Mesharifa
A small island in Dungonab Bay where manta rays gather in the warmer months.
Updated 3 September 2026
Mesharifa is a low island in Dungonab Bay north of Port Sudan, and the water around it draws reef manta rays in numbers through the warmer months, feeding on the plankton the bay produces, in one of the more significant aggregations recorded in the Red Sea. The island itself is bare and uninhabited. It sits within the marine area UNESCO inscribed in 2016 along with the wider bay.
What you'll find
- The manta aggregation - the rays gathering in the bay through the warmer months.
- The bare island - a low uninhabited strip in the middle of the bay.
- The plankton bloom - the productivity that brings the mantas in.
- The protected water - the bay's status within the inscribed marine area.
When to go
July to September is when mantas gather in the greatest numbers, which is also the hottest period. November to April is more comfortable but the mantas are fewer. Boats run from Port Sudan.
Good to know
Manta numbers vary considerably year to year and are never guaranteed. Summer heat on this coast is severe, which is awkward given that is the manta season. There is no infrastructure of any kind.
Nearby
Dungonab Bay surrounds it, and Port Sudan is south.
What to pack for Mesharifa
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Reef-safe sunscreen - High SPF that will not bleach the coral you are swimming over. Find on Amazon
- Binoculars - The single best wildlife tool - even a compact pair transforms a sighting. Find on Amazon
- Quick-dry towel - A microfibre towel packs small and dries in minutes. Find on Amazon
- A zoom camera or long lens - Animals rarely come close; reach beats megapixels. Find on Amazon
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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
