Ras Mohammed National Park between desert and reef
Published on 08/18/2026 at 14:37 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
At Ras Mohammed National Park the land of Sinai ends in a narrow headland of fossil coral cliffs, mangroves and beaches that slip straight into the Red Sea. The protected area lies south of Scharm asch-Schaich at the point where the Gulf of Suez meets the Gulf of Aqaba, and brings desert landscapes and dense coral reefs into a single, compact panorama.
Where Sinai drops into the sea
Ras Mohammed National Park occupies the southernmost tip of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, a headland surrounded on three sides by water where the two great gulfs of the northern Red Sea converge.The headland at the southernmost tip of Sinai is composed of uplifted coral terraces that form cliffs and shelves above the sea.
Behind the shoreline stretches a hyper-arid desert of pale rock, gravel plains and low hills, cut by shallow wadis that carry water only after rare storms.The park’s landscapes include fossil corals, raised terraces and desert plains that frame the sea on both the Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba sides.
Desert, mangroves and fossil terraces
On the shore, Ras Mohammed National Park presents a sequence of environments that can be walked between in a single visit: rocky promontories of ancient coral, salt-encrusted flats and small bays of light sand. In some sheltered inlets, stands of mangrove line shallow channels, their roots anchoured in the saline mud at the edge of the sea.Mangrove communities and salt marshes form part of the park’s littoral habitats, alongside intertidal flats and varied shoreline forms.
The land here is shaped by its geological past: the peninsula around Ras Mohammed is formed from a fossil coral reef that emerged during the Quaternary period.Uplifted reef terraces and fossil corals record ancient sea levels along the headland, while living reefs fringe the coast just offshore.
Coral walls and Red Sea wildlife
Beneath the waterline, Ras Mohammed National Park protects a dense band of coral reef that runs almost unbroken along the coastline. Surveys have recorded over 200 species of coral in the park’s waters, with a particularly high diversity of hard and soft corals.More than 200 coral species and around 1,000 fish species have been documented in the park, together with numerous starfish, sea urchins, molluscs and crustaceans.
The reef forms sheer walls and platforms that drop into the clear water of the Red Sea, creating vertical profiles that are characteristic of this stretch of coast.The fringing reefs along Ras Mohammed are noted for their sharply defined platforms, and sites such as Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef have become well-established names among divers.
Visiting Ras Mohammed National Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Ras Mohammed National Park lies south of Scharm asch-Schaich at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, where the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba meet.
- The terrain combines rocky fossil-reef cliffs, gravel plains and sandy bays, with some areas reached by paths over uneven ground and stretches of bare rock.
- The official language is Arabic and the currency is the Egyptian pound. Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Ras Mohammed National Park
Where is Ras Mohammed National Park located?
Ras Mohammed National Park lies at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, south of Scharm asch-Schaich, where the Gulf of Suez meets the Gulf of Aqaba.
What can visitors expect on a visit to Ras Mohammed National Park?
Visitors encounter fossil coral cliffs, desert plains, mangrove-lined inlets and extensive coral reefs just offshore, with clear Red Sea water over richly developed reef walls.
What makes Ras Mohammed National Park distinctive?
The park combines uplifted fossil-reef landscapes and hyper-arid desert with a high diversity of hard and soft corals, creating a compact meeting of desert geology and Red Sea marine life.
