Dugongs (Dugong dugon) are seagrass-grazing marine mammals, distant cousins of manatees, that grow up to 3 metres long and live solitary lives in shallow sandy bays. Egypt's southern Red Sea is the easiest place in the world to snorkel with them, with reliable populations in just two bays near Marsa Alam: Abu Dabbab and Marsa Mubarak.
The two reliable spots
Abu Dabbab, the dugong bay
Abu Dabbab is a wide, sandy crescent bay about 30 minutes north of Marsa Alam town. Two resident dugongs, locally nicknamed Dennis and Dougie, graze the seagrass meadow daily. The bay is shore-entry, kid-friendly, and you'll almost always see green sea turtles as a bonus.
Abu Dabbab, Snorkel with Dugongs
One of the few places on Earth where you can swim with the rare and gentle dugong.
From $55Marsa Mubarak, turtles, dugongs, and calm water
Marsa Mubarak is a protected horseshoe-shaped bay further north. The water is exceptionally calm and shallow, and a smaller dugong population shares the bay with a notable population of green sea turtles. Statistically, you'll see turtles every visit and dugongs roughly 60% of the time.
Marsa Mubarak, Turtles & Dugongs
A protected bay famous for resident green turtles and a chance of dugong encounter.
From $50Encounter ethics, the rules that matter
- Stay at least 3 metres away, they'll come to you if curious.
- Never get between a dugong and the surface, they're air-breathing and need to surface.
- No flash photography. The eye is sensitive.
- Don't grab fins or block the path. The animal must control the encounter.
- Stay on the surface, diving down agitates them.
When's the best time?
Dugongs feed throughout the day but the highest activity is between 9 AM and 1 PM when the sun lights the seagrass best. Visibility in Abu Dabbab averages 15–20 metres year-round, peaking in the summer months. The bay can get busy from 11 AM onwards, arriving early matters.
Where to base yourself
Marsa Alam town itself is small but has good budget options. Most international visitors stay in resorts in El Quseir (50 km north) or Port Ghalib (10 km north of the airport). Both have direct snorkeling tours to Abu Dabbab and Marsa Mubarak, typically 6–8 hours with hotel pickup.
