About
Marsa Alam is a town approximately 250km south of Hurghada on the Egyptian mainland. Less developed than much of the Red Sea coast it offers a quieter approach to diving.
Diving
Marsa Alam’s speciality is shore diving. The ability to walk off the beach and instantly be immersed in vibrant coral reefs simplifies a day’s diving and helps to keep it affordable. It’s an ideal place for beginners to either learn to dive or hone their skills. The shore dives around Marsa Alam offer clear, sheltered and current free waters, ideal for training. It really is low drag diving.
There are some sites better suited to the more experienced but these tend to be because of challenging and rocky entries rather than underwater conditions . Additionally, the world famous Elphinstone reef can be dived by RIB and offers an excellent contrast against the predominantly shore dives of the area.
Best sites
Abu Dabab – a seagrass covered bay offering the chance to see very large green turtles and the famous dugongs.
Elphinstone – a fantastic offshore reef with numerous large gorgonian corals and it offers a great opportunity to see a range of pelagics including Oceanic Whitetips (Sep/Oct).
Don’t forget these sites are very busy and Elphinstone in particular is better served diving from a liveaboard. In truth, it’s the range of quiet shore dives, you’re likely to be the only divers on, that makes Marsa Alam a great destination.
When to go
Marsa Alam, and Egypt as a whole, is a year round diving destination. The best time is probably the shoulder months in Spring or Autumn which offer the best balance of air and water temperatures. Don’t underestimate how hot the summer months can be (especially when shore diving).
Getting there
Flight options have expanded recently with flights available to both Hurghada and now Marsa Alam itself (direct from the UK). Flights to Marsa Alam are preferable as they save on a 3 hour road transfer from Hurghada.
Admin & Packing List
An Egyptian visa is required and costs $25. It can be done easily online before departure. There is no need to do it via third parties; it will only cost more. When I travelled it was still a requirement to complete a landing card on arrival even though all the details were captured in the visa application.
Euros are the predominant currency within resorts and dive centres. Having some cash on hand is always useful for small purchases and the odd tip.
On the diving front booties are highly recommended (no full-foot fins!) due to the rocky entries on the numerous shore dives.
Where to stay
Sinai Divers and the Oasis – a joint venture between Sinai Divers and Werner Lau. This rustic resorts offers a relaxed environment and professional dive operations. Full trip report here
Red Sea Diving Safari – a well recommended camp style resort offering accommodation from tents to chalets. Its well known for its’ excellent house reef.
