Shore Diving

Although once an area just visited by liveaboard boats there are now many land based dive centres which provide shore and boat diving. The shore diving is easily accessed by short jeep rides to the entry points. There are numerous sites to choose from along the 100km of coastal reef such as Abu Dabab where divers and snorkeler’s alike visit to catch a glimpse of its resident dugong called Dennis. Even if you aren’t lucky enough to spot the dugong there is still an immense amount of life to occupy and delight everybody ranging from Guitar Sharks, Green Turtles to eels and colourful reef fish.

Coral Fish, Credit

Day Trips

There are many excellent sites you can visit on day trips from Marsa Alam. Most dive centres with offer a two dive package which departs in the morning and returns mid afternoon. Some of the more popular sites to visit on these trips are Elphinstone Reef, Sha’ab Samadai (aka Dolphin House reef), and Marsa Shouna.

Elphinstone Reef is one of the most famous dive sites in Egypt and is a place where people have the chance of large pelagic encounters such as Oceanic Whitetips, Whitetip Reef Sharks, Grey Reef Sharks, dolphins and sometimes even schooling Hammerheads! This spectacular reef’s steep walls are covered with colourful soft corals and thousands of anthias which along with an abundance of life makes this a photographers dream. The down side is that there are sometimes very strong currents so it’s not suitable for beginners.

Sha’ab Samadai is nicknamed Dolphin House due to its large pods of at least 60 spinner dolphins that can be seen whilst diving here. There is a lot more to see on the colourful horseshoe shaped reef which creates a pretty protected lagoon with great visibility.

White tip reef shark, Credit

Liveaboard Diving

Liveaboard diving from Marsa Alam allows more experienced divers to visit further afield sites such as the Brother Islands and St John’s and Daedalus. The Brother Islands are two pinnacles approx 50km from land. They have very steep reef walls plunging down to hundreds of metres deep. This makes the islands a brilliant site for shark encounters, with its resident Grey Reef Sharks, occasional Hammerheads and in the winter months the shy Thresher Shark which can be seen coming up from the deep in the early morning. 

Daedalus reef is about 80km east of Marsa Alam and has some of the best diving in Egypt. The steep walls are covered in beautiful pristine hard and soft coral and are usually dived on drift dives. This site is only for experienced divers as the current can be very strong with deep depths and open water. It is a great place to see various sharks such as grey reef, oceanic whitetip and even schooling hammerhead sharks. Other than sharks there is an abundance of reef fish, tuna and occasionally even an odd manta ray or whale shark!

School of snappers at Shaab Marsa Alam, Credit

There are many choices of itineraries to choose from so you will need to research the routes for each before you make a decision to ensure you pick one best suited to your level and interests.  A point to consider when doing this is that a lot of liveaboard itineraries also do have a minimum dive quantity and minimum experience level required.  They are also completely dive focussed not really suitable to non divers as the general day is dive, eat, sleep, dive, eat, sleep and so on with up to 4 dives a day.

How to Get there

Marsa Alam is located on the Egyptian Red Sea coast approx 250km south of Hurghada. Although a relatively new resort it has an international airport which receives flights from the UK and many other destinations in Europe. The other option is to fly into Hurghada and take a bus which takes about 4hrs. Some of the liveaboard companies based in Hurghada have one way liveaboards which start or end in Port Ghalib near Marsa Alam and use this option. A single entry tourist visa is required for all nationalities, some tour operators will meet you on arrival and provide these to you, but its best to check beforehand to see if this is included or not.

Tailspot Squirrelfish, Credit

Where to Eat & Drink

There are a few places to eat and drink in Marsa Alam, although it is still quite a small town and there’s not that much choice so the easiest and best value option for most people is to get an all inclusive or full board package deal with their accommodation.

Fish in a fissure, Credit

Other Activities

If you would like to explore the surrounding area there are many excursions and day trips that can be arranged from Marsa Alam. You can ride a camel across the desert on a safari or visit them in their natural habitat at Wadi El Gamal National Park.

Leather coral and diver at Shaab Marsa Alam, Credit

You can visit the nearby town of El Quseir to see its Ottoman Fort and shop in its bazaars or explore its nearby gold mine.  Further afield a few hours drive and you can reach the famous city of Luxor which is full of many ancient Egyptian temples and historic monuments as well as souks to explore.

 A boat trip down the Nile is also highly recommended, where you can take in the beautiful surroundings such as the backdrop of mountains of the Valley of the Kings.

Family Activities and diving for Children

Marsa Alam is a very family friendly destination. Between the well designed all inclusive resorts and numerous bubble-making courses for kids, the entire family will find activities to do!

Tips

Marsa Alam is a quiet and secluded resort-based town that is generally safe for tourists. If planning a visit, it is important to consult Egypt’s broader security situation as it has changed dramatically in recent years.

That said, Marsa Alam has never been affected by Cairo’s political unrest and visitors are able to bypass the capital entirely by flying into the newly constructed international airport.  

Coral hind over soft corals at Shaab Marsa Alam, Credit

Since the town is built almost entirely around large resorts, visitors infrequently leave the compounds making this a very safe and peaceful destination. Resorts also organize tours into the desert and to neighbouring towns, which generally tend to be hassle free as well.