Banana Reef
Also known as: Banana
A curved, banana-shaped reef between the two Giftun islands, dressed in soft corals with eagle rays over the sand — a pretty, easygoing mid-depth dive.
Photo: Derek Keats (CC BY 2.0) · Wikimedia Commons
- Max depth
- 22 m
- Visibility
- 25 m
- Current
- mild
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Boat time
- 55 min
- Suitable for
- open-water, advanced
Site map
Location
Banana Reef is a gently curved reef sitting between Big and Small Giftun, named for its shape. Its soft corals give it colour and movement, and eagle rays often glide across the sand at the base. It is a relaxed, scenic dive at comfortable depths — a nice middle option between the shallow gardens and the exposed walls nearby.
Dive-guide route notes
Near the northern channel exit, the site has two blocks around 14 m, a sandy strip beside a coral garden, and a larger block to the west where giant trevallies may gather.
Site highlights
- Banana-shaped reef draped in soft coral
- Eagle rays over the sandy patches
- Schools of small reef fish
- Relaxed, scenic profile
Marine life on this site
Nearby dive sites
Shaab Sabina
A maze-like coral garden between the Giftun islands, all swim-throughs and labyrinthine channels in shallow water — easy to dive, hard to leave, and an easy drift when the current is up.
Torfa El Shahed
A shallow lagoon and pinnacle field near Banana Reef, soft-coral pillars rising into easy water with turtles, rays and anemone gardens — gentle, colourful and forgiving.