Marsa Alam

Snorkeling in Marsa Alam

Snorkel with dugongs at Abu Dabbab, swim with dolphin pods at Samadai and Sataya, Marsa Alam is the wild side of the Red Sea.

5.00(669 reviews) 4 trips Pay on arrival OK Airport: RMF
4
trips
5.0
Rating
30+
Reef & dive sites
360
Sunny days a year
23-29°C
Water temp
30 m+
Visibility

Turquoise water

20m+ underwater visibility year-round.

Sunny weather

300+ sunny days a year.

Variety of sites

Reefs, islands, dolphin lagoons.

Overview

Marsa Alam is the youngest of the three big Egyptian Red Sea bases, the airport opened in 2003 and the resort strip is shorter than Hurghada or Sharm. That late development is the appeal: less crowded reefs, longer stretches of empty desert coast, and the marine life that the larger destinations have lost. Dugongs feed in the seagrass bays, dolphin pods rest in the offshore lagoons of Samadai and Sataya, and the diving and snorkeling community is smaller and quieter.

Best snorkeling spots

1

Abu Dabbab Bay

Seagrass meadow with resident dugongs and 8+ green turtles, shore entry, family-friendly.

2

Marsa Mubarak

Sheltered bay with daily turtle sightings and occasional dugong, calm shallow water.

3

Samadai (Dolphin House)

Protected horseshoe lagoon, resident pod of 60–80 spinner dolphins, 100-guest daily quota.

4

Sataya Dolphin Reef

Fury Shoals reef, 100+ dolphins on a good morning, the largest pod in Egyptian waters.

5

Elphinstone

Offshore reef, oceanic whitetips between October and December, advanced snorkelers only.

Best time to visit

Best time: April to October · Avoid: Mid-December to mid-February for offshore trips

Jan
23°
Feb
23°
Mar
24°
Apr
25°
May
27°
Jun
28°
Jul
29°
Aug
29°
Sep
28°
Oct
27°
Nov
25°
Dec
24°
Peak Good Cooler, quieter Sea °C

Marine life

The southern Red Sea is wilder. Resident populations include dugongs (the world's most accessible feeding ground), green turtles year-round, large schools of barracuda, and three protected dolphin pods (Shaab Marsa Alam, Samadai, Sataya). Oceanic whitetips, hammerheads, and the rare manta ray pass through Elphinstone in winter. The reefs see fewer visitors than Hurghada, so the fish are less skittish, you can drift past a parrotfish from a metre away without it reacting.

Full Red Sea marine life guide

Getting there

Marsa Alam International Airport (RMF) sits 60 km north of Marsa Alam town. Most resorts are spread along a 30 km coastal strip between the airport and Port Ghalib. Pickup is included on every trip and takes 30 to 60 minutes depending on the resort.

All trips · Marsa Alam

4 trips available

Common questions

Can you snorkel with dugongs in Marsa Alam?

Yes. Abu Dabbab bay is one of the most reliable places on earth to see wild dugongs grazing on seagrass, along with green turtles, and you enter straight from the beach.