Sha'ab Sataya (Dolphin House)

Why the dolphins are here

Spinner dolphins feed offshore at night and spend much of the day resting in sheltered water, where they are safer from predators. Sataya's lagoon is ideal for that: shallow, protected by the reef and close to deep water. Pods of several dozen are common, and the population here is described as more than a hundred animals. Calves are usually born in July and August.

Resting matters. A dolphin that is repeatedly woken, chased or surrounded by swimmers burns energy it needs, and over time that drives animals away from a site. A review of dolphin watching in Egypt found that management at Sha'ab Samadai, the other Dolphin House near Marsa Alam, was working well, but that the Sataya population was under unsustainable pressure. Whatever the rules say on the day, the dolphins' rest comes first.

The rules and how to behave

In 2018 the Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association (HEPCA) and Egypt's Environmental Affairs Agency began a zoning plan for Sataya. It sets aside shallow areas in the north-east and south-east of the reef where all activity is banned except authorised research, creates neighbouring zones where snorkelling is allowed but diving and boat movement are not, and limits zodiacs to 10 knots in the swimming area. Boats may only moor in designated anchorage zones. Rules and their enforcement can change, so your guide's briefing on the current zones is the one to follow.

Whatever the zone, good conduct is the same:

• Snorkel, do not dive, with the dolphins; bubbles and divers below a resting pod disturb it
• Enter the water quietly from the zodiac, away from the pod, never on top of it
• Never chase, surround or swim into the middle of a group; let them choose to approach
• Never touch or feed a dolphin, and keep clear of mothers with calves
• Keep encounters short and leave if the animals start moving away or diving deep

Diving the reef

The dolphins are the headline, but Sataya is a good reef in its own right. The lagoon is about 5 to 10 metres deep, with coral heads and pinnacles that make easy, relaxed dives, and the outer reef has steep drop-offs and protected pinnacles covered in hard and soft corals. The outer wall is a dive for experienced divers; the lagoon-side sites suit everyone.

Expect turtles, whitetip reef sharks resting on the sand, barracuda and Napoleon wrasse, lionfish hunting at dusk and anemonefish in the shallows. Current is usually mild, and visibility is typically 20 to 30 metres. The wider Fury Shoals around Sataya add hard-coral gardens, swim-throughs and small wrecks, so a day here rarely feels repetitive.

When to go and what to expect

Spinner dolphins use Sataya throughout the year, and most visits find them, but they sometimes leave the lagoon for hours at a time, so no operator can promise an encounter. Mornings are generally the best time to find them resting in the lagoon. Water is warmest from July to October, at around 28°C or more, and coolest in February and March, when it drops to the low 20s.

Do not confuse Sataya with Sha'ab Samadai, the Dolphin House reached from Marsa Alam, which is more than 100 km to the north and has its own management system.

How you actually visit

Day boats run to Sataya from Hamata, about two hours each way, which leaves limited time on site. Liveaboards on southern routes usually moor in the designated anchorage overnight, which means you can snorkel with the dolphins in the morning, dive the reef through the day and avoid the busiest hours of the day-boat traffic.

On a good morning the pod comes past the zodiac, a few animals break off to look at the snorkellers and the rest carry on resting. That is the encounter at its best, and it is the one you get by staying calm and letting them decide.

Sha'ab Sataya (Dolphin House): common questions