Um El Aruk

"Um El Aruk" translates to "The Reef with the Many Coral Blocks."   The main reef is oval-shaped and not very large. Thanks to its bizarrely shaped coral blocks, the large coral garden around El Aruk is truly impressive. The coral garden, which slopes gently from a depth of 20 meters down to 35 meters, looks like a fairy-tale landscape.   Depending on the current, the dive begins either from the boat or from the Zodiac. Among the coral blocks, you’ll encounter schools of bannerfish, red sea bream, sweetlips, and sometimes even a sea turtle. Early in the morning, you’ll often spot a small whitetip shark, though you usually only see it from behind, as it immediately swims away as soon as it notices divers.   At the southern end of the reef, there is a moderately large, damaged section of the reef; it is unknown whether this is the result of ill-fated anchoring attempts from earlier times. But right next to it, at depths ranging from 1 m to 8 m at the southeastern corner of the reef, lies a beautiful field of anemones.   The four larger coral towers at the southern end, which rise up to 1 meter below the water’s surface, are perfect for the safety stop.   When wind and current conditions are right, a night dive at El Aruk is highly recommended. Sleeping Napoleon wrasse and Spanish dancers make a night dive at El Aruk well worth the effort.