Samadai Reef Trip from Marsa Alam: Snorkeling at Dolphin House

Spinner dolphins feed in the open sea at night and look for calm, sheltered water to rest during the day. The curved reef at Samadai makes a quiet lagoon, and for years a pod of spinner dolphins has used it as a daytime resting place. That is how the reef got its nickname, Dolphin House.

The name can be confusing, because people also use it for Sataya Reef, a different reef more than 100 km further south. If you are not sure which one you have read about, our Dolphin House guide explains the difference.

Samadai is a protected area. Part of the lagoon is closed to everyone so the dolphins can rest in peace, and snorkelers may only swim in a set area. The number of visitors each day is limited, and there is a fee to enter the protected area — ask us what it is when you enquire.

In the water, everyone wears a float vest. You stay with your guide, slip in quietly, and never chase, touch or feed the dolphins. If the dolphins come closer, it is because they choose to. These rules are the reason the dolphins keep coming back, so please follow them.

A Samadai day starts with a pickup from your hotel and a drive to the harbour, then a boat ride of about an hour to the reef. After a safety briefing you snorkel in the permitted area with a guide, and the rest of the reef is good for snorkeling over coral even when the dolphins are far away.

Because Samadai is much closer to Marsa Alam than Sataya, the day is usually shorter. The exact pickup time, the boat, the time at the reef and what is included depend on the day, so we confirm all of it with you before you book.

Both reefs are known for spinner dolphins, and on both the dolphins are wild. Samadai is the closer one, with a shorter boat ride. Sataya is far to the south and makes a long day, but it is a beautiful, remote reef.

Sataya is a trip you can book with us straight away: the Sataya dolphin snorkeling trip starts with an early pickup, a drive of about two hours to Hamata harbour and a boat ride to the reef, with two snorkel stops and lunch on board. If you would rather stay closer, ask us about Samadai.

Bring swimwear, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and a long-sleeved top for the sun on the boat. If you get seasick easily, take a tablet before the boat leaves. In winter the sea is cooler, so a wetsuit makes snorkeling much more comfortable. Our packing list for Marsa Alam has more ideas.