Marsa Alam
MarsaAlam to such a city in Egypt that does not exist. When someone says, I’m going to Marsa Alam he is basically saying that he is flying to an airport 60 kilometers north of Marsa Alam (Marsa Alam International Airport), or that he will be in a hotel in a two hundred and fifty kilometer stretch of coastline in the “vicinity” of Marsa Alam from Al Kusair in the north to Hamata in the south.
The sheer number of inhabitants of this city, ten thousand, shows that Marsa Alam is not a metropolis. So to summarize, Marsa Alam itself is one street and not a very impressive length.
Marsaalam area
The Marsaalam area, those 250 kilometers starting and ending and running – well, just where? What does it mean when a diver says “I’ve been to MarsaAlam” – after all, he probably hasn’t been to the city of MarsaAlam a single day.
The MarsaAlam area, which is slang for Marsaalam, begins somewhere after passing Al-Qusayr, a port that lies about 50 kilometers outside Safaga.
Then the next resorts that we pass by the Red Sea are:
- Port Ghalib (75 km from Al-Qusayr)
- MarsaAlam (140 km from Al-Qusayr)
- Hamata Port (250 km from Al-Qusayr)
Port Ghalib
Port Ghalib is a private port from which safari boats often depart for southern Egypt. A beautiful new resort with cool pubs and good facilities.
MarsaAlam (140 km from Al-Qusayr) as we have already written is “one” street and a place that those going to the MarsaAlam area rarely visit.
Hamata Port
Hamata Port (250 km from Al-Qusayr) – a place (because it can hardly be called a port) from which also a lot of dive boats depart. But all in all, this port is a piece of sandy wharf hardened by oil spills from refueling boats mixed with sand. More recently, there has been a jetty for dive boats. Departing from this port is a certain experience that can safely be described as exotic. On foot you can reach the nearby town, which is a miniature of MarsaAlam (also consists of one street only much shorter).
Diving around Marsa Alam
Diving in the Marsa Alam area means either venturing out to remote iconic reefs like Elphin Stone or diving on local reefs at most hotels. The Marsaalam region is also an area that specializes in turtles and Diugonias or “Sea Cows” “Sea Cow” –3-meter-long mammals that got their graceful name because of their temperament and their favorite food – namely grass. Means sea grass.
MarsaAlam is also the area from which great diving safaris to the southern Red Sea take off.
MarsaAlam is also a very popular destination during the colder part of the year. From November to April, Marsaalam is certainly an ideal destination for those looking for an escape to warmer parts of the world.
Air temperatures in January are around 22-25 degrees. Of course, all year round MarsaAlam is a good place to vacation. The sea temperature varies throughout the year from 22 to 29 degrees. The number of rainy days averages “zero” days per year 🙂
Dive Sites
Elphinstone Reef
Located about 12 kilometers offshore and 30 kilometers from Marsa Alam, a massive reef emerging from the sea floor. One of the best deeper dive sites in Egypt. Amazing current diving at a beautiful wall with powerful Gorgonians. Elphinstone is an elongated reef emerging from the seabed, starting from the current with a massive spur at over forty meters. The beginning of the dive involves jumping from Riba on negative buoyancy and descending to the maximum dive depth along the edge of the reef. That’s where, from the steepness of the incoming current, there is the greatest chance for Oceanic Whitetip Sharks (Longimanus) and sometimes hammerhead sharks. Then slowly ascending we let the current carry us along the wall. On the opposite side of the reef a boat is waiting for us and if we don’t manage to swim there, after shooting a buoy we are collected by zodiacs.
Dolphin House (Sha’ab Samadai Reef).
A powerful lagoon offering stopped-breath diving and snorkeling with dolphins. Typically, divers are taken by zodiacs in ABC gear and “dumped” in front of an incoming herd of dolphins. You can see them from a few meters away. This is one of the few places where an encounter with dolphins is almost certain. They just like to traverse this reef from one end to the other.
Abu Dabbab
The best or at least the most popular place in the Marsa Alam area. Located about 30 km north of MarsaAlam. Diving depths from 4 to 18 meters. It is here that divers “hunt” for the famous Diugons – “Sea Cows.” It is a massive sandy bay covered with sea grass. Sea turtles can also be encountered here. Full of boats, divers and snorkelers. Some turtles and sometimes a slightly stressed Diugo 🙂
Fury Shoals
Located about 150 km south of MarsaAlam, the least damaged reef of the “area”. Some “shallower” southern safaris are named after it. A great collection of hard and soft corals.
Hamada wreck
Located about 70 km south of Marsa Alam. New wreck (sank in 1993). Available for beginner divers. Located at a depth of 0 to 18 meters. As usual a such places it is easy to meet winged and moray eels on it.
Gorgonia Beach
Coral garden with Gorgonias on a slope falling from 12 to 35 meters. Lots of hard and soft corals. Chance to meet stingrays, turtles or barracuda. In the reef itself, as usual, a lot of anemones.
Abu Ghusun Wreck
The Abu Ghusun wreck is located in El Qualaan Bay. It lies at 18 meters by the reef in a beautiful sandy bay.
Ras Samadai
Ras Samadai is a powerful pinnacle rising from the bottom lying at a depth of 30 meters. Reef sharks can be observed here.
Sataya
Beautiful bowls also known for safari boat trips. Located two hours from the port of Hamat.
Tien Hsing Wreck (Tug Boat)
A 35-meter-long Chinese-made tug from 1935. It sank on the Abu Galawa Kibeer reef on October 26, 1943. It lies at 18 meters on the starboard side heavily tilted. The bow is at the very surface and the rudder and stern at 18 meters.
Abu Galawa
Abu Galawa is located 16 kilometers south of Hamata. Since the wooden part of the structure is long gone, only the metal structure remains. It is heavily overgrown, especially its top-left side. Through the openings you can enter the wheelhouse and the engine room with the steam boiler. Also, you can enter the toilet at the stern. Near the wreck you can meet a large Napoleon.
Gotta Abu Diab
Gotta Abu Diab located about two and a half hours from Marsaalam. A powerful pinnacle coming out of a depth of 100 meters. A place where you can meet several species of sharks including the iconic hammerhead sharks.
Advantages of MarsaAlam
As you can see from the description, this area of MarsaAlam is an ideal place especially in winter. Due to the nonetheless less scattered hotels, it is not “trampled”. The local reefs – especially in the bays next to the hotels, are very nice with an “aquarium” of fish.
At the same time, these are easy dives so hotel dive bases allow dives without a guide, groups of divers. If one appreciates independent, shallow dives, one will find plenty of such opportunities in the MarsaAlam area.
