Abu Dabbab Bay: Giant Green Turtles & Rare Dugongs Snorkeling Guide

Abu Dabbab is undoubtedly the most celebrated beach bay in Marsa Alam. Located 30 kilometers south of Port Ghalib, this natural u-shaped amphitheater combines a golden sand beach with lush underwater seagrass beds that attract rare marine creatures found almost nowhere else in the Mediterranean or Red Sea basins.

Encountering Giant Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Green sea turtles up to 1.5 meters in shell length make Abu Dabbab their permanent feeding grounds. Snorkelers can simply wade into waist-deep water from the sandy shore to observe them peacefully munching on seagrass, surfacing every 10 to 15 minutes for a breath of air. Remora suckerfish are almost always seen hitching a ride on their carapaces.

The Quest for Dennis the Dugong (Sea Cow)

The Red Sea is one of the final refuges for the vulnerable Dugong dugon. Only an estimated few dozen individuals inhabit the Egyptian coastline, and Abu Dabbab is one of their most frequent foraging stops. Spotting a dugong—with its cleft tail and gentle muzzle—is an extraordinary bucket-list encounter.

Flanking Coral Walls & Reef Fish

Beyond the central seagrass meadow, both the Northern and Southern ridges of Abu Dabbab feature vibrant coral gardens brimming with blue-spotted ribbontail rays, giant moray eels, parrotfish, and lionfish.