About Marsa Alam

Here you will find useful information about Marsa Alam — our little corner of paradise:

Overview

Highlights

Weather & Temperatures

Scuba Diving Conditions

Accommodation

Getting to Marsa Alam

Visa

Overview

Located 300 km south of Hurghada, Marsa Alam is nestled between the sea and the desert in Egypt’s deep South. Far from the din of city life and the excessive urbanisation of Hurghada or Sharm el Sheikh, it’s the ideal place for those seeking a relaxing and calm diving holiday.

“Marsa Alam” refers to both the town located 70 km south of the airport – formerly a Bedouin fishing village – and the corresponding region, which in fact covers 200 km along the coast.


Marsa Alam is fast becoming a catchword within the international diving community: fewer divers, healthy reefs, large pelagics, unique pinnacles, impressive drop-offs, interesting caves and coral covered shipwrecks, make of Marsa Alam the ultimate diving holiday destination in the Red Sea.

Fortunately, the Marsa Alam marine area is protected, and diving centers here should operate under environment-friendly procedures. Starting from year 1995, local authorities, NGO’s and international bodies such as USAID have co-operated in the conservation of the underwater life of the region.


Marsa Alam is also a hotspot for kitesurfing and an ideal starting point for safaris and wilderness exploration with its nearby national parks, home to a stunning variety of birds and desert animals.

So, whether it is the beach, the desert, the reefs or a combination of sightseeing and activities you are interested in, you will love Marsa Alam!

Here you will find useful information about our little corner of paradise:

Overview

Highlights

Weather & Temperatures

Scuba Diving Conditions

Accommodation

Getting to Marsa Alam

Visa

Overview

Located 300 km south of Hurghada, Marsa Alam is nestled between the sea and the desert in Egypt’s deep South. Far from the din of city life and the excessive urbanisation of Hurghada or Sharm el Sheikh, it’s the ideal place for those seeking a relaxing and calm diving holiday.

“Marsa Alam” refers to both the town located 70 km south of the airport – formerly a Bedouin fishing village – and the corresponding region, which in fact covers 200 km along the coast.

Marsa Alam is fast becoming a catchword within the international diving community: fewer divers, healthy reefs, large pelagics, unique pinnacles, impressive drop-offs, interesting caves and coral covered shipwrecks, make of Marsa Alam the ultimate diving holiday destination in the Red Sea.

Fortunately, the Marsa Alam marine area is protected, and diving centers here should operate under environment-friendly procedures. Starting from year 1995, local authorities, NGO’s and international bodies such as USAID have co-operated in the conservation of the underwater life of the region.

Marsa Alam is also a hotspot for kitesurfing and an ideal starting point for safaris and wilderness exploration with its nearby national parks, home to a stunning variety of birds and desert animals.

So, whether it is the beach, the desert, the reefs or a combination of sightseeing and activities you are interested in, you will love Marsa Alam!

Highlights

The southern Red Sea is among the richest and most productive of marine ecosystems, home to over 300 species of coral and more than 1,000 identified species of fish, 10% of which are found nowhere else in the world. We haven’t dived everywhere on the globe (yet!), but we bet there are few other places in the world  where you have good chances to spot dolphins, dugongs, turtles and sharks in the same week!

Marsa Alam has two of the most important dolphin habitats in the Red Sea and the world: Samadai Reef, aka “Dolphin House” and the more remote Satayah Reef. They are both homes to large families of spinner dolphins.

One of the world’s best dive sites, Elphinstone Reef, can be reached in 20 minutes by speedboat from the shore. There, longimanus (Oceanic Whitetip), hammerheads and tiger sharks glide past the drop off, populated by overgrown hard and soft corals, gorgonians and sponges. A must for any experienced diver.

It is also one of the few places in the world where you can spot the very rare and endangered Dugong; this curious marine mammal also known as “sea cow” reaches up to 4 meters in length and weighs up to 1,000 kg!

And it’s also very common to run into green and hawksbill turtles along the coastline.

Highlights

The southern Red Sea is among the richest and most productive of marine ecosystems, home to over 300 species of coral and more than 1,000 identified species of fish, 10% of which are found nowhere else in the world. We haven’t dived everywhere on the globe (yet!), but we bet there are few other places in the world  where you have good chances to spot dolphins, dugongs, turtles and sharks in the same week!

Marsa Alam has two of the most important dolphin habitats in the Red Sea and the world: Samadai Reef, aka “Dolphin House” and the more remote Satayah Reef. They are both homes to large families of spinner dolphins.

One of the world’s best dive sites, Elphinstone Reef, can be reached in 20 minutes by speedboat from the shore. There, longimanus (Oceanic Whitetip), hammerheads and tiger sharks glide past the drop off, populated by overgrown hard and soft corals, gorgonians and sponges. A must for any experienced diver.

It is also one of the few places in the world where you can spot the very rare and endangered Dugong; this curious marine mammal also known as “sea cow” reaches up to 4 meters in length and weighs up to 1,000 kg!

And it’s also very common to run into green and hawksbill turtles along the coastline.

