The first time you snorkel or dive and put your head underwater, you will understand why the Red Sea attracts divers from all over the world. It starts with the corals.
**What are corals, actually?** Corals are not plants — they are animals. Small polyps build calcium structures that grow into reefs over millennia. The Red Sea has reefs that are over 5,000 years old.
**Why are Red Sea corals so special?** The Red Sea is an almost closed body of water with little freshwater inflow and very high salinity. This has enabled an evolution that makes corals here more resistant to temperature changes — an important factor in the face of global warming.
*Over 300 coral species* are found in the Red Sea, including many endemic species found nowhere else in the world.
**What do you see when snorkelling?** Hard and soft corals, fan corals, brain corals, table corals. Among them: parrotfish, triggerfish, clownfish (yes, like Nemo!), rays and sometimes reef sharks.
**How do you protect the corals?** Do not touch them — even brief contact can destroy years of growth. Use reef-safe sunscreen (no oxybenzone). Do not stand on the reef. Do not throw litter into the sea.