Marsa Alam anchors Egypt's southern Red Sea coast, a less-developed stretch famed for the offshore shark reef of Elphinstone, the spinner-dolphin lagoon of Sha'ab Samadai, and shallow seagrass bays where endangered dugongs and green turtles graze. Warm, clear water year-round and a mix of shore bays, day-boat reefs, and liveaboard-only offshore pinnacles make it one of the Red Sea's most varied destinations.
Destination info
Conditions, highlights, and the resident marine life.
Conditions
Water and air temperature across the year.
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Description
Marsa Alam is the gateway to Egypt's southern Red Sea, a coastline that stayed quiet until its international airport opened in 2003 and remains less crowded than Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh to the north. The diving spans three distinct experiences. Sheltered coastal bays (marsas) such as Abu Dabbab, Marsa Mubarak, and Marsa Shouna hold extensive seagrass meadows that feed resident dugongs (Dugong dugon) and large green turtles, and their shallow, current-free water suits beginners and snorkellers. Offshore fringing reefs like Sha'ab Marsa Alam and Sha'ab Samadai — the latter a horseshoe-shaped reef whose inner lagoon shelters a resident pod of spinner dolphins — offer easy drift and wall diving in 20–30 m visibility. Finally, exposed open-sea reefs, above all Elphinstone, deliver the region's signature big-animal diving: steep walls dropping past 100 m, plateaus at 30–40 m, and seasonal aggregations of oceanic whitetip sharks (peaking October–December) plus scalloped hammerheads in the blue. Water stays warm and divable all year (22–24°C in winter, 27–29°C in summer) with visibility frequently over 30 m. Marsa Alam is also the main launch point for southern liveaboard routes to the Brothers, Daedalus, and Fury Shoal.
Highlights
What makes this dive worth the trip.
Elphinstone Reef is one of the Red Sea's premier shark dives: an open-sea reef 12 km offshore with walls dropping past 100 m and two plateaus at 30–40 m. Oceanic whitetip sharks (Carcharhinus longimanus) are most abundant from October to December, when divers may see multiple individuals in a single dawn dive, with scalloped hammerheads patrolling the deep blue off the northern point.
Sha'ab Samadai ('Dolphin House') is a crescent-shaped reef about 12 km southeast of Marsa Alam whose shallow inner lagoon shelters a resident pod of around 60 spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris). It has been a regulated marine protected area since 2004, divided into Zone A (no-entry dolphin sanctuary), Zone B (guided snorkelling only, no boats), and Zone C (open diving and snorkelling).
Abu Dabbab Bay is one of the few places on Earth where divers and snorkellers can reliably encounter the endangered dugong (Dugong dugon). The sheltered, shallow bay holds one of the region's largest seagrass meadows, grazed by two semi-resident dugongs alongside large green and hawksbill turtles, with green-turtle sightings reported almost daily.
Marine life
49 species you’re likely to encounter on a dive here.
Dive sites
6 signature sites at this destination.
Elphinstone Reef
Marsa Alam's signature open-sea dive: a narrow reef about 300 m long lying roughly 12 km offshore east of Abu Dabbab, with near-vertical walls plunging past 100 m and two plateaus — north and south — at 30–40 m. The site is famous for oceanic whitetip sharks, most abundant October–December, plus scalloped hammerheads off the northern tip in the deep blue, grey reef and silky sharks, dogtooth tuna, barracuda, and Napoleon wrasse. A 'sarcophagus' archway sits at 52–65 m near the southern tip (technical/advanced only). Currents are typically strong (2+ knots) and usually run north to south; exposed open-sea conditions make this an advanced drift dive reserved for experienced divers, ideally on a dawn dive to maximise shark encounters.
5–40 madvancedDay boatStrongVisibility 20–40 m
Sha'ab Samadai (Dolphin House)
A horseshoe-shaped offshore reef about 12 km southeast of Marsa Alam, roughly 1.4 km long and 1 km wide, whose shallow inner lagoon (6–7 m) shelters a resident pod of around 60 spinner dolphins. A regulated marine protected area since 2004, it is split into Zone A (no-entry dolphin sanctuary), Zone B (guided snorkelling, no boats) and Zone C (open diving). Outside the lagoon, the reef has pinnacles (ergs), soft-coral-draped walls and swim-throughs sloping to 15 m before dropping steeply (200 m west, 600 m east). Easy diving with light current and 20–30 m visibility; dolphins are wild and not guaranteed, but the coral, anemone gardens and reef fish make it rewarding regardless.
5–30 mbeginnerDay boatLightVisibility 20–30 m
Abu Dabbab Bay
A sheltered, shore-accessible bay about 34 km north of Marsa Alam town with one of the region's largest seagrass meadows — prime dugong habitat. Two semi-resident dugongs graze the seagrass alongside large green turtles (seen almost daily) and hawksbill turtles. The sandy, shallow bay (averaging ~15 m, dropping to 30–40 m offshore east of the mouth) is calm and beginner-friendly, with fringing reefs that can be reached by wading. Other residents include guitarfish (harmless), octopus, moray eels, grouper, stingrays and crocodilefish. Visibility is lower than offshore reefs (4–10 m) because of the sandy bottom, but the wildlife is the draw. Approach dugongs and turtles slowly, keep two metres' distance, and never touch.
1–20 mbeginnerShoreNo currentVisibility 4–12 m
Marsa Shouna (Marsa Shouni)
An easy bay dive about 8.5 km south of Ras Ghalib, accessible by both boat and land thanks to a roadside entry. A roughly 360 m-wide bay with lovely coral formations and reef fish, a sprawling sand plateau on the north corner littered with table corals, and depths reaching to around 45 m on the outer reef. Popular with liveaboards and day boats as a relaxed check-dive or final dive, and known as a spot to look for resident dugongs over the seagrass. Light conditions and gentle slopes make it suitable for most divers; the outer reef offers more for experienced divers wanting depth.
5–30 mbeginnerShoreLightVisibility 15–30 m
Sha'ab Marsa Alam
An easy kidney-shaped fringing reef about 4 km east of Marsa Alam town, around 790 m long, offering a wide range of relaxed dives over coral gardens, ergs (coral pinnacles) and sandy patches. The west side has sandy bottom with ergs and coral rock; the northern end is hunting ground for trout, groupers and moray eels. The site's many small coral summits, swim-throughs and reef fish make it a dependable day-boat dive for all levels and a common training and warm-up site, reachable in about 25 minutes by boat south from Port Ghalib.
5–25 mbeginnerDay boatLightVisibility 15–30 m
Marsa Mubarak
A large, sheltered natural bay near Port Ghalib, just north of Marsa Alam, with multiple coral gardens, pinnacles, a seagrass zone and drift-dive options across depths from about 2 to 26 m. Famous for big green turtles and visiting dugongs that graze the seagrass meadow beside the beach, plus rays and varied reef life. The shallow, calm, current-free water makes it ideal for beginners, training and snorkelling, while the outer pinnacles and a gentle drift give more experienced divers variety. Boat access; one of the most reliable turtle dives close to town.
2–26 mbeginnerDay boatNo currentVisibility 10–25 m
Where to dive & stay
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