Marsa Alam Travel Tips

In this page you will find practical information to plan a scuba diving trip to Marsa Alam:

Marsa Alam Photos

Marsa Alam is located in Egypt on the western coast of the Red Sea about 790km south of Cairo and 300km south of the second scuba diving destination in Egypt, Hurghada.

Activities and excursions in Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam, in addition to its excellent scuba diving, features interesting day trips, excursions and activities. You can for example:

• Visit the Port of El Quseir and an ancient Gold Mine
• Enjoy a day trip excursion to the Emeral mines
• Visit the Magnificent Karnak Temple
• Enjoy a day tour in the Desert and visit the Wadi Gimal National Park
• Go Snorkellign along the Beautiful beaches
• Just relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery

Best time to visit

Weather and Temperatures

The Weather is sunny and dry all year round. There is a lot of wind especially from November to February. Air temperature varies depending on the season:

• You can expect 25°C on average from October to March.
• Air temperature is much higher in Summer from April to September and is usually around 35°C.
• Best time to visit would be March to May and in October/November time for warm and sunny weather.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24641143@N03/2758731517/

How to get to Marsa Alam?

There are several options to reach Marsa Alam:

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 from UK, France, Italy, Netherlands, Russia and other European countries. It takes about 5 hours. Flights to Marsa Alam are also available from Middle East. Once you are at the airport, take a taxi to your Hotel or a pick up at the airport can often be organised by your dive operator.

Option 2

You fly to Cairo then take a one hour flight with Egypt Air to Marsa Alam Aiport. From Cairo, you could also take a 10 hour bus to Marsa Alam.

Option 3

You fly to Luxor and take a taxi for 2 hours to Marsa Alam.

Option 4

You fly to Hurghada and take a taxi for 4 hours.

Do I need a visa for Marsa Alam?

You need an Entry Visa to enter Egypt. You can purchase it at the Airport for $25USD.

Getting Around

You can get around either by taxi or mini bus. Be sure to negotiate the price of the taxi before the ride!

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/2007828/2232121425/

Where to stay?

Accommodation in Marsa Alam is mostly resorts and comfortable hotels. Divers come here in general via an all inclusive tour package.

Scuba diving

You will find all information about sea life, best time to visit, top dive spots, etc. in our review: Marsa Alam Diving