Marine life profile
Dugong
Recorded at 24 dive sitesWhere divers encounter it
Explore Dugong around the world
The <b>dugong</b> (/ˈduːɡɒŋ/, /ˈdjuːɡɒŋ/; <i>Dugong dugon</i>) is a medium-sized marine mammal. Social and alert, it communicates through movement, sound and close coordination with others in its group.
Meet the species
What to look for
How to Recognize It
Look for smooth skin, deliberate breathing at the surface and powerful tail-driven movement.
How It Behaves
Social and alert, it communicates through movement, sound and close coordination with others in its group.
Special Ability
Breath control, sensitive hearing and complex social awareness support long dives and precise underwater navigation.
Dive responsibly
Share the water well
How to Approach
Keep a respectful distance and let the animal initiate any closer pass. Never pursue, touch or separate a group.
Safety
These are strong, protected wild animals. Follow local interaction rules and avoid placing yourself between adults and young.
Worth knowing
The detail you remember
Interesting Facts
It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees.
Where to Find
Look in productive coastal water, sheltered bays, channels and offshore feeding areas where food is concentrated.
Known countries
Sightings map
Dugong locations
Plan a dive
Dive sites with reported encounters
Million Dollar Point
Vanuatu
The mangled mess of metal is one of the most incredible and unique dives you can do. Descending down to a maximum of 40m, this site is perfect for underwater photography with its constant crystal clear blue water.
Nursery - Neil
India
Nursery is one of the popular dive sites of Neil, with gentle slopes and diversified coral formations suitable for divers and snorkelers. The site is parallel to the fringing reefs closer to the shoreline, making it easily accessible.
Papatura Pool
Solomon Islands
Shore dive to the sandy bottom area in front of Papatura. This site is five to eight meters deep. It is used as a training (pool like) site for new divers. Very protected, can be used all the time.
Siaba Kecil
Indonesia
Siaba Kecil offers some amazing drift dives. We drift along a reef that is filled with small caverns. At both ends of the island there is a beautiful coral garden where we do our safety stop, or wherer less experienced divers can dive. Otherwise this spot is for experienced divers only as currents can be strong.
SS President Coolidge (Wreck)
Vanuatu
Considered by many divers to be the best wreck dive in the world, the SS President Coolidge was a luxury passenger liner converted to a troop carrier during WWII. While entering the Segond Channel she struck a friendly mine. The captain ran her aground with the intention of salvaging, however the ship sank quickly.
Abu Dabab Garden
Egypt
Fringing reef with beautiful corrals and lots of colorful fish. Reef is in very good condition. Depth varies from 5 to 30m. Specialty of Abu Dabbab Garden is the area around the jetty where a small and a big lagoon, canyons and caves can be found.
Abu Ghusun (Wreck)
Egypt
The dive site is located approx. 70km south of Marsa Alam and is a shallow dive from 5m to 25m with easy access from shore over the sand to the shipwreck that lays at 16m /17m deep. This dive is suitable for entry level divers, however, in rough conditions, visibility might not be the best.
Alma Bay
Australia
Alma Bay has a shallow fringing reef on both the left and right sides. Gentle sloping, sandy bottom with very little water movement. The maximum depth is 9m with an average depth around 5m.
Aquarium - Neil
India
A festive theme park composed of patch reefs, hard corals, and shallow waters is a relaxing site for divers to chill and observe beautiful aquatic organisms. The exciting array of rocky patches at the bottom holds a network of colorful corals and reef fish complementing each other in perfect sync.
Dragonet Housereef
Indonesia
This Dive site Located on the mainland of Manado, just off the southern tip of Sulawesi Located just 15 minutes out of Manado Bay . This dive site has a variety of a colourful underwater life, this is because is located in the golden triangle of the world’s coral reefs.
Dugong Watch
Philippines
It takes about two hours by car from Coron to the village of Quezon, north of Buanga Island, where it takes about an hour to get to the northwest beach of Karawite Island. Around Calauit, north of Buanga Island, a thin 10m deep coral reef is covered with coral sand, and many water plants are growing in this coral.
Gasus Soraya
Egypt
This dive site is very easy to dive from shore and is one of the easy accessible dive sites between Safaga and El Quesir.
Goldies' Garden
India
Goldies, the shimmering 24-karat wonder of Neil, is a gem of a site ideal for everyone. It’s a concise paradise for expert divers to relax, certified divers to practice, and even first-timers to get introduced to Scuba Diving.
Kuburan
Indonesia
This dive site was in the south of Kri island. This a gentle slope site ideal for all diving level and good for snorkeling also. With a various marine life.
Marsa Abu Dabab
Egypt
Abu Dabab North is a significant dive site located in the Marsa Alam zone with very easy access from the shore. This site is suitable for all diver levels and snorkelers as well. It can be easily accessed from boat and shore (boats can only access the site from outside the bay).
Marsa Egla
Egypt
A great shore dive that is located 11km from Marsa Alam. There is easy access to the water in a bay format, suitable for entry level and experienced divers alike. The reef extends to the north and to the south where the bay divides; you can decide which direction to go...they are both good dives.
Marsa Fekera
Egypt
45 minutes from Marsa Alam in the south direction you can find this small bay with seagrass in the middle, a big beautiful coral garden on the south side and some canyons on the south side.
Papatura point
Solomon Islands
Straight off the shore of Papatura to the right is Papatura point. This site is a long spacious reefs ranging from 5 meters deep to 18 meters. This site experiences bi-directional currents influenced by tidal movements. Can be murky if lots of rain fall has occurred.
Port Ghalib Fishmarket
Egypt
House reef Port Ghalib - offers something for every diver. The beginner can enter the water via a sandy beach and finds a nice reef at 5 - 20m depth. At the outer reef it drops down, depending on the training, to far over 60m.
Ras Torombi
Egypt
At the entry point, there are several coral blocks ranging from 8 to 15 meters in depth, reaching almost to the surface.A beautiful coral garden with soft and hard corals.
Sheik Malek
Egypt
Seagrass meadow with many beautifully overgrown coral blocks. The entrance is via the reef top.
Small World
India
Small World has a sandy bottom surrounded by a coral reef starting from the beach. The site is ideal for entry level divers or for buoyancy skills.
Large, shallow bay with a seagrass meadow. You have the option of diving along the reef, walking through the seagrass meadow, or even both.Easy entry from the beach.Beautiful coral blocks and lettuce corals.
Umm El Ros/Marsa Mubarak
Egypt
Umm El Ros is one of the most well known dive sites in the port Ghalib area and only a 15 minute ride away from the marina. A natural bay formation keeps this site protected. A beautiful dive can be conducted from 1m depth through a sandy bottom to the northern reef or to the southern pinnacles.