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Despite its very small surface and its virtual absence of corals, the house reef of the Barcelo Tiran Sharm, north of Sharm el-Sheikh, allows you to observe many fish from the Red Sea. Butterflyfish, surgeonfish, bannerfish and angelfish, all very colorful, can easily be spotted in the shallows.

The beach at Barcelo Tiran Sharm
The beach at Barcelo Tiran Sharm.

How to get to Barcelo Tiran Sharm snorkeling spot?

The Barcelo Tiran Sharm is a resort located in Nabq Bay, a large seaside resort that begins about 7 miles (10 kilometers) north of Sharm el-Sheikh airport. The hotel is located at the very north of Nabq Bay, between the reef that borders this part of the coast and Moussa Beach.

The snorkeling area is accessed from the hotel’s private beach. The possibility of accessing the reef by swimming from the public beach (about 100 meters) is uncertain.

Barcelo Tiran Sharm snorkeling map

Water entrance for snorkeling Barcelo Tiran Sharm

Water entrance is from the sandy beach, in a supervised bathing area.

Barcelo Tiran Sharm snorkeling exploration tips

The snorkeling area at Barcelo Tiran Sharm is quite small, and corresponds to the swimming area delimited by lines of buoys. It is located at the tip of the coral reef that borders Nabq Bay, which ends there.

Coral reef at Barcelo Tiran Sharm
A Red Sea raccoon butterflyfish at reef at Barcelo Tiran Sharm.

You can snorkel along the tip of the coral reef. Around, there are mostly sandy areas with little underwater life.

A few rare finger corals remain in the sheltered parts of the reef, but the corals are generally very damaged at this location. Happily, the reef still attracts many fish, including butterflyfish, surgeonfish, and bannerfish.

Emperor angelfish at Barcelo Tiran Sharm
An emperor angelfish encountered at Barcelo Tiran Sharm.

If you are lucky, you may also encounter emperor angelfish and yellowbar angelfish, which are some of the most beautiful reef fish in the Red Sea.

Restaurants and accommodation nearby

This spot is the house reef of the Barcelo Tiran Sharm.

 

  • Level required Beginner
  • Maximum depth15ft/4m
  • Water entranceFrom a sandy beach
  • LifeguardYes
  • Visitor numbersHigh
  • Access costsStay at Barcelo Tiran Sharm resort

MAP Spot

These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life.

This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.