Located about 790 km south of Cairo and 300 km to the south of Hurghada, the dive resort town of Marsa Alam boasts a virgin Red Sea coastline that is home to some of the best coral reefs and marine life in the world.
The dive sites here tend to be for more adventurous divers. Elphinstone is the best known of the local sites and is famed for its strong currents and encounters with reef and oceanic whitetip sharks, plus large schooling fish. There are also some wrecks dives, and diving with dugongs and dolphins is common. The reefs in the south are very healthy and the sea is usually a couple of degrees warmer in the north. [More information on these dive sites: Southern Red Sea, Elphinstone].
Once a sleepy village dependent on mineral mining for survival and income, Marsa Alam has been experiencing not as much a boom as a slow blossoming of Red Sea dive tourism of late. Ever since the construction of Marsa Alam International Airport in 2001 at nearby Marsa Ghalib, the town has steadily bloomed into a tourist resort destination, and the tourist complex at Port Ghalib is expected to rival Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada in years to come. The hotels are mainly located within the marina complex, where you can stroll around the restaurants and bars.
Marsa Alam diving packages are set in beautiful desert scenery framed by rugged mountains where trekkers can find rare and unique wild life, while the Red Sea brings with it great diving and sports fishing opportunities. Being about 4 hours away from Hurghada and otherwise fairly remote, it is the ideal getaway for a relaxed and peaceful Red Sea scuba diving holiday retreat.
We recommend that you book a Marsa Alam day trip diving package with us. There are over 35 dive sites to explore by daytrip. Discover them for yourself:
There are 2 seasons in southern Egypt - a hot summer (29-32°C from June to October), and a mild winter (22-27°C from November to April). The weather is mostly ideal and sunny. Rain usually falls in the Marsa Alam region from October to December, but only 1 mm per month; this is a desert climate.
The water temperatures in Marsa Alam peak at 30°C from July to September, gradually falling to 23°C in February. There really isn't an optimal time to come as the Southern Red Sea is a year-round diving destination. Some scuba divers prefer the warmer water in the summer months, whilst others come during winter to escape the European cold. Oceanic whitetip sharks can be seen at Elphinstone from October till the end of the year. Thresher shark season occurs in the Autumn and Winter months.
There are limited ways of reaching Marsa Alam and Port Ghalib, of which the fastest and most expensive is a 1½ hour flight from Cairo via Egypt Air. From some destinations in the UK and Europe it is possible to fly direct into Marsa Alam. A viable option would be to fly direct in to Luxor International Airport and get a 2 hour taxi from there to Marsa Alam, thus removing the need to get a connecting flight from Cairo.
Reaching Marsa Alam by bus is another, if somewhat adventurous, alternative. If you're in Cairo, find your way to the Turgoman Station via bus or taxi and from there take the East Delta bus to Marsa Alam. It's a 10 hour journey. Alternatively, arranging for a taxi to take you there straight from your Cairo hotel is also possible, but be sure to negotiate the rate before you set off.
For peace of mind, we strongly advise securing comprehensive dive and travel insurance. This should cover both your diving activities and potential trip cancellations. Our specially negotiated insurance programmes offer excellent coverage at competitive rates. Click below to get your personalised quote:
Port Ghalib offers excellent diver-friendly accommodation options through our partner hotelscombined.com. Their selection ranges from luxurious 5-star international hotels to comfortable 3-star resorts, catering to all budgets and preferences.
Booking is quick and easy through their website - simply browse their complete Port Ghalib listings, get instant answers via online chat, or secure your reservation with a credit card. Every booking comes with their 'Low Price Guarantee', ensuring you always get the best available rate.
For the optimal diving experience, we recommend 1-week stays. Marsa Alam diving packages include both your diving activities and convenient boat-hotel transfers.
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