Sataya is a horseshoe-shaped reef in the Fury Shoals, approximately 90km south of Marsa Alam. The horseshoe opens to the northwest. The outer reef walls drop steeply to 30–40m, and inside sits a shallow lagoon at 5–15m where the largest resident spinner dolphin population in the Egyptian Red Sea rests and socialises.

Between 80 and 150 dolphins use this lagoon consistently. In the early morning before 9am, the pod is present and calm, the animals move slowly through the water column, interact with each other and tolerate careful divers hovering at depth. After roughly 9am they move out to hunt in the open sea. The morning window is the dive here.

Once the dolphins have moved out, the lagoon and outer reef walls are dived in full. The coral is in exceptional condition: this far south, traffic is low and the reefs reflect it. Gorgonian fans, soft coral heads, napoleon wrasse and large barracuda schools occupy the outer face from 15m to 30m. Green turtles are common on both faces. Giant manta rays have been sighted on the outer south wall, not reliably, but with enough consistency that a dedicated slow drift along that section is worth doing.

Accessible by speedboat from Hamata (approximately 45 minutes, Wadi Lahami runs daily trips weather permitting) or as part of a liveaboard covering the Deep South and Fury Shoals. The combination of genuine wild dolphin interaction and pristine reef diving makes Sataya one of the most complete dives in the Egyptian Red Sea.