Craving a winter vacation in the Red Sea but want to go someplace other than the popular and crowded resorts of Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada? The remote fishing village of Marsa Alam on the southern Red Sea coast offers the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of popular Egyptian resorts. Boasting stretches of still and calm beaches, many flock to this destination as its known to house one of the best diving sites in the world. Diving though, is not the only activity to look forward to at Marsa Alam. Along with the underwater sport, here are many other things you can do at the humble resort town:
Bash Through the Desert on a Quad Bike
Beyond its beaches, Marsa Alam is just like Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada in that it also boasts a vast desert landscape making it the perfect spot to take a quad bike or jeep and drive over and across the sand dunes. A great go-to activity to make the most of the desert is to go on a desert safari and with Marsa Alam, you will find multiple tours available with trained guides there to help you explore the desert. For a slower and more laid back trip, you can go for a camel or horse tour instead of the quad bike. For a fun detour, you can ask your guide to take you to Wadi Hammamat which is a little north of Marsa Alam and is home to Pharaonic graffiti. This very spot was actually right in the middle of a trade route between Arab merchants and Egyptians.
Swim With Dolphins in the Wild
The Dolphin House are two different reefs in Marsa Alam called Satayah and Shaab Samadai that are frequented by dolphins. If it is your dream to take a dip with the popular blue flipper, a trip to either of the two reefs can do just the trick. The best part about swimming with dolphins at either Shaab Samadai which is closer to Marsa Alam or Satayah which is further south, is that you get to meet them in their natural habitat where they will be even more playful and friendly than at an aquarium or pool.
Visit Wadi El Gemal
Nature enthusiasts rejoice as there is a very special spot less than an hour’s drive from Marsa Alam that is home to exquisite nature and underwater life. Wadi El Gemal or the Valley of the Camels is the Egyptian national park that spans both the desert and sea. This is the place to go to witness a rich biodiversity of mammals like wild camels and the Nubian Ibex as well as reptiles and birds. It also boasts a rich marine life that includes dolphins, sharks of all kinds, birds and sea turtles. Getting in, you’ll pay a small entrance fee and enter the park with a guide who will help show you its stunning beaches as well as its unique gems including the oldest emerald mines in the world known as Cleopatra’s Mines’
Explore the Majestic Mangroves
If Valley of the Camels doesn’t satiate your dive into Marsa Alam’s nature, you can also check out the Qulaan Islands, also known as the Hamata Islands, which are an archipelago of four islands known for their mangrove trees. Picture yourself there, walking barefoot during low tide on this sheltered inland that branches off the Red Sea with the water skirting around your ankles and the mangrove trees standing tall above the water. With the area populated with mangroves, it has also become a great bird watching spot that attracts a wide variety of species to the island.
Kitesurf Through the Waves
For the adrenaline junkies, there is a way to surf through the waves and the picturesque waters of Marsa Alam as the resort town is known to be a prime kitesurfing spot. The fact that it has flat water coupled with many windy days makes it perfect for hitting up the water. There are a few spots we recommend for you to hit up for the ultimate kitesurfing experience which include the Lagoon at Royal Tulip Beach Resort and El Nabaa Lagoon. If you are beginner, you can head to any of the kitesurfing centers including Kite Fun School Marsa Alam to take a course. If you are advanced, you can rent the kitesurfing equipment and head to any of the recommend spots.
Dip Into the Nayzak
Many call it a hidden gem but from the amount of re-shares it is getting on TikTok, we are beginning to think that it is becoming a Marsa Alam hotspot. Found off the beaten path on an empty stretch of coast is the Nayzak, a deep blue pool of water that is shaped like an eye and surrounded by rock formations. To many locals, there is this myth that it came into being because of a meteorite crashing on the beach. Some people come to Marsa Alam just to swim in the Nayzak as it makes for a very refreshing and unique experience.
With each of these activities, you will notice how Marsa Alam is not just a diving hotspot but also home to beautiful nature, wildlife as well as unique experiences that make for a refreshing trip compared to the usual localities of Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada.