Swim with dolphins in the Red Sea

One of the best, most reliable places to swim with dolphins is in the Red Sea at so-called ‘Dolphin Houses’.

The best, most pristine and original ‘Dolphin House’ is the Sataya Reefm 100 kms south of Marsa Alam. This horseshoe-shaped reef shelters a calm lagoon, home to a large pod of around 100 spinner dolphins. With few currents, and crystal-clear water, viewing conditions are typically excellent; better still, the dolphins are naturally curious animals and often come close to swimmers (though physical interaction is not permitted). The reefs are pristine and packed with colourful fish – there are few better places in the world to snorkel.

A second, but still superb reef that also shelters pods of spinner dolphins and has superb snorkelling is Shaab Samadai (translated as Marsa Alam Dolphin House) only 30 minutes boat ride from Marsa Alam.

A third option is the so-called ‘Dolphin House’ of Hurghada. Being a larger more heavily touristed town, the dolphin tours from Hurghada are more of a fun day out than a serious ecotour. There are far more boats, and as a result, it’s unlikely you’ll get to swim with the dolphins due to government restrictions. You’ll almost certainly see dolphins though, and tours will include some great snorkelling.