Marsa Alam Egypt | Discover Best what to do and activities in Marsa Alam | Top Diving Spots & Snorkeling Trips | Top Day Tours & Marsa Alam Tours to Luxor, Cairo Giza Pyramids, and more Egypt Tours…

Marsa Alam Egypt | Best Things to do in Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam Egypt is considered one of the biggest tourist centers in the Red Sea area. Marsa Alam Egypt is located in the southeast of Egypt on the Red Sea.

Marsa Alam city is 280 kilometers south of Hurghada and 700 kilometers south of Cairo. Ptolemy II (281-246BC) built the first road link, Marsa Alam, to Edfu to take emeralds and other precious stones and metals from the mines near Marsa Alam on the Red Sea to the Nile for onward shipment.
Marsa Alam Egypt started as a small fishing village like Hurghada and has now become a very famous sea resort and perfect center for diving and sea trips.

Marsa Alam Egypt was so important in the past because the surrounding areas were rich in deposits of copper, lead, gold, emeralds, and semi-precious stones. It is thought to have contained the first emerald mines anywhere in the world.

Best Things to do in Marsa Alam

The fun starts from the arrival time and on your way to your hotel, you will see the blue water of the Red Sea on one side and the Red Sea mountains on the other side.

Marsa Alam offers great choices between Marsa Alam diving as Marsa Mubarak Snorkeling tour, Marsa Alam snorkeling as Sataya Dolphin Reef trip, or relaxing. While you are in Marsa Alam there is always something to do every day if you like.

Marsa Alam Egypt Diving

Marsa Alam dive sites are among the best in the world that you can explore. One of the Marsa Alam dive sites and at the top of everyone’s must-drive list is the Elphinstone Reef.

You can see the oceanic whitetip sharks and hammerheads, manta rays, dolphins, and all kinds of tropical fish. The Brother Islands, Dolphin House, and Abu Dabbab are some other popular Marsa Alam dive site spots where you’ll love exploring by Hamata Islands Snorkeling day trip.

Marsa Alam Egypt Dive Sites

Torfet Ali

One of the best dive sites Red Sea worthwhile exploring more than once, especially for advanced divers. The dive sites are not far from Porto Ghalib Port, only 10 minutes to sail by boat. The 5 sites offer beautiful spots with healthy reefs and large pinnacles.

Torfet Ali varied in depth from 5 to 70 meters and average visibility of 20m with a low current between 1 – 2 knots. The 5 dive sites’ names are as follows:

  • Torfet Abu Shash
  • Pipeline
  • Shaab Ghalib
  • Villa Kharafi
  • HALG Nigma

Recommended tours

  • Boat diving from Porto Ghalib
  • Marsa Mubarak 2

One of the largest bays in the area lies 30 minutes to the south of Port Ghalib and if offers numerous options for diving and snorkeling.

Marsa Mubarak

is well known for the green sea turtles, dolphins, and a dugong coming to the area from time to time. The place offers some of the most beautiful dive sites in the area including:

  • Panorama
  • Shaab Abu Ziyad
  • Madrassah
  • El Aruk Goa
  • Seagrass
  • Farsha Sahab
  • Habili Gudda
  • Shaab Abu Mahmoud

Recommended tours

  • Scuba dive at Marsa Mubarak from Marsa Alam

Halg Salman

Halg Salman consists of two nice diving sites, one of them has an amazing pinnacle.

The two sites are:

  • Maksour
  • Hadana

Marsa Shouna / Shouni Kebir

One of those amazing dive sites in Marsa Alam Egypt for liveaboard and daily snorkeling and diving alike. You can have a great chance to spot scorpionfishes, corals of all shapes and sizes, snappers, batfish, and goatfish. That is not all, the area is very for its reef walls for octopus and other camouflaged creatures.

Shouni Kebir includes many diving sites like

  • Ras Shouna
  • Shouna Seagrass
  • Sha’ab Abu Khaled
  • Aquarium area
  • Sha’ab Sireer

Marsa Egla

Marsa Egla is to the north of Marsa Alam Egypt and it is a large sandy bay accessible from the shore with very good visibility. The name means baby cow(dugong) as it was normal to see the dugong in the area. Marsa Egla dive site is suitable for drift diving and ideal for snorkeling.

