Flights to Marsa Alam
Explore one of the major diving points of the world: Marsa Alam
Marsa Alam is a city in Egypt that attracts more foreign tourists every holiday season and is famous for its diving. Egypt Marsa Alam is located southeast of Egypt and has a coast on the Red Sea. It has famous beaches, and people from all around the globe fly here to dive and explore the reefs.
Feature / Location
Famous mostly for diving / On the western coast of Red SeaCurrency
Egyptian PoundWeather
Summers are long, hot, arid; winters are dry, mostly clear and windyTime Zone
GMT+2Airports
Marsa Alam AirportActivities
Try diving; visit historical places; enjoy local foodSelect child's age. This will provide the correct price and availability.
Select child's age. This will provide the correct price and availability.
Select child's age. This will provide the correct price and availability.
The location has a great diversity in terms of sea creatures as well. It was a fishing town in the past. Yet, as of today, Marsa Alam can be described as a happening tourist town, with rapid developments in investments and increasing tourist potential. After the airport launch, the destination has seen a serious increase in tourists. Covering the western shore of the Red Sea, Marsa Alam's popularity grows. Now let's take a closer look at this well-liked Egyptian city and explore what holidays in Marsa Alam can be like.
Marsa Alam Beaches
Abu Dabbab Beach
It is safe to say that Abu Dabba is Marsa Alam's most famous and favored beach. Night diving and sunbathing are just a few of the activities Abu Dabba Beach offers its visitors, where beginner-level diving enthusiasts can turn to professional instructors and practice at the specifically designed diving sites.
Marsa Alam Nature
Elphinstone Reef
Another place where dives usually take place in Marsa Alam is the Elphinstone Reef, which not only provides an hourly diving experience but also offers professional and guided diving courses for diving enthusiasts that wish to improve themselves. If they are lucky, adventurous divers can also encounter hammerhead sharks, take a boat tour around the area, and benefit from diving tours in the depths of the sea.
Emerald Mine
Being a primitive mining town itself, Marsa Alam is also home to an Emerald Mine, which can be easily and swiftly explored by walking.
Shaab Marsa Alam
If you want to indulge in the Marsa Alam diving experience, then Shaab Marsa Alam is the number one spot for this. Shaab Marsa Alam is located east of the city and is the first stop for those who wish to swim alongside baby sharks and one-of-a-kind coral reefs and explore the vast number of caves and canyons the waters host.
Wadi Hammamat
Wadi Hammamat is about 2 hours away from Marsa Alam and is one of the top places to see in the city. The place holds Egyptian inscriptions dating back to 4000 BC, and you can find the longest and most ancient path from the Red Sea to the Nile - the Silk Road.
Frequently Asked Questions About Marsa Alam
What is the official language spoken in Marsa Alam?
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Marsa Alam flight ticket
| Cheapest flight ticket | Airport | Flight duration | Cheapest date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Düsseldorf → Marsa Alam flight ticket: 113.28 EUR |
Marsa Alam Airport | 5 hr 50 min | 12 Jan 2025 |
| Destination Airport: Marsa Alam (RMF) | |
|---|---|
| Düsseldorf- Marsa Alam flight duration | 4:40 hours |
| Hannover - Marsa Alam flight duration | 5:00 hours |
| Cologne Bonn - Marsa Alam flight duration | 4:35 hours |
| Nuremberg - Marsa Alam flight duration | 4:20 hours |
Marsa Alam history
Until recently, Marsa Alam was a sleepy fishing village, but the barren hinterland has a surprisingly interesting history. The Marsa Alam area was vital to the economy of ancient Egypt since the surrounding coastal area was rich in deposits of copper, lead, gold, emeralds, and semi-precious stones. It is believed to have housed the first emerald mines in the world and was the sole source of emeralds for the Roman Empire. You can still visit what is popularly known as Cleopatra's Mines in the Wadi El Gamal National Park south of Marsa Alam. Most historians think these mines were already in use during the Ptolemaic period (330-30 BC), some even arguing that the history of the mines goes back as far as the second millennium BC. During the reign of Ptolemy II (281-246BC), the first road was built linking Marsa Alam on the Red Sea with Edfu. This route ran through what is now the "Wadi el Gemal" (Valley of the Camels) National Park. The road's main purpose was to take emeralds and other precious stones and metals from the mines near the Red Sea to the Nile for onward shipment. In 1571 the Ottoman Sultan Selim I constructed a formidable fort on high ground overlooking the port of El Quseir to protect the harbor and the Ottoman Empire's trade flow up to the Red Sea. Both the defense and the town are a short excursion from most of the Marsa Alam hotels in the area. Today, at the fort's main gate, you can buy a ticket for a forty-minute tour which includes a look at several small exhibits of the area's history, Bedouin life, and other local traditions.
Marsa Alam cuisine
Before Marsa Alam became as popular a tourist location as it is now, it was well-known for its fishing capabilities. This fishery still maintains its traces, with seafood being the prominent gastronomic feature of the Marsa Alam cuisine. Alongside seafood, meat and meat products are also widely consumed, whereas rice is another popular option for side dishes. Sofra Restaurant is Marsa Alam's most famous restaurant, famous for its exclusively prepared shrimp salads. Another distinguished eatery, Sharma El Luli, is a Bedouin spot serving food on floor tables on the sand. Despite not being a fancy place, this location offers a great opportunity to experience the local cuisine and eating traditions.
Marsa Alam geography
Marsa Alam consists of two villages: Bernice, a small city located 178 kilometers north of Al Qausier, famous for therapeutic tourism, and Abu El Hassan Al Shazly, a noted Islamic center. Marsa Alam has many beaches, but the most famous one is Abu Dabab Beach. This beach offers a great diversity of life, is generally preferred for diving and Marsa Alam kitesurfing, and is also home to miniature turtles - a sight you cannot easily encounter in any of the other beaches of Marsa Alam. Marsa Alam has beautifully combined the beauty of the sea with the elegance of modern society. The resort is 274 km south of Hurghada and is connected to Edfu by a 289 km-long desert road. It became highly popular after the Marsa Alam International Airport officially opened in 2003.
Marsa Alam population
Marsa Alam is a must-see destination in Al Bahr al Ahmar, Egypt, with a population of only 10,000. We recommend you stay at least seven days to appreciate everything the city has to offer fully.
Marsa Alam weather
The Marsa Alam weather can be typically described as a desert climate. It is generally very hot and humid during the day and cools at night. Summer and winter months are hot, and since Marsa Alam is a seaside town, it gets warmer in the evenings. The sea temperature is also warm enough for the human body throughout the year. Sea temperatures are usually around 22 - 25 degrees, and the temperature in Marsa Alam varies between 22 and 40 degrees throughout the year.
- Jan 1, Wed 20 Few Clouds
- Jan 2, Thu 21 Clear Sky
- Jan 3, Fri 22 Clear Sky
- Jan 4, Sat 22 Broken Clouds
- Jan 5, Sun 20 Clear Sky
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