Things to do in Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam is the quiet end of the Egyptian Red Sea. The airport opened in 2003 and the coast is still thinly built. What it sells is wildlife rather than nightlife.

What lives here

The bays south of Hurghada hold animals the busier reefs have lost. Sightings are seasonal and never guaranteed. Operators are direct about that.

• Dugongs. Grazing the seagrass in the sheltered bays, and the reason many people book at all.
• Green turtles. On the same seagrass, and far easier to find than the dugongs.
• Spinner dolphins. Resting by day in a horseshoe reef offshore, where access is limited and timed.

Inland

Wadi El Gemal is a national park that runs from the shore deep into the Eastern Desert. It covers reefs, islands, mountains and Bedouin land. Safaris go in by jeep or by boat.

The desert here is mountainous rather than flat. Roman emerald mines and old caravan routes cross it. Guides come from the Ababda communities who live there.

How it is sold

Almost everything runs from the hotels rather than a town centre. Boat mornings go to the bays and reefs. Desert afternoons go inland by jeep.

Diving is the other half, and much of it is from the shore. House reefs sit directly in front of the resorts. Liveaboards leave from Port Ghalib for the southern reefs.

Practical

• Season. All year, with the calmest water from spring to autumn. Summer inland is severe.
• Wildlife rules. Do not chase, touch or block an animal's path. Dolphin sites cap numbers and hours.
• Distances. The coast road is long and the resorts are spread out. Check how far your hotel is from the bay you booked.
• Cairo and Luxor. Both are sold from here, but they are long days. Flying is the sane option.