More and more people are encouraged to visit Marsa Alam. Its main attraction is the same as that of other coastal cities on the Red Sea, such as Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh or Dahab. That is, its unbeatable conditions for diving. Marsa Alam, however, it adds a further attraction: a greater sense of tranquility and connection with the nature of the surroundings, such as in the nearby Wadi El Gemal National Park.
It is true that many tourism developments have been initiated in recent years and that, due to different circumstances, not all of them have been completed. But it is also clear that the great aspiration here is sustainability: to promote a turism in Marsa Alam that grows in communion with nature and not in spite of it. On this page we tell you what you can do in this emerging destination and how you can organize your trip, something that will be much easier if you turn to the help of Egipto Exclusivo.
Marsa Alam is located in the Red Sea Governorate, about 250 km from Shalateen, which marks the border with Sudan. It can be considered the southernmost tourist destination on this Egyptian coast, although we must not forget Berenice, which we mention below and which is even closer to that border limit (about 100 km).
In any case, when you come to visit Marsa Alam you will realize that it is a quieter and smaller place than others on the Red Sea, as it has ‘only’ several tens of thousands of inhabitants, although its population fluctuates according to the flows of visitors it receives.
Its latitude is 25ºN, practically similar to that of Edfu, which is about 220 km by road and is the closest city in the Nile Valley. However, although they have the same latitude, the climate is noticeably different, because in Marsa Alam the waters of the Red Sea slightly temper the temperatures, minimizing a few degrees the torrid desert climate that dominates inland. These are some values that may serve as a reference:
Sunshine is very high due to permanently clear skies, and solar incidence is very high due to the southern latitude of the city. Therefore, it is more important than ever to protect yourself well: skin cream, sunglasses, a hat for your head and bottled water for good hydration.
If you are going to visit Marsa Alam, you will realize that the main attractions are related to ‘what to do’ and not ‘what to see‘. This town has no outstanding historical-artistic monuments in its urban center, due to its small size and its peripheral character. And it was not until the beginning of the 20th century that the general public began to place it on the map.
By then, its international airport was inaugurated and the great attraction of Marsa Alam began to be exploited: diving. Marsa Alam: diving. in the crystal clear waters of the Red Sea. As a result, numerous accommodations sprang up, although not as focused on the resort concept that predominates in Hurghada. Numerous companies specialized in all types of activities have also emerged, creating a wide range of proposals for those who make tourism in Marsa Alam. Below we review the main points.
Diving in Marsa Alam is, without a doubt, the great attraction of this tourist destination. The reason: the numerous spots for diving or simply snorkeling from the surface. Some of these points are extraordinary coral reefs located practically next to the shore. In fact, approaching many of them requires caution because, if you don’t pay attention, the diver may step on them unintentionally.
You don’t have to worry because the instructors with whom you will practice diving in Marsa Alam will give you indications about it, but this recommendation serves to understand the abundance and proximity of these underwater treasures. Monitors that, by the way, are available for all levels and work for companies that can provide you with all the material you need. Egipto Exclusivo can book this service and the best equipment for you.
The variety of species that you can see when diving in Marsa Alam is enormous. Among the fish, we can mention masked fish, clown fish, parrot fish or humphead wrasse. And among the larger species are hammerhead sharks, thresher sharks, dolphins, green sea turtles or the spectacular dugongs, among other options, whose presence often depends on the season of the year in which you travel.
And as for the diving spots in Marsa Alam, these are some of the most outstanding:
You can not only dive in Marsa Alam to enjoy the Red Sea, but in many other ways. For example, por through boat trips, as there are different characteristics. Those who are more interested in the underwater richness of this coastline, have a good option in the semi-submarines: these boats have a glass hull that allows you to contemplate the most superficial layers of the sea without getting a drop wet and with the tranquility of being seated. Therefore, it is a magnificent option for those who come from tourism to Marsa Alam with children.
Those who want to descend to a greater depth, can do so with submarines, capable of descending several tens of meters inside the water. With this, the possibilities of contemplating marine fauna and flora are much wider, especially the coral reefs, which are thus much more accessible to anyone, without having to pay the ‘toll’ of having to attend classes of diving. In Marsa Alam there are companies that offer special packages on board, with explanations in different languages, something that Egipto Exclusivo can provide you with.
