Deep South Red Sea Liveaboards: St John's, Rocky Island & Zabargad
The far south of Egypt's Red Sea: quiet reefs near the Sudanese border, two offshore islands and very few boats.
The Deep South is the part of Egypt's Red Sea that most divers only hear about. St John's is a scatter of reefs about 40 km north of the Sudanese border, with pinnacles, caverns and swim-throughs at Gota Kebir and gorgonian-hung walls at Habili Ali. North of it lie two offshore islands. Zabargad has sheltered coral towers and a small freighter wreck in around 24 m. Rocky Island is a low scrap of rock whose walls fall away into very deep water and draw sharks on the current. Closer to the coast, Fury Shoals adds the Sataya lagoon, where spinner dolphins rest by day, and reefs riddled with caverns.
Operators sell the week as Deep South, St John's, or Rocky, Zabargad & St John's, and the southern mixes that pair Daedalus with Sataya and St John's belong to the same family, as do the far-south weeks to Elba Reef close to the border. The common thread is distance. These reefs are a long way from any day-boat harbour, so nearly everyone on them is on a liveaboard, and having a reef to yourselves is normal rather than lucky.
The diving has two moods. Rocky and Zabargad are open-water dives with current, blue water and the chance of oceanic whitetips and grey reef sharks. St John's and Fury Shoals are about the reef itself: hard-coral gardens, caverns lit from above, schools of snapper and plenty of small life. It suits divers who have done the north and want a quieter, wilder week.
Deep South: St John's, Rocky & Zabargad departures
Live from our calendar: per person sharing, from the lowest cabin. Hold any place free for 72 hours.
DealJP Marine
Golden Mix — Daedalus, Sataya & St Johns
20% off this departure
from €975 €780−20%
DealRoyal Evolution
Daedalus & Elba Reef
10% off this departure
from €1,499 €1,349−10%
DealRoyal Evolution
Daedalus & Elba Reef
10% off this departure
from €1,499 €1,349−10%
DealJP Marine
Deep South — Zabargad & Rocky Island
10% off this departure
from €1,063 €957−10%
DealJP Marine
Deep South — Secrets of Zabargad
25% off — deep south over Christmas
from €1,055 €791−25%
DealRoyal Evolution
Daedalus & Elba Reef
New Year special — premium southern route
from €1,499 €1,349−10%
Where you'll dive
Also on many itineraries: Abu Galawa (Fury Shoals), Sha'ab Claudio, Sha'ab Maksur, Elba Reef (far south, longer trips), Daedalus (on southern mixes).
Best time for Deep South: St John's, Rocky & Zabargad
The southern reefs are dived all year, and the water runs slightly warmer than in the north, so winter is milder than on the Hurghada routes, though still in the low to mid twenties from January to March. Most Deep South departures fall between spring and early winter, when the long passages south are most comfortable. Summer brings the warmest water, close to 29°C, and generally calmer seas, though the afternoons on deck are hot.
For big animals the pattern follows the rest of the Red Sea. Oceanic whitetips are most likely in October and November and still possible in December, around Rocky Island and on any week that includes Daedalus or Elphinstone. Hammerheads are an occasional summer sighting on the deeper southern reefs, but far less dependable than at Daedalus between June and August. The spinner dolphins at Sataya are resident and seen through the year. If coral condition and quiet sites matter more to you than sharks, almost any month works.
Experience you'll need
Requirements sit between the north and BDE. Many operators accept Open Water divers with around 30 logged dives for a week built on St John's and Fury Shoals. Rocky Island and Zabargad are offshore marine parks, though, and boats that include them often ask for Advanced Open Water and around 50 logged dives. Southern mixes that include Daedalus follow the BDE requirements. The minimum for each departure is shown on its listing.
Conditions vary more within a week than on most routes. St John's and Fury Shoals have sheltered sites with gentle current that suit photographers and less experienced divers, while the corners of Rocky Island can run hard and are dived as drifts from a RIB. You should be comfortable with RIB entries, quick descents on the exposed sites and sending up an SMB from depth. The caverns at St John's are open and lit from above, but stay with the guide and keep your fins clear of the coral.
Snorkelling with the dolphins at Sataya happens on their terms. Boats keep their distance, swimmers enter quietly, and there is no chasing, touching or feeding under the Red Sea Governorate's dolphin code.
How the trip works
Most Deep South weeks leave from Port Ghalib, about 15 minutes from Marsa Alam airport, and some from Hamata, further south and roughly two hours by road from Marsa Alam. Starting from Hamata shortens the sailing to St John's considerably. From Port Ghalib the first leg south is a long overnight passage, and some itineraries only reach St John's on the second or third diving day. Flying into Hurghada also works, but the road transfer to Port Ghalib takes four hours or more.
A typical day has three day dives, with a fourth or a night dive where the rules allow. Night dives are not permitted inside the marine parks, so Rocky and Zabargad are day-only, and on a seven-night week you can expect up to about 16 dives once the passages are counted. The order of sites is always at the captain's discretion, and the south is exposed: a strong northerly can reshuffle the plan or keep the boat on sheltered reefs for a day.
Reef tax, park and port fees and a fuel surcharge are usually paid on board, and the longer distances can push fuel surcharges above those in the north; your confirmation shows the amounts. Nitrox is widely available as a weekly charge. Bring a dive computer and an SMB (both required), a torch for the caverns, and careful buoyancy: the southern reefs are in better shape than most of the north partly because fewer fins have touched them.
Deep South: St John's, Rocky & Zabargad: common questions
Where are the St John's reefs in the Red Sea?
In Egypt's far south, about 40 km north of the Sudanese border and roughly 20 km south of Zabargad. They are reached only by liveaboard, usually from Port Ghalib or Hamata.
What experience do I need for Rocky Island and Zabargad?
Typically Advanced Open Water and around 50 logged dives, because both are offshore marine parks with current. Weeks built on St John's and Fury Shoals often accept Open Water divers with around 30 logged dives.
Is a Deep South liveaboard worth it if I have already dived the north?
Usually, yes. Fewer boats, healthier hard coral, the caverns of St John's and the open-water dives at Rocky Island make it a very different week from the wrecks and reefs around Hurghada.
What is a Golden Mix or southern mix itinerary?
Operators' names for southern weeks that combine Daedalus with Fury Shoals, Sataya and sometimes St John's. You get an offshore shark day plus the southern reefs, and the Daedalus day carries the BDE experience requirements.
Can I swim with dolphins at Sataya?
Spinner dolphins rest in the Sataya lagoon and are seen through the year. Encounters are on snorkel under the local dolphin code: quiet entries, no chasing, touching or feeding, and boats keep their distance.
- Brothers, Daedalus & Elphinstone route
- Northern Wrecks & Reefs route
- Red Sea liveaboards: all routes and seasons
- When to Dive the Red Sea: Month-by-Month Guide
- How Much Is a Red Sea Liveaboard? Real Prices by Route
- How to Choose the Best Red Sea Liveaboard Boat
- Oceanic Whitetip Season in the Red Sea: When, Where and How to Dive Them
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