Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam is one of the fastest growing holiday resorts in Egypt, popular with wind surfers, divers and sun worshippers fortunate enough to have discovered the resort's remote tranquility.

The appeal of Marsa Alam lies in its tropical appearance, boasting rich blue sea coasts fringed with coral reef barriers, paradisiacal beaches and proud palm trees. Marsa Alam has as a result become a favourite of divers eager to explore the resorts numerous unspoilt diving sites where spinner dolphins and sea turtles swim freely.

Twenty years ago Marsa Alam was little more than a sleepy fishing village, but the region's beautiful beaches and its' virgin coral reefs are set to make it a prime holiday spot.  Our advice is to go before the crowds discover it.

Although previously a small fishing village, the construction of an International Airport in 2001 has established Marsa Alam as an upcoming and exclusive holiday resort. With a host of tourism projects planned for the near future, Marsa Alam is set to rival the popularity of established Egyptian resorts such as Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh.

Dive sites accessible from Marsa Alam number among the most attractive in the Red Sea for experienced divers. The preserved state of the coral reefs and presence of pelagic species are the principal draw factors. For less experienced divers, in-shore coral reefs offer the chance for hours of marine wildlife watching.

Marsa Alam is situated near the Tropic of Cancer where the Arabian Desert meets the Red Sea, and it has the appearance of a tropical paradise with its palm trees, mangroves and sea coasts fringed with barrier coral reefs. It has already gained a strong reputation amongst scuba divers due to its numerous and unspoilt diving sites both along the coast and offshore. Sightings of spinner dolphins, dugongs and hammerhead sharks are a frequent occurrence for those who venture into its waters.

Marsa Alam also has some inland attractions, such as the Emerald Mines and the Temple of Seti I at Khanais.

By Nouran Radwan

References:

http://www.marsaalam.com/

http://www.marsaalam.co.uk/