Cheap flights to Marsa Alam

Quick summary

Why track Marsa Alam with SniperAir

A reef coast, away from the big resort towns

Marsa Alam is a small town in south-eastern Egypt on the western shore of the Red Sea, roughly 270 km south of Hurghada. It is a recent development: building began in 1995 with Kuwaiti investment and accelerated once the international airport opened in 2003, according to Wikipedia (EN). Hotels are strung along the coast beside reef-lined bays, while the town itself is mainly a crossroads where the coastal highway meets the road to Edfu in the Nile valley. Flights to this coast are strongly seasonal and often charters from Europe, so the price of the same trip can swing widely by month and weekday. A SniperAir alert saves you from checking comparison sites every day: you set a budget, we compare new fares with the route's real price history and let you know.

Airport and getting into town

A holiday airport about an hour's drive from town

Approximate distance from Wikipedia (EN) and Wikivoyage (EN); sources disagree on when the airport opened (2001 or 2003). No transfer fares are given.

Hurghada (HRG), about 270 km to the north, often has more flights and can be tracked in parallel. Buses link Marsa Alam to Cairo via El Quseir and Hurghada, and a desert road runs west to Edfu in the Nile valley.

Landmarks

Reefs, turtles and desert: the Red Sea comes first

Most sights here are underwater or in the desert. The four places below are illustrated; Wadi El Gemal National Park, Abu Dabbab beach and the Temple of Seti I are described in text only further down.

The coral reefs

The Marsa Alam coast is lined with fringing reefs, often a short swim from the beach. Wikivoyage (EN) says largely intact coral reefs run along the whole coast and that many hotels face bays where a footbridge leads to the reef. The Red Sea stays between 22 and 29 degrees Celsius through the year according to Wikipedia (EN), so swimming and snorkelling are possible almost year round.

Soft corals and fish

On the drop-offs, soft corals turn pink, purple or yellow and schools of small orange fish gather around them. The colours show best in shallow water around midday, when light reaches down. Look after the reef: do not stand on the coral or touch it, as Wikivoyage (EN) advises.

The green sea turtle

The coast is known for its green turtles, which you may meet swimming over seagrass. Wikipedia (EN) lists Abu Dabbab beach among the places where visitors report seeing turtles, dolphins, sharks and other marine life. Do not chase or touch them: they are protected animals.

Seagrass and sandy bottoms

Turtles feed on seagrass beds. In Wadi El Gemal National Park the waters also shelter dugongs and green turtles, according to Wikipedia (EN). Boat trips must keep out of dugong bays, says Wikivoyage (EN), to avoid injuring the animals with propellers.

Wadi El Gemal National Park covers about 7,450 square kilometres, part of it marine, along 60 km of coast, with reefs, seagrass, mangroves at Hamata and wildlife that includes ibex, dorcas gazelle and rare birds, according to Wikipedia (EN). Inland, the road to Edfu passes the Temple of Seti I at Wadi Miya and old gold and emerald mines that have been worked since pharaonic times, says Wikipedia (DE).

Museums and culture

Few museums, but a long desert history

No major museum in town

Marsa Alam is a small, recent resort: apart from its mosques and local market there are no sights in the town itself, according to Wikivoyage (EN). Culture is found around the town instead.

The Temple of Seti I at Wadi Miya

On the Edfu road, Wikipedia (DE) mentions the temple built by Seti I at Wadi Miya, close to ancient mining areas. Visits depend on how the trip is organised, so ask before you go.

The Temple of Edfu

Edfu, in the Nile valley, is about 220 km from Marsa Alam according to Wikipedia (FR, DE); it is the closest base for a great Egyptian temple. Some agencies run day trips, which are long.

Mines, rock art and Bedouin culture

The area was known in pharaonic times for gold, emeralds, copper and lead, says Wikipedia (FR, DE). Prehistoric rock engravings are found across the region, and two Bedouin peoples, the Ababda in the north and the Bedja in the south, have lived here for a long time, according to Wikipedia (DE).

Food and drink

Hotel dining, fish and tea

At the table

Most visitors eat at their hotel, on half board or all inclusive. In town, small restaurants serve basic Egyptian food: grilled fish, rice, vegetables, flatbread and falafel. We do not list addresses because places change quickly.

Drinks

Tea is the everyday drink; fresh fruit juices and Turkish coffee go with meals. Alcohol is served in hotels but rarely outside them, so check local customs before you travel.

Markets and produce

The local market in Marsa Alam, mentioned by Wikivoyage (EN), is where residents shop for fruit, vegetables and spices. Avoid tap water and drink sealed bottled water.

Getting around

Getting around: on foot in town, by car or excursion elsewhere

In town

The town is small, and almost everything can be reached on foot, according to Wikivoyage (EN). The public beach is in the north of the town.

Between hotels

Hotels are spread along the coastal road, so people use taxis, excursion minibuses or hire cars. Agree the fare before you get in.

Buses and roads

Buses run from Marsa Alam to Cairo via El Quseir and Hurghada several times a day, says Wikivoyage (EN); services to Edfu and Shalateen are less frequent. Highway 24 follows the coast and the Edfu road branches west north of town.

Budget and precautions

A budget that depends on the season, to compare before you go

Price level

We give no price ranges because we could not cross-check them with two independent, current sources. The currency is the Egyptian pound, and all-inclusive hotel packages are common on this coast.

Flights

The flight is still the most variable item. SniperAir tracks prices to RMF and compares them with the route's history; it does not sell or book tickets. Hurghada (HRG) can complete your watch.

Entry rules and precautions

Entry requirements depend on your nationality: check official sites and your government's travel advice. At sea, follow your guides' instructions, do not stand on corals and protect yourself from the sun, which is strong all year.

When to go

A hot desert climate, even in winter

Marsa Alam has a hot desert climate (BWh), with steadier temperatures than Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh and some of the warmest nights of Egypt's resorts, according to Wikipedia (EN). The record low is 5 degrees Celsius, on 3 January 2008. Rain is very rare. We give no other figures because sources disagree on seasonal averages.

By length of stay

What to do in Marsa Alam by length of stay

In pictures

Marsa Alam in pictures

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions about flights to Marsa Alam