If you have been to Marsa Alam before, please share your experiences, ideas and feedback (Hotel, Excursions, General Feeling,…) in the comments section below, by doing so you will help fellow travellers to plan their next trip
Marsa Alam is a stretch of Egypt’s Red Sea coast as well as a town. A hotel sold under the destination name may be near Port Ghalib, on an isolated bay or well south of town. Choose the exact base before comparing flights: the transfer, house-reef access and options for a non-diving companion can matter more than the room category.
This is a good place to slow down around the sea and desert. A resort with a suitable beach can make a mixed diving-and-snorkelling holiday straightforward; a remote diving village suits travellers happy to spend most evenings where they stay.
In this page you will find practical information to plan a scuba diving trip to Marsa Alam:
Table of contents
Where to stay?
I usually use this website to book in advance my hotels in Marsa Alam as they usually have the lowest rates I find. I like it because it's free to cancel and change the dates.
Accommodation in Marsa Alam is largely resort-based, with diving villages providing another style of stay. Compare what the package actually buys: a room and meal plan do not automatically include diving, equipment or every snorkelling activity.
- Port Ghalib area: useful when the marina or an airport transfer shapes the trip. Confirm the precise boat meeting point.
- A coastal resort with a suitable bay: a practical choice for companions who want beach time while divers are away. Check swimming access, lifeguards, pools and any beach fees.
- A diving village such as Marsa Shagra: suits guests who want to organise their days around the house reef. Check room facilities and the separate diving, rental and excursion charges.
- Farther south toward Hamata: compare this as a separate base with a longer transfer, particularly for Fury Shoals outings.
Use a dated quote with the same occupancy, meal plan, transfers and activities when comparing accommodation. Ask about cancellation conditions and the arrangements for companions who will not dive.
Activities and excursions in Marsa Alam
A specific option for non-divers
Blue Ocean’s Abu Dabbab Beach Day-Use publishes €65 per adult for an outing of more than eight hours, checked 24 October 2026. It includes beach entry, a lounger and umbrella, buffet lunch with soft drinks during lunch, snorkelling equipment and a one-hour guided speedboat reef tour. The listed child terms are free below six years and a 50% reduction from six to 11.99 years.
Hotel transfers cost extra: €7 per person within 30 km or €10 farther away, with a two-person minimum; the listed Hurghada transfer is €30 per person with at least three participants. Diving and dive equipment are excluded. Confirm swimming ability, child participation on the speedboat, weather alternatives and the final dated total before booking. Turtles and dugongs are wildlife, not guaranteed sightings.
Time away from the water
Relaxing on the beach and enjoying the desert scenery can be enough between dives. For a longer outing, ask a reputable operator about El Quseir or a permitted Wadi El Gemal excursion, including the driving time, guide and access arrangements. Luxor’s temples deserve their own travel time; an overnight extension may suit better than a rushed day out.
Follow the operator’s conservation briefing: keep clear of resting or feeding animals, do not touch coral and use established entries. A snorkelling outing has its own supervision and access conditions; it is not automatically included on every scuba boat.
Best time to visit Marsa Alam
Spring and autumn are appealing for a holiday that combines water activities with time outside. Summer brings stronger heat on land; winter requires more thought about wind protection and staying warm between dives. Sea conditions can change a boat plan in any month.
For a mixed group, choose a beach or bay with practical sheltered access and ask how swimming is managed on windy days. A house reef reached only by a jetty can have different access restrictions from a sandy bay. Bring sun protection and a warm layer for boat journeys, and choose exposure protection with the dive centre for your dates.
Photo: nadia & massimo — Marsa Alam Egitto, CC BY 2.0.
Health and Safety
Check current government travel advice for Egypt and ensure insurance covers the actual itinerary and activities, including diving depth and evacuation. Ask the dive centre about emergency oxygen, communications and the current emergency plan, including how it would arrange specialist treatment if needed.
Respect beach flags and local closures, and use a suitable guide where required. For desert outings, confirm transport standards, permitted routes and heat precautions. Seek personalised travel-health advice for medication or vaccination questions.
Leave a suitable interval before flying after diving. DAN’s guidance gives at least 12 hours after a single no-decompression dive or 18 hours after repetitive dives or several days of diving for divers without symptoms; longer intervals reduce risk. Decompression diving needs longer planning. Check altitude exposure before an inland road excursion, and do not fly with symptoms of a possible diving injury.
If you are planning an upcoming dive trip or travelling to Marsa Alam, it is a really good idea to invest in travel insurance for scuba diving, because you never know what could happen and when you might need it (because accidents do happen!). I recommend this diving insurance as they offer worldwide coverage and focus on providing scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.
Where is Marsa Alam located in the world?
Marsa Alam lies on Egypt’s mainland Red Sea coast, south of Hurghada. Port Ghalib is north of Marsa Alam town and close to the international airport. Check the hotel’s actual location, rather than treating these three places as one arrival point.
Marsa Alam coastal map
Compare your arrival airport with the exact resort location, then ask where each reef outing starts. Marsa Alam holidays cover a long stretch of coast: a house reef, offshore boat trip and southern Hamata excursion involve different transfers.
Three Marsa Alam reef areas
This orientation map separates Abu Dabbab, Elphinstone and Samadai. The Abu Dabbab point is a rounded bay reference; offshore positions follow CDWS. These are not navigation or dive-entry instructions.
1. Abu Dabbab bay · 2. Elphinstone · 3. Sha’ab Samadai
Reef reference source: CDWS dive-site directory. Positions retained from the paired Diving guide; approximate areas are labelled.