If you like to see a variety of sea creatures like stingrays, scorpionfish, and moray eel, you should start with the northern part of the bay.

Recommended Tours:

  • Half day snorkeling from Marsa Alam
  • Marsa Alam Diving offshore

Marsa Asalaya

Marsa Asalaya is one of the most beautiful bays of Marsa Alam Egypt. It is a well-protected and sheltered bay accessible from the shore or from the boat.

It is a bay with a sandy bottom and it has a magnificent colorful reef, one of them ends at the depth of 28m and the other one at 50 m. at this site, you will have the opportunity to snorkel and discover the beauty of the virgin corals. Sometimes you will see a sea cow (Dugong) along with thousands of colorfully marine life species Napoleon fish and Crocodile fish can often be found close by the reef

Ras El Torfa

Contain many nice diving sites like Ras El Torfa, also known as Abu Syal. The site is famous for its visibility which is very good between 10-30m and warm water bottom temperature of 23 – 29 ℃. The dive site starts with a depth of 11 m till 18m with a current between 1-3 knots. This dive site is recommended for CMAS * / OW divers. Green turtles, sharks, and rays are normally spotted there.

Ras El Torfa Include

  • Etnin Galawa
  • Abu Syal
  • Kora Kebir
  • Shaab Salata

Marsa Shouni Soraya 

Marsa Shouni Soraya is a dive site with a maximum depth of 18 meters and a water temperature of 23℃. Ideal for new and experienced divers alike. It is normal to see scorpion fishes, barracuda, stonefish, turtles, dolphins, and even whale sharks have seen recently. Soraya has located an hour sailing to the south of Porto Ghalib.

It consists of three very different dive sites, that you can easily reach from the shore:

  • Nos Wa Nos
  • Talata Tabba
  • El Lesan

Marsa Morena / Marsa Murena – Marsa Alam Egypt

Marsa Morena is one of those dive sites where you can drift over the reef tongues and sand beaches. Marsa Murena is of 26m average depth and 1 knot current with bottom Water temperature 22 – 30 ℃. The place is accessible from the shore or by daily boat from Port Ghalib.

The site offers many dive sites like:

  • Torfet Badawia
  • Shaab Tarabesa
  • Shaab Bohar

Abu Dabbab Marsa Alam Egypt

This turtles bay as it is known in Marsa Alam Egypt is a mind-blowing dive site. One of the most famous dive sites on the Red Sea. The bay is 30 km to the south of Marsa Alam airport and we offer Marsa Alam airport Transfers, next to the Hilton Nubian hotel.

One of the best and prettiest beaches along Marsa Alam coast. Dream for divers and snorkelers alike for its sandy beach, colorful corals, and wide range of maritime life. You can surely see the green turtles, dugong, and different kinds of fish.

Abu Dabbab House Reef

Abu Dabbab has two stunning house reefs. The south reef and the north reef and between them grassy meadows, the main food for the turtles.

Nearby Abu Dabbab dive sites

There are a lot of Dive sites Red Sea near Abu Dabbab

  • Elphinstone Reef
  • Shaab Abu Dabbab I
  • Shaab Abu Dabbab II
  • Shaab Abu Dabbab III
  • Shaab Abu Dabbab IIII
  • the Garden Reef or Um Halhala

 

El Phinstone  (Sha’ab Abu Hamra) – Marsa Alam Egypt

Where is El Phinstone Reef / Sha’ab Abu Hamra?

El Phinstone reef is very close to El Phinstone hotel, Abu Dabbab, and Hilton hotel. It is reachable by speed boat, daily boats from Porto Ghalib, and liveaboard.

The reef is about 30 km north of Marsa Alam city and 12km offshore. This dive site is famous for its wonderful drift dives along deep steep walls.

What you can see while diving in El Phinstone?