And of course, being a coastal tourist place with a marina, it is also possible to get on board traditional boats that offer trips through the Red Sea to visit some of its islands, other coastal cities such as Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh or even go to strategic points for dolphin watching. For this reason, this is undoubtedly one of the favorite activities for people coming from tourism to Marsa AlamThere are large populations of these friendly cetaceans.
Being surrounded by a large desert, such as the Eastern Desert of Egypt, another of the attractions of tourism in Marsa Alam are the routes through this very particular ecosystem. Something that can be done mainly in two ways: with motor vehicles or by camel.
In the case of motor vehicles, the usual thing is to use 4×4 jeeps, which offer speed and safety to go further. But there is also the option of using quads and other individual off-road vehicles with greater emphasis on the adventure of driving, which the visitor performs in the first person.
On the contrary, camel routes are probably the most genuine cultural experience for those who visit Marsa Alamnot only because of the use of these iconic animals but also because they are guided by Bedouin monitors. Interacting with them is an interesting way to learn more about their culture, as other cultural experiences such as visiting desert farms or tasting tea and other gastronomic products are often included.
Although it is very focused on diving, Marsa Alam and its tourism also try to diversify with other proposals of interest to travelers. And they are succeeding with two other activities that can also be carried out here in very good conditions: kitesurfing and windsurfing.
This is because Marsa Alam enjoys quite a few windy days a year, especially from March to May and from July to September. In addition, its beaches are very shallow and its waters are usually calm and crystal clear, which allows you to be aware of the depth on the board at all times. And of course, companies and professionals have emerged that offer their services and equipment for users of all levels, something that our agency can arrange for you.
For those who have days to spare for sightseeing in Marsa Alameda tourism in Marsa Alam, taking full-day excursions to other places is an option that will enrich your trip. Some focus on the nature of the area and others add the cultural component that is never missing in the tours of this country.
Located a little more than 50 km south of Marsa Alam, it represents an interesting excursion to learn why this place, so apparently arid and inhospitable, hides such a surprising ecosystem. On the coast of this protected natural area, about 50 km in a straight line, there are also virgin beaches that have not yet been exploited by mass tourism. Along the road that leads here, some resorts have been built, but with ecological and Bedouin taste in some cases.
Some of these beaches show one of the star attractions of the Wadi el Gemal National Park: the mangroves, as in Qulaan Mangreove Beach, where there are trees that represent, in themselves, an authentic natural monument, both for their beauty and for their uniqueness. In this area you can find specimens of the species Avicenna Marina which have a high tolerance to salinity and grow with the water around them as if it were a miracle of nature.
Inland it can be an interesting place to carry out safaris such as those mentioned in the previous section, always with the help of professional monitors and with vehicles adapted to the terrain. In some cases, the vehicle tour is combined with parts of trekking to reach certain points of interest, such as the remains of ancient settlements or elevations from which to enjoy a panoramic view of the surroundings.
One of those points of interest in the Wadi El Gemal National Park that deserves special attention is the Wadi Sikai. This is an old mine from which, above all, precious emeralds were extracted that reached great popularity in Ptolemaic and Roman times, and remained until well into the Middle Ages, under Arab domination. In fact, it is believed that the road between Marsa Alam and Edfu was originally intended to transport this luxury good.
Related to this activity would also be the coastal settlement of Myos Hormos, a port that could have been used for the export of emeralds. Wadi Sikat is actually one mine of the ten that approximately exist in this mining complex, called in Roman times as Mons Smaragdus. Currently, its great attraction is a Ptolemaic temple excavated in the rock of the mountain. To reach this place it is essential to have professionals who know the area, because its location is not easy to find. This is why some companies in the tourism of Marsa Alam organize excursions to this place, with everything you need to get there smoothly.
Berenice is a small town located about 150 km south of the city of Marsa Alam. Your tourism is still in an early stage, although the country is betting heavily on its take-off: a new international airport has recently been completed, of which we tell you more details below, and numerous excavations are being carried out from which visitable sites could be recovered in the future, since in the past it was a Roman port of some importance that was partly dedicated to the export of minerals, such as its neighbor Myos Hormos. This, together with the already established tourism of Marsa Alam divingcould lead this destination to become more and more integrated in the tours organized in the Red Sea.
