You’ve probably seen the grainy YouTube videos. A diver descends into a deep, sapphire void, their bubbles disappearing into the darkness. Then, the camera tilts, revealing a massive, cathedral-like opening. This is the Blue Hole Egypt Arch, a geological wonder located just north of Dahab in the Sinai Peninsula. It is breathtaking. It is also, quite frankly, one of the most dangerous places on the planet for people who don't respect the physics of the ocean.
People call it the "Divers' Cemetery." That’s not marketing hype or a spooky nickname to drive tourism. It’s a literal description of the memorial plaques bolted to the nearby cliffs. If you're standing on the shore, the Blue Hole looks like a peaceful, circular pool of turquoise water, about 120 meters deep, protected from the Red Sea’s currents by a ring of coral. But at about 52 meters down, there is a tunnel. An archway. It connects the deep sinkhole to the open ocean.
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It sounds simple enough. Just swim through, right? Wrong.
Why the Arch Is a Siren Song
The Blue Hole Egypt Arch is a massive passage. We’re talking 26 meters long. The ceiling of the arch starts around 52 meters, but the floor drops away to over 100 meters. This creates a massive visual distortion. Because the Arch is so large and the water is so clear, it looks much closer than it actually is.
Nitrogen narcosis is the real killer here. When you breathe compressed air at that depth, the nitrogen starts to act like an anesthetic. You feel "narked." It’s a sensation similar to being tipsy or even full-blown drunk. Your judgment goes out the window. You might think you're at 30 meters when you’re actually at 55. You might think you have plenty of air when your tank is screaming empty. You might see the light at the end of the tunnel and decide to swim toward it, not realizing that against a strong current, that 26-meter swim is going to take way more gas than you have left.
Most recreational divers are certified to go to 30 or 40 meters. The Arch starts at 52. Do the math. You are already beyond your limit before you even reach the top of the opening.
The Yuri Lipski Incident
We have to talk about Yuri Lipski. Honestly, his story is the reason most people even know about the Blue Hole Egypt Arch. In 2000, Lipski, an experienced diving instructor, attempted a solo dive to the Arch. He carried a video camera. He never came back up.
The footage recovered from his helmet is harrowing. It doesn’t show a monster or a mechanical failure. It shows a man losing his sense of reality. You can see his computer depth gauge spiraling: 60 meters, 70 meters, 80 meters. He was sinking, likely overcome by narcosis, unable to inflate his buoyancy compensator or simply too confused to realize he was falling into the abyss. He eventually settled on a ledge at 91 meters.
Tarek Omar, a legendary local technical diver often called "The Elder," was the one who recovered Lipski’s body. Omar has recovered over 20 bodies from the Blue Hole. He’s seen it all. He often tells people that the Arch isn't inherently "evil" or "cursed." It’s just indifferent. The ocean doesn't care if you're a hero or a novice. If you go deep without the right gas mix—specifically Trimix, which uses helium to offset the effects of nitrogen—you are rolling the dice with your life.
The Geology Behind the Void
The Blue Hole is a karst sinkhole. Basically, it’s a cave that collapsed thousands of years ago. While most sinkholes are inland, this one formed right on the edge of the coast.
The Arch itself is a structural anomaly. Most coral reefs grow upward toward the light, but the Arch was formed by a combination of erosion and the specific way the Sinai shelf drops into the Red Sea. The water inside the hole is remarkably still. This is why it’s so popular for freedivers. If you go to Dahab today, you’ll see some of the world’s best freedivers—people like William Trubridge or Alenka Artnik—practicing their breath-holds here. They love the lack of current. But even they stay away from the Arch unless they are at the absolute elite level of the sport.
The contrast is wild. On the surface, you have "Mam's" or other little Bedouin cafes serving mint tea and Shakshuka. You have backpackers in flip-flops. Then, fifty meters directly below their feet, there is a dark, cold tunnel that has claimed more lives than almost any other dive site in the world.