  • Oceanic Whitetip Shark from October to December
  • Manta Rays from May to August
  • Dolphins
  • Tiger Sharks
  • pelagic fishes like trevallies, Barracudas and Tunas
  • Giant Trevally
  • Napoleon Wrasse
  • Hawksbill Turtle
  • Fusilier

El Phinstone can be divided into four places

El Phinstone reef or as they call it Sha’ab Abu Hamra runs from north to south for about 300 meters long and 20 to 40 meters wide.

The middle section of the reef is very shallow about 1-2 meters and the middle section descends to 40 meters. Sha’ab Abu Hamra has good visibility of 20 meters. The current is strong and mostly from north to south which is good for the skilled divers in drift diving. The reef is one of the best scuba diving in the Red Sea.

El Phinstone can be seen as following:

  • El Phinstone North is about 140 meters long plateau with different depths between 20 and 50 meters
  • El Phinstone South lies at 25 to 45 meters in depth
  • El Phinstone East is very long and steep walls that fall very deep and is a great drop-off
  • El Phinstone West is about 40m deep but less steep than the east.

Who can scuba dive Elphinstone Reef?

  • Advanced open water divers
  • Minimum 50 logged dives
  • Drift diving training and experience
  • Diver certification that allows you to dive to 30 meters (99 feet) or if you are looking for scuba diving in the Red Sea, El Phinstone is one of the most amazing places where you can dive. You can go on one of the day trips from Marsa Alam or if you prefer liveaboard diving.

The Brothers Islands:

Diving in Brother islands means you catch many birds with one stone. If you like to see wrecks, two not only one, pelagic sharks, oceanic whitetips, iconic thresher sharks, hammerhead sharks, so this is your place.

70 km from El Quseir coat located the Brothers Island or El Akhawein as we call them. Big brothers and little brother islands. The big one is 400m long and the small about 200m with a distance of 1km from each other. Both were declared natural protectorates in 1983 and they are visited only by liveaboard.

What can you see in brother islands?

Wrecks

You can see two wrecks to the northeast side of the big brother names Aida and Numidia. The Aida, transport supply ship sank in 1975 after hitting the reef on the way to supply deliver goods for the staff of the lighthouse.

Aida lies at a depth of between 25m to 65m. divers can see the engine room and corals cover the wreck. While Numidia was a British cargo ship that hit the reef in 1901 on the way to India. Numidia wreck lies between 8m and 90m, and it is covered with colorful soft corals.

Dive brother islands give you the chance to see a lot of amazing sea worlds. If you are looking for encountering oceanic white tips and hammerhead sharks as you may do in El Phinstone, here is the place.

What can you see in brother islands?

  • Oceanic whitetips
  • iconic thresher shark.
  • hammerhead sharks
  • barracuda
  • huge Napoleon wrasse
  • Reef fishes
  • Reef

As we mentioned that the two wrecks are covered with soft and hard corals, so stunning corals are waiting for you. Meanwhile, a lot of reef fishes and table corals, gorgonian fans, sponges, black corals, and anemones.

You can dive Brother islands all year long but the best time is from May to September the winter months are not as good as the summer months. So, November to March is not so good to dive.

Recommended tour

Liveaboard

Daedalus Reef / Abu el-Kizal

Diving in Daedalus reef is one of the best experiences for a skilled diver for many reasons related to its isolation. It means liveaboards only can reach the place and that’s why corals are in perfect conditions and it is one of the best scuba dives in the Red Sea.

Daedalus Reef is located 80 km offshore from Marsa Alam Egypt and the reef is 1000m long and 300m wide. The reef is surrounded by huge overgrown reef walls and it has healthy reefs. Advanced divers and intermediates are allowed all year long to dive and the current is strong with nice visibility of 20-30m.

What you can see in the Daedalus reef?

  • hammerhead sharks,
  • shark action,
  • manta rays
  • schooling fish
  • big pelagic
  • different species of trevally
  • Tresher Shark
  • Tunas

Dolphin House (Sha’ab Samadai) / Dolphin House Marsa Alam Egypt

Shaab Samadai is a nice place for divers and snorkels alike. It is 15 km southeast of Marsa Alam Egypt city and it was declared a national park in 2004.