With regard to day trips, coming here could represent a plus for those who wish to delve into diving, with diving spots such as Hamata, or to enjoy newly built resorts with idyllic beaches next to them, as in Wadi Lami. Or also to exploit its possibilities for kitesurfing, something that more and more travelers are doing.
If you come to visit Marsa Alam and you do not want to miss the opportunity to see some of the famous places of Ancient Egypt, you can take a full day trip (or even several). Beyond the variety of options provided by the city’s airport, with flights to other parts of the country, it is easiest to travel by car to the two nearest cities in the Nile Valley. And which are, in turn, two of the most interesting in terms of cultural tourism: Edfu and Aswan, cities that are also part of our Nile cruises.
Edfu is the closest and also the easiest to reach for those who are visiting Marsa Alam, as both are connected by a road and separated by just 220 km. In this city, above all, its spectacular temple from the Ptolemaic era stands out, whose secrets can be discovered with the help of an expert guide. In this page we offer you more information about it.
Aswan, on the other hand, is somewhat further away, although it also represents a common excursion among those who spend days visiting Marsa Alam. It is about 360 km by road, which many travelers complete without thinking twice because in this city they discover first class attractions, such as the sites of Elephantine Island or the Nubian villages, among others. On this other page about Aswan you can also learn more about this destination as different as it is interesting.
If you are organizing a trip to visit Marsa Alam, below we offer you some information that will be useful to plan your stay and enjoy the experience once you arrive at your destination.
Tourism in Marsa Alam experienced a before and after thanks to the inauguration of its international airport a couple of decades ago. It is located about 60 km north of the city, so it also serves other towns on the Red Sea coast, such as Quseer. It allowed what was a humble coastal town to become a holiday destination to take into account, especially for its attractiveness to practice diving. Marsa Alam, in this way, it is directly connected with other cities in Egypt but also with other countries on different continents. This is the list with the usual connections:
In addition, this area already has a second international airport, that of Berenice, located on the outskirts of the town of the same name and about 150 km south of Marsa Alam. As it is a recently completed infrastructure, it still has little air traffic, although it is expected that in the near future new routes will be opened with other cities, so we recommend that you also consider this option.
On the other hand, road transport is another option to get here. In particular, it is common for those coming from tourism to Marsa Alam from other parts of the country. In particular, for those who take Nile cruises such as those offered by our agency, which often depart from Edfu and end in Aswan, and are in turn the cities of the Nile Valley closest to and best connected with Marsa Alam. Therefore, it is common that, after enjoying a journey through the waters of that mythical river, travelers choose to approach a Red Sea holiday destination in which to end the holidays with a few days of relaxation. The distances and duration of the journey by road are:
On the other hand, it is also possible to get here by sea, especially in private boats from other points of the Red Sea with which it shares its attraction for diving. Marsa Alam is not too far from Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh, so it can be part of a circuit of this type.
For those who are visiting Marsa Alam, the private vehicle with driver is the best way to get around this city and its different places of interest. It is the most convenient and safe way, as the service conditions can be agreed in advance and you can enjoy a wide time availability for your journeys.
It is also possible to find taxis waiting for travelers at the airport, where there is also a car rental office. Finally, buses are not a viable option for commuters, as the city is small and does not have a dense network of urban lines as such. And the long distances between accommodation, the airport and places of interest (diving spots, beaches, etc.) will not allow you to move exclusively on foot or by bike.
Given that it is not a destination to discover on foot and that it lacks a reference urban center as in other cities, you will not find tourist offices in Marsa Alam either. If you need information on any matter, the reception of your hotel will be the best place to ask for it, where they may have maps of the area or directories of services.
In any case, both to receive information on tourism about Marsa Alam as to contract other professional services, our recommendation is to trust agencies with experience in the area, as is the case of Egipto Exclusivo. We can solve all the details related to your holidays, such as accommodation, diets, transport, guided tours on excursions or diving courses in Marsa Alam and its surroundings. Contact us and leave nothing to chance in your trip!
