The Straits of Tiran separate the Gulf of Aqaba from the open Red Sea, and the four reef plateaus ringing Tiran Island—Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse, and Jackson—anchor some of the most biodiverse hard-coral ecosystems in the northern Red Sea. Egyptian authorities declared the straits a protected zone in 1983, imposing a 7-euro conservation fee that funds reef monitoring and mooring-buoy maintenance. The reefs rise from depths exceeding 800 metres, creating vertical walls where pelagic species—barracuda, trevally, and seasonal hammerhead sharks—hunt in the thermocline while hawksbill turtles forage in the shallows. Most tiran island boat trip sharm departures leave Na'ama Bay or Sharm Marina between 08:00 and 09:00, timing arrivals to coincide with slack tide when visibility peaks above 30 metres. The 12-kilometre crossing takes 45 minutes by motorised yacht, less by speedboat. Gordon Reef, the southernmost plateau, sits beneath the rusted hulk of the *Loullia*, a Cypriot freighter that ran aground in 1981; its bow section now serves as a navigation mark and a substrate for staghorn coral colonies. Thomas Reef, two kilometres north, drops to a sand tongue at 28 metres where lionfish congregate in crevices. Jackson Reef, the shallowest, offers snorkeling access to plate corals and sergeant-major schools within three metres of the surface. Diving operators favour the north face of Thomas Reef for drift dives during incoming tides, when nutrient upwelling draws manta rays and eagle rays to cleaning stations. Snorkeling itineraries prioritise the Gordon Reef shallows and the Woodhouse Reef lagoon, where branching *Acropora* formations create sheltered corridors for clownfish and butterflyfish. Private charters allow multi-site visits within a single outing, though Egyptian coastguard restrictions prohibit anchoring inside the reserve; all vessels use designated mooring buoys installed by the South Sinai Conservation Sector. Water temperature holds between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius year-round, and the prevailing northwesterly wind creates moderate chop in the straits from March through May. Shared cruises include lunch service—typically grilled chicken, rice, and salad—while private speedboat bookings offer flexible departure windows and longer bottom time at each reef.