Few underwater experiences are as memorable as encountering dolphins in their natural habitat. While scuba diving in Hurghada, you may be lucky enough to spot these intelligent and playful marine mammals gliding through the crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea without efforts.

The reefs surrounding Hurghada, including the famous “dolphin houses” of Shaab El Erg, El Fanous, and Abu Nugar, provide ideal resting areas for dolphins and give scuba divers a fantastic chance of meeting dolphins in the Red Sea.

From the friendly Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin to the less commonly seen Risso’s dolphin, every encounter is a reminder of the incredible biodiversity that makes the Red Sea one of the top diving destinations around the world.

Facts about Dolphins

Dolphins are one of the most intelligent and fascinating creatures in the ocean. Their playful behavior, social nature, and remarkable abilities have captivated scuba divers and marine enthusiasts for generations.

Before meeting dolphins in the Red Sea, here are some interesting facts that make these marine mammals truly unique:

• Dolphins are considered one of the mammals that need to breathe, which means that they come to surface at regular intervals to breathe. Their activity is the main factor on which the frequency of breathing depends on, for instance, if they swim fast, they have to surface to breathe more often.

• Dolphins rarely jump out of the water. But the pufferfish secrete a toxin (Tetraodontidae) that can serve as a drug for them. Dolphins can behave erratically under its influence.

• Dolphins use whistling and clicking in communication with each other that can be heard even underwater.

How Do Dolphins Sleep?

How can dolphins sleep in the water and still breathe air? The answer of this question lies in that these remarkable animals sleep with only one half of their brain at a time.

They usually close one eye and keep the other closed. This technique allows them to stay alert for predators. Dolphins are regarded as social animals and live in groups.

When dolphins sleep, they stay close together and swim in large circles together in slow manners, their physical activity decreases, heart rate slows, and unessential internal functions are reduced.

A few fully alert dolphins continue to watch over the group. Every few minutes, the pod surfaces to bring the blowhole on top of their heads above the water. This lasts around 6 hours during the morning and early afternoon. The mothers also feed their young during this time.

During sleep periods, dolphins stay at a shallow depth. As a result, people going out to sea for scuba diving around Hurghada can usually observe this dolphins’ behavior.

How to Behave When We Meet Dolphins

The Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association (HEPCA) has established guidelines to protect dolphins in the Red Sea, including scuba diving around Hurghada.

So, how those who want to have encounters with dolphins should behave to avoid disturbing and chasing them. First of all, you should not to forget that dolphins are wild predators that are larger in size than us.

We can devide the tips for meeting dolphins in the Red Sea into two categories:

• Rules for swimmers and divers.

• Rules for boat captains.

Rules for Swimmers and Divers When Meeting Dolphins in the Red Sea:

Following these simple rules guarantee that both dolphins and people stay safe and comfortable:

• As a swimmer, It is a MUST to wear fins, a snorkel, a mask, and a life jacket.

• Be careful when entering the water, and avoid jumping or excessive splashing.

• When becoming inside the water, always be quiet and only use your fins to ensure swimming calmly.

• Always swim parallel to the group and avoid free diving.

• Avoid chasing dolphins. Let them come near you and choose how to interact with you.

• It is strictly prohibited to use scooters when meeting dolphins in the Red Sea or any other places.

• Avoid making loud noises, like shouting or whistling.

• Don’t forget that touching dolphins is strictly prohibited. This act come with a high risk of transmitting diseases.

• NEVER throw garbage into the sea.

• NEVER feed any marine animal.

Rules for Boat Captains When Meeting Dolphins in the Red Sea:

Following the right practices helps protect the animals and ensures respectful, safe interactions at sea. Here are some rules for boat captains when meeting dolphins in the Red Sea:

• Always keep at least 30 meters away from dolphins.

• Approach dolphins cautiously in open water and keep parallel to their swimming direction.

• When spotting dolphins, drive slowly at a maximum speed of 7 km per hour, and try to adjust your speed to the slowest dolphin. Never speed up, reverse, or change direction suddenly.

• If dolphins come near your boat, switch to neutral.

• If dolphins change direction, avoid making sudden changes in yours.

• NEVER try to chase, surround or separate a group of dolphins. Always leave the animals a clear escape route.

• NEVER Never chase dolphins in lagoons or resting areas, and keep a safe distance from the coral reef. Immediately use mooring lines at designated anchoring points.

• Avoid making noise, like shouting, whistling, using horns or playing music.

• Pay attention for any signs of distress (e.g., avoiding, tail slapping), if you see this, leave the area immediately at very low speed.

• Always be extra careful when being surrounded by young animals present.

When following these rules, we can look forward to seeing this amazing marine life in the future while scuba diving at sites around Hurghada.

Best Scuba Diving Destinations in the World for Meeting Dolphins

• The Red Sea (Egypt): Famous for spots like the Dolphin House (Shaab Samadai) and Shaab El Erg, in which scuba divers can have frequent encounters with large pods of wild spinner and bottlenose dolphins.

• The Bahamas: The shallow, clear waters of Bimini and Grand Bahama make them one of the famous worldwide destinations for encounters with wild spotted and bottlenose dolphins.

• Socorro Island (Mexico): A must-visit destination for experienced divers, with wild bottlenose dolphin encounters along with manta rays and sharks.

• Curaçao: One of the scuba diving destinations that offers structured, open-water dives with rehabilitated or captive-born dolphins at facilities, such as the Curaçao Sea Aquarium.