Big Brother:

Now, which brother is more attractive? The Aida II and the Numidia have found their ultimate resting places here and are as gorgeous as they never were in "lifetime," leading many to believe that the larger one has a little more edge owing to its wreckage and is more attractive.

One can only estimate where the wreck ends and the reef begins because both have transformed into flourishing gardens.

The Numidia on the more exposed north side has properly fallen to the pressures of the water.

Because of its cargo, it is also called a railway wreck. The bow is in shallow water, from about 15m depth you can guess the hull.

Small Brother:

The reef has a very high concentration of life in a very small area.

Coral forests, overhangs, hard and soft corals in a variety and amazing colours... and of course there is plenty of fish!

Regular sightings of hammerhead, thresher, gray, silky and white tip reef sharks can be expected at any time of the year.

Elphinstone Reef:

This reef is known for shark encounters, white tip reef sharks, hammerheads, gray reef sharks, thresher sharks and of course what Elphinstone is famous for: the Longimanus – the oceanic white tip reef shark.

A reef little longer than 300 metres in length is called Elphinstone Reef or Sha'ab Abu Hamra, and it is situated 20 kilometres from Marsa Alam. The breathtaking drop-offs on both sides of the reef extend well over 100 metres.

Strong currents make this a perfect drift dive along sheer walls covered with many species of fish and soft corals. You'll see barracuda, angelfish and hordes of anthias, groupers, moray eels and schools of sweetlips.

To the north, the reef is covered in soft corals. An archway at 65 metres deep at the southern end of Elphinstone is much beyond recreational diving limitations and is best suited for tec divers. This location is also visited by white tip sharks on occasion.

Other species of sharks are regular visitors here - whitetip and gray reef sharks, as well as hammerheads and silky sharks can be spotted.

The east side has a huge drop-off, whereas the west side is less steep and sandy. This area is rich in soft corals, sponges, sea fans, and enormous crinoids.

Brothers & Elphinstone Reef is a great combination for divers who love walls and big fish.