The dolphin house or Shaab Samadai is a horseshoe-shaped reef known as a resting place for the spinner dolphins relate to its calm and sheltered water.

Marsa Alam snorkeling is amazing here, especially for dolphin lovers but only in Zone B where visibility is excellent till 30m. Shaab Samadai Zone B is one of the best places to see the dolphins and snorkel with them plus a beautiful coral reef.

What do you expect to see in Dolphin House Shaab Samadai?

  •  The Sohal surgeonfish (Acanthurus Sohal) or Sohal tang
  • Regal angelfish
  • Masked Puffer (Arothron diadematus)
  • Dolphins
  • Clownfish
  • Rays
  • Turtles

Hamada Wreck at Abu Ghusun

on June 28, 1993, the shipwreck sank at Abu Ghusun area in Wadi El Gemal National Park. Hamada wreck is 65 m long and it sunk on Abu Ghusun reef on the way from Jeddah to Suez. Hamada wreck lies on the starboard, and you can see control rooms, engine rooms, and cargo hold while diving.

Here you can see:

  • Multicolored corals
  • sponges
  • a lot of species of marine fishes
  • fledgling hard corals
  • butterflyfish
  • parrotfish
  • Masts and ropes are still attached

Sha’ab Maksur

Sha’ab Maksur or Shaab Maksour is to the northeastern of Fury Shoals about 28km off Hamata. Shaab Maksur is one of the most beautiful dive sites in Hamata and it is very similar to El Phinstone for the strong current. The reef is 400m long with 3 plateaus. It is visited only by liveaboard that’s why it is almost private.

What to see in Sha’ab Maksur?

  • Turtle
  • hammerhead shark
  • torpedo rays
  • reef shark
  • Napoleon fish
  • hammerhead wrasse
  • tuna
  • barracuda
  • ghost shrimps
  • clownfish
  • lionfish
  • sweetlips
  • bannerfish
  • perch
  • moray

Marsa Alam Egypt snorkeling

Marsa Alam is famous for its healthy corals, an untouched, beautiful underwater world. Besides, Dugong, sea turtles, sharks, and great barracuda.

Marsa Alam is considered one of the biggest tourist centers in the Red Sea area. Marsa Alam Egypt is located in the southeast of Egypt on the Red Sea. Marsa Alam is a paradise for snorkelers and divers alike. Marsa Alam has some unique places where you can see dugong, dolphins, and green turtles.

Marsa Alam is famous for its warm weather all year long, healthy reef, and offshore dive sites. Snorkeling in Marsa Alam is amazing from May to June as the water temperature varies between 26-28 °C. if you like to more of the underwater world and meet some sharks, check our Diving Marsa Alam section.

Marsa Mubarak

Marsa Mubarak is an extraordinary location where you can see Sea Turtles and Sea cows. Marsa Mubarak is one of the most gorgeous snorkeling and diving sites in Marsa Alam. The site is famous for the green turtles, pufferfish, and dugong.

Recommended trips

  • Marsa Mubarak Snorkeling Day from Porto Ghalib

Marsa Shouni

A wonderful location where you can see colorful reefs and some visitors there like Octopus, scorpionfish, and the blue-spotted rays.

Recommended trips

  • Marsa Mubarak Snorkeling Day from Porto Ghalib

Abu Dabbab

Abu Dabbab beach lies 30 KM to the south of Marsa Alam airport. Abu Dabbab is one of the best and most popular bays in Marsa Alam also known as Turtles Bay.

Abu Dabbab is famous for its clean sandy beach, colorful maintained corals, sea turtles, and wide range of maritime life. While snorkeling in the bay, you can meet the Dugong Sea cow, sea turtles, and different kinds of corals and fishes. It is an offshore beach and it is very good for beginners, children and advanced.

Recommended trips

  • Abu Dabbab half-day snorkeling trip from Marsa Alam
  • Abu Dabbab full-day snorkeling trip from Marsa Alam.

Marsa Egla

Marsa Egla is a very large sandy bay accessible from the shore with very good visibility suitable for snorkelers and divers alike.