Technical Diving: The Only Safe Way Through
If you are hell-bent on seeing the Blue Hole Egypt Arch, don't do it on a single tank of air. That’s a suicide mission.
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Technical diving is a whole different beast. You need multiple tanks. You need a decompression plan. You need a mix of gases—Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Helium. By replacing some of the nitrogen with helium, divers can keep their heads clear. They don't get that "drunk" feeling. They can actually appreciate the scale of the Arch, which is, by all accounts, absolutely majestic. The blue light filtering through the opening from the open sea is a color you won't find anywhere else on Earth. It’s a haunting, electric indigo.
But even with the best gear, the Arch demands respect. The currents on the outside of the hole, in the open Red Sea, can be unpredictable. If you swim through the Arch and find yourself caught in a "downcurrent" on the other side, you could be pushed even deeper into the blue before you can react.
What Most People Get Wrong About Dahab
Dahab isn't just a place where divers go to die. It’s actually a very chill, bohemian town. It’s the opposite of the high-rise resorts in Sharm El Sheikh.
People think the Blue Hole is some forbidden, restricted zone. It’s not. You can pay a small entrance fee, walk right in, and snorkel around the edges. The "Saddle," which is a shallow lip of coral about 6 meters deep, is where most people enter. From there, you can look down into the deep blue. It’s terrifying and beautiful all at once. You can see the reef walls covered in fan corals and anemones. You’ll see schools of Anthias fish—those bright orange ones—darting in and out of the reef.
The tragedy of the Blue Hole Egypt Arch is that its reputation sometimes overshadows the incredible biodiversity of the area. But the danger is a part of its identity now. You can't separate the two.
Actionable Advice for Your Visit
If you're planning a trip to Dahab to see this site, here is how to do it without becoming a statistic:
- Snorkel, don't dive (unless you're Pro): If you aren't an advanced diver with at least an Advanced Open Water certification and dozens of deep dives, stay on the surface. The view from the top is still incredible.
- Hire a Guide: Never, ever dive the Blue Hole for the first time without a local guide who knows the entry and exit points. The "Bells" entry, a chimney-like crack in the reef further up the coast, is the best way to start a dive that ends at the Blue Hole.
- Respect the 40m Limit: If you are a recreational diver, 40 meters is your hard ceiling. The Arch is below you. Look at it from a distance. Do not "just go a little deeper" to get a better photo. That is exactly how people get into trouble.
- Check the Wind: Dahab is famous for wind (it’s a windsurfing mecca). High winds mean choppy water and difficult exits. If the local Bedouins say the water is "rough," listen to them.
- Visit the Memorial: Take a moment to walk up to the cliffside and read the plaques. It’s a sobering reminder that the Blue Hole Egypt Arch is a place that requires humility. It’s a place to honor the sea, not to conquer it.
The Arch remains one of the most polarizing spots in the diving world. For some, it’s a bucket-list challenge. For others, it’s a graveyard that should be avoided. Regardless of where you stand, there is no denying the raw, geological power of that underwater bridge. It is a reminder that there are still places on this planet where humans are just temporary visitors, and the rules are written by pressure, light, and the cold, deep blue.
Stay safe. Keep your depth in check. Watch your air. The Arch isn't going anywhere, and it’s much better to see it and live to tell the story than to become part of the legend yourself.
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Next Steps for Your Sinai Adventure
- Book a reputable dive center: Look for shops in Dahab with "Technical Diving" certifications (like PADI TecRec or TDI) even if you are just doing a recreational dive. They tend to have better safety protocols.
- Acclimatize: Spend a few days in Dahab snorkeling and doing shallower dives like the Canyon or Lighthouse Reef before attempting anything at the Blue Hole.
- Gear Check: Ensure your depth gauge and dive computer are calibrated and have fresh batteries. In the darkness of the Arch, your computer is your only lifeline to reality.