Weather and Temperatures

The weather here is sunny and dry all year round. The average UV index ranges between ‘high’ in winter and ‘extreme’ in summer: high-protection – and preferablly eco-friendly – sunscreen is a must! Rainfall only occur during a couple of days in the year (annual average = 6 mm), usually between October and December. However, be aware that Marsa Alam is a windy destination all year round (see below “Scuba Diving Conditions”).

Scuba Diving Conditions

The south of Red Sea usually offers very good conditions, with great visibility ranging from 20m to 60m, and current varying greatly depending on the location – from easy dive sites with no current for beginner divers to spots with very strong current for more experienced divers.

In winter months, we usually dive with a 5 to 7 mm long wetsuit (+ hood for those who are sensitive to the cold), and we use a shorty or long 3 mm suit in summer.

Marsa Alam is a windy destination and the sea can be choppy; it can sometimes forbid diving on the more exposed dive sites.

Accommodation

Some hotels like the Hotelux Oriental Coast Marsa Alam, the Novotel Marsa Alam Beach Resort or the Albatros Sea World Marsa Alam, mention “Marsa Alam” in their name, wanting to take advantage of the growing notoriety of the region for diving, when they are actually located near El Quseir, nearly 100 km from the town of Marsa Alam and our center.

Beware of erroneous locations on Google Maps: there are no typical “resort” hotels located downtown Marsa Alam and our club. In town, there are only a few modest hotels and guesthouses, the nearest hotel-resort being 20 km away.

Do not hesitate to contact us before booking your accommodation to verify that it is located in our pick-up area for the transfer.


Accommodation in Marsa Alam is mostly big resorts and comfortable hotels, and a few Bedouin-inspired eco-lodges, spread along the long coastal area, which means there can be big distances between the resorts. Some hotels are actually more than 100 km far from the airport.


For night birds and luxury lovers, the new Port Ghalib marina, just 15 minutes from the airport, is ideal. With its luxurious hotels and resorts and mooring capacity for around 1,000 yachts, this newly built marina offers gourmet restaurants and upscale spas.


There are also smaller hotels and a few guesthouses in Marsa Alam town for independent travelers who wish to have a glimpse of the local life.

We would be happy to advise you on the accommodation that best suits your needs – don’t hesitate to ask us.

 

Getting to Marsa Alam

There are several options to reach us:

Option 1

The fastest and easiest way is to fly directly to Marsa Alam International Airport. However the airport is still small, and few companies fly there. You can find direct flights, mostly charters, from some European countries. It takes about 5 hours.

Option 2

Fly to Cairo then take a one hour flight with Egypt Air to Marsa Alam Airport.

From Cairo, you can also take a 10 hour bus to Marsa Alam.

Option 3

Fly to Hurghada and take a taxi or a bus for 4 hours.

 

Visa

Most of nationalities need a visa to enter Egypt.

Citizens of 40 countries (including EU, UK, Russia and Ukraine citizens) can purchase it on arrival at the airport for $25 USD, or apply for an eVisa online before departure, to avoid lining up the queue at the airport. The visa is valid for 30 days.

More information about Egypt’s visa policy here

Accommodation

Some hotels like the Hotelux Oriental Coast Marsa Alam, the Novotel Marsa Alam Beach Resort or the Albatros Sea World Marsa Alam, mention “Marsa Alam” in their name, wanting to take advantage of the growing notoriety of the region for diving, when they are actually located near El Quseir, nearly 100 km from the town of Marsa Alam and our center.

Beware of erroneous locations on Google Maps: there are no typical “resort” hotels located downtown Marsa Alam and our club. In town, there are only a few modest hotels and guesthouses, the nearest hotel-resort being 20 km away.

Do not hesitate to contact us before booking your accommodation to verify that it is located in our pick-up area for the transfer.

Accommodation in Marsa Alam is mostly big resorts and comfortable hotels, and a few Bedouin-inspired eco-lodges, spread along the long coastal area, which means there can be big distances between the resorts. Some hotels are actually more than 100 km far from the airport.

For night birds and luxury lovers, the new Port Ghalib marina, just 15 minutes from the airport, is ideal. With its luxurious hotels and resorts and mooring capacity for around 1,000 yachts, this newly built marina offers gourmet restaurants and upscale spas.

There are also smaller hotels and a few guesthouses in Marsa Alam town for independent travelers who wish to have a glimpse of the local life.

We would be happy to advise you on the accommodation that best suits your needs – don’t hesitate to ask us.

 

Getting to Marsa Alam

There are several options to reach us:

Option 1

The fastest and easiest way is to fly directly to Marsa Alam International Airport. However the airport is still small, and few companies fly there. You can find direct flights, mostly charters, from some European countries. It takes about 5 hours.

Option 2

Fly to Cairo then take a one hour flight with Egypt Air to Marsa Alam Airport.

From Cairo, you can also take a 10 hour bus to Marsa Alam.

Option 3

Fly to Hurghada and take a taxi or a bus for 4 hours.

 

Visa

Most of nationalities need a visa to enter Egypt.

Citizens of 40 countries (including EU, UK, Russia and Ukraine citizens) can purchase it on arrival at the airport for $25 USD, or apply for an eVisa online before departure, to avoid lining up the queue at the airport. The visa is valid for 30 days.

More information about Egypt’s visa policy here

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