Recommended trips

  • Half-day offshore Scuba diving from Marsa Alam.

Marsa Asalaya

A well-protected bay with sandy bottom similar to Marsa Egla. Ideal place for snorkeling and discovering the beauty of virgin corals. You may be lucky to see a sea cow (Dugong) along with thousands of colorfully marine life species Napoleon fish and Crocodile fish can often be found close by the reef.

Recommended trips

  • Half-day offshore Scuba diving Marsa Alam

Sharm El Luli / Caribbean Egypt / Egyptian Maldives

Sharm El Luli lies 60 kilometers to the south of Marsa Alam Egypt and it is one of the most beautiful beaches in Egypt. Sharm el Luli beach is one of few unspoiled places in Marsa Alam with its flat white sandy beach, crystal-clear water with a shallow sandy bottom. Sharm El Luli beach runs East-West a maximum depth is 20 meters and beautiful watercolour and an amazing coral reef and green turtles.

Recommended trips

  • Sharm El Luli half day from Marsa Alam
  • Sharm El Luli full day from Marsa Alam.

Qulaan

Qulaan Island is a unique area in the southern part of Wadi El Gemal National Park. Qulaan is famous for its mangrove trees that grow in the salty water.

El Qulaan is a magical area with its great scenery and Nomad Bedouin trips Ababda living there. At El Qulaan beach you can walk, relax, swim or enjoy the turquoise lagoon and the unique mangrove area.

Hamata Islands – Marsa Alam Egypt

Hamata is 130 km to the south of Marsa Alam within Wadi El Gemal National Park. Hamata has 3 very famous islands called Siyal, Shawaret, and Um Al-Shaykh.

The islands have colored coral reefs, beautiful fish, and sandy beaches. Moreover, a lot of birds consider the islands their homes like Haroon, Sooty Falcon, and Crab Plover.

Recommended trips

  • Hamata Islands Snorkeling Day from Marsa Alam
  • Fury Shoals (Dolphin Reef)

Marsa Naizak in Marsa Alam

This natural pool beach existed after a meteor hit planet earth, it is located 14 km south of Marsa Alam Egypt.

Taxi Marsa Alam Egypt:

Airport Marsa Alam is located 60 kilometers to the north of Marsa Alam city. It is the only privately owned and operated international commercial airport in Egypt, that’s why they guarantee your full satisfaction. leisure flights from every country in Europe fly there to find full service and help from the professional airport team.

Transfer Marsa Alam offers private transfers from the airport Marsa Alam to all hotels in Marsa Alam, Hamata, Berenice, and El Quseir and we offer Marsa Alam Airport Transfers to Shams Alam Hotel.

Marsa Alam transfer offers you incredible choices of sightseeing excursions like the great pyramids of Giza, the Egyptian National Museum, Karnak temple, Hatshepsut temple, and the famous rock-cut tombs of the Valley of the Kings including the famous tomb of Tutankhamen.

All our excursions are designed to suit all our customers’ tastes. Meanwhile, you can discover our sea trips for snorkeling and diving plus the desert safari with 4*4 Jeeps and Quad runner and we offer Taxi Transfers from Marsa Alam airport to El Quseir.

Best hotels for snorkeling in Marsa Alam

  • Lamaya
  • Coraya
  • Brayka bay
  • Akassia Swiss resort (el Quseir)
  • Kahramana
  • Abu Dabbab
  • Equinox

Marsa Alam Egypt Tours

Marsa Alam tours and Marsa Alam excursions are available from all the hotels starting with Al Quseir till Hamata.

Marsa Alam tours include Snorkeling Marsa Alam, diving Marsa Alam, Desert Safari Marsa Alam, Sharm El Luli snorkeling, and Marsa Mubarak snorkeling day. Marsa Alam Excursions also offers Marsa Alam tours to the very famous sightseeing in Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan.

We have day trips from Marsa Alam to Luxor, Day trips from Marsa Alam to Aswan. Marsa Alam excursions are your way to explore the best Marsa Alam has to offer during your stay. Check Marsa Alam tours to Wadi El Gemal, Abu Dabbab, and the Mangrove at Qulaan. For more information, check our Marsa Alam tours divided as follows.

Marsa Alam snorkeling including

  • Sataya overnight from Marsa Alam
  • Marsa Mubarak Snorkeling Day from Porto Ghalib
  • Sataya reef | Sataya Reef Egypt
  • Hamata Islands Snorkeling Day from Marsa Alam
  • Sunset Cruise with Dinner Nefertari Sea Scope Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam Diving including

  • Diving El Phinstone
  • Diving Marsa Mubarak
  • Diving Abu Dabbab

Desert safari Marsa Alam including

  • Desert Safari from Marsa Alam
  • Moto Marine desert safari
  • Wadi El Gemal super safari
  • Wadi Hammamat quarries from Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam excursions

Taxi Marsa Alam

  • Marsa Alam airport to Shams Alam
  • Marsa Alam Taxi
  • Taxi Marsa Alam to Marsa Alam hotels
  • Night shopping Porto Ghalib

How to get from Cairo to Marsa Alam?

There are many ways how you get from Cairo to Marsa Alam between very fast ways that take one hour and very long driving hours. Here are the different ways how to get from Cairo to Marsa Alam

Cairo to Marsa Alam by Plane

Direct flight from Cairo to Marsa Alam 4 days weekly and the trip takes one hour and 20 minutes. Every (Sunday-Monday-Wednesday-Thursday)

Egypt Air and Air Cairo are operating flights between Cairo and Marsa Alam.

Cairo to Marsa Alam by Bus

There are two local companies operating between Cairo and Marsa Alam

  • Go Bus Company
  • Upper Egypt Bus Company

Cairo to Marsa Alam by Taxi

Another option is to get from Cairo to Marsa Alam by Taxi but the problem is most of the taxis are not air-conditioned and the distance takes about 9 hours.

Private transfer from Cairo to Marsa Alam

If not by plane, this is could be the best option as a private transfer from Cairo to Marsa Alam with modern, air-conditioned, new brand limousines, Minibuses with a well-trained driver, and a travel agency that provides professional work and insurance.

How to get from Hurghada to Marsa Alam?

The best way to get from Hurghada to Marsa Alam is the private transfer but you still can use the local company Go Bus.

How to get from Sharm El Sheikh to Marsa Alam?

Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from Sharm el Sheikh to Marsa Alam. However, you can take the plane to Hurghada and then transfer from Hurghada almost 3 hours to Sharm El Sheikh.

You can drive from Sharm el Sheikh to Suez then from Suez to Hurghada and end in Marsa Alam.

How to get from Aswan to Marsa Alam?

The only and the best way to get from Aswan to Marsa Alam is the private transfer via Edfu road. It takes 5 Hours.

How to get from Luxor to Marsa Alam?

Luxor to Marsa Alam takes around 5 hours starting from Luxor to Qena, Qena Safaga, and Safaga Marsa Alam via El Quseir.

Hospitals in Marsa Alam

One Day Surgeries Hospital

El Khorafy street, Marsa Alam, Red Sea Governorate

One Life Hospital

Halayeb We Shalateen Rd, Marsa Alam, Red Sea Governorate

City Medical Center

Marsa Alam, Red Sea Governorate

Port Ghalib hospital

Km 72, Quseir Marsa Alam Rd., Corraya bay, Marsa Alam

Baro Medical

Address: Emergency Service, Marsa shagara, Marsa Alam, Red Sea Governorate

Deco International

Address: Wadi lahami, Marsa Alam Inside Marina Hamata, Red Sea Governorate

 One Day Surgeries Hospital

Address: El Khorafy St., Downtown, Marsa Alam Beside Comprehensive General Hospital, Red Sea Governorate

Top Famous Restaurant in Marsa Alam

  1. Nino’s Italian Cuisine
  2. Culinarium Sea Food Restaurant
  3. El Ferdos Fish Restaurant
  4. Aladdin Restaurant & Lounge Bar
  5. Momo Asian Restaurant
  6. Sofra Restaurant
  7. Hakuna Matata Restaurant