How to get to Marsa Alam?
Choose the airport for your accommodation
Marsa Alam International Airport (RMF) is usually the first arrival option to compare for this coast. Seasonal routes vary; verify the operating airline, date and baggage allowance on the actual booking. Arrange the onward transfer with the hotel or dive operator and obtain the meeting point and total fare in writing.
Hurghada (HRG) can offer another flight option, but it adds a substantial road journey. As a location-specific example, Red Sea Diving Safari estimates 30 minutes from Marsa Alam airport to Marsa Shagra, versus three hours from Hurghada. Those times apply to that village, not every Marsa Alam resort.
Cairo or Luxor: compare the complete connection, including any domestic flight that actually operates on your dates, road transfer and overnight stop. Luxor is an inland journey across the desert; do not plan it as a two-hour taxi connection. For a liveaboard, use the embarkation port and meeting instructions on the boat’s confirmed itinerary, with enough margin for a delayed flight.
Do I need a visa for Marsa Alam?
Check entry requirements for your nationality before paying for travel. The official Egyptian e-Visa portal lists US$30 for a single-entry tourist e-Visa and US$65 for multiple entries, checked 24 October 2026. It requires a passport valid for at least six months from arrival, the e-Visa printout and supporting itinerary/accommodation details. Eligibility is nationality-dependent.
Apply through the official portal well before travel and follow its current processing guidance. A Sinai-only entry permission does not cover a mainland Marsa Alam stay. Confirm the correct visa if combining Sinai, a liveaboard or another country; do not assume every traveller can buy a visa on arrival.
Getting Around
Resorts and bays are spread along the coastal road. A dive-centre minibus, hotel car or prearranged taxi is usually more practical for an excursion than assuming a walkable resort district. Agree the fare, return pickup, waiting time and any child-seat requirement before setting off.
Check whether a quoted dive or snorkelling trip includes your particular hotel. “Marsa Alam transfer” may cover only a limited distance, and a cheaper room farther away can add daily transport costs.
Photo: Andrew A. Shenouda — Carnelia Beach, Marsa Alam, CC BY 2.0.
Marsa Alam travel questions
Is Marsa Alam airport next to every resort?
No. The destination covers a long coast. Check your hotel’s location and its own transfer estimate.
Can a non-diver enjoy a Marsa Alam holiday?
Yes. Choose a suitable beach base and book a clearly described snorkelling or land excursion. Check supervision, transfers and any extra fees.
Does an all-inclusive hotel package include diving?
Only if the written package says so. Diving, rental equipment, boat trips and park fees may be separate.
Can I use a Sinai-only entry permission?
Not for mainland Marsa Alam. Check the visa required for your nationality and complete route.
Travel and operator information checked 24 October 2026.
Marsa Alam Photos
Scuba diving
You will find all information about sea life, best time to visit, top dive spots, etc. in our review: Marsa Alam Diving
Diving Reviews for this region
Marsa Alam
Marsa Alam combines shore-access bays such as Abu Dabbab with boat trips to offshore reefs including Elphinstone. Choose the base and dive profile to suit your experience; wildlife sightings vary.
Liveaboard Reviews in Marsa Alam
MY Emperor Elite
Photos: Emperor Elite gallery supplied through LiveAboard.com.
MV Seawolf Dominator
A shaded dive deck, room to relax outside and a choice of northern and southern programmes make Dominator an appealing base for a week devoted to diving. Choose the route first: a Tiran week and a marine-park week ask different things of a diver.
MV Blue Melody
Photos: Blue Melody gallery supplied through LiveAboard.com.
MV Miss Nouran
Sea Serpent Fleet, a luxury-class motor yacht diving operation, operate a series of salubrious liveboard safari vessels in the Egyptian Red Sea. MV Miss Nouran is one of her prestigious fleet which, predominantly, spends it’s time in the southern Red S
Hammerhead I
Hammerhead I combines a 20-guest capacity with broad dining-room windows and open-air lounging spaces. Her ten en-suite cabins make this 32-metre Egyptian liveaboard worth considering if you prefer a smaller group than on the fleet’s larger Hammerhead
MV Red Sea Aggressor I — Historical Boat Profile
The original Red Sea Aggressor is no longer operating. The vessel was lost following a fire off Port Ghalib on 1 November 2019, in which one passenger died. This page preserves its cabin photographs, life aboard and former Egyptian itineraries. It is n
MV Red Sea Aggressor I — Historical Boat Profile Liveaboard Review
MY Cassiopeia
Checked 24 October 2026. This article describes the older Cassiopeia, not a verified current Egyptian departure. Undercurrent reported in March 2020 that the vessel had moved from the Red Sea to Mexico as Socorro Aggressor in 2019. LiveAboard.com now l
MY Sea Serpent
Photos: Sea Serpent gallery supplied through LiveAboard.com.
MY Heaven Freedom
Checked 24 October 2026. Dive The World's Heaven Freedom listing currently shows no future departures and describes the boat as unavailable. We did not verify a current boat-specific sailing or fare for this update. An unavailable booking listing
MY Blue Seas
Blue Seas combines a twenty-four-guest layout with northern wreck weeks, offshore marine parks and longer southern expeditions. The two partly shaded sun decks give you a choice of places to relax, while the spacious dive deck keeps the diving routine
Love the lace and the people
We had a fabulous week on the Elphistone Reef. It is a dream location as a shallow, tidal lagoon leads to the unspoilt reef. We took a trip to the Sataya reef where we saw several species of dolphins. We stayed at Blend Elphistone Resort which provides a varied and high quality range of meals.