The mythical island of Zabargad in the Red Sea, has an extremely unusual geological formation: the centre of the island is of volcanic origin, while the coastal areas are made up of coral. The island is named after a green gemstone called peridot, which was produced when the volcanic block emerged from out of the sea. Wrecks from over the ages lie on the sea-beds and are important relics of the trading that went on between the East and West. The underwater landscape is crowded with a lot of lively marine species: extraordinarily-shaped corals weave incredible natural architecture. The colourful sponges, sea anemones, clownfish and Alcyonaria create a sort of amazing underwater rainbow testifying to the rich biodiversity of this sea.