Protected horseshoe reef with a resident spinner dolphin pod
Sha'ab Samadai is a horseshoe-shaped reef about 8 km offshore, protected as a managed marine zone where a resident pod of spinner dolphins rests in the sheltered inner lagoon. Diving focuses on the outer reef's coral pinnacles (ergs) and gentle slopes on the southwest tip, typically between 10 and 25 m. Snorkellers stay in a designated zone while the dolphins' core resting area remains off-limits.