size (smaller boats mean fewer divers per site) and the experience level required. Read the trip itinerary carefully.
Then check the boat itself. The UK government's Marine Accident Investigation Branch advises booking liveaboard dive holidays only through reputable vendors who can give assurance about the boat's safety standards, and asking the crew for a thorough safety briefing before departure. The advice was published on 6 February 2025 (MAIB). UK travel advice adds that safety standards of Red Sea resort diving operators and boats vary considerably (GOV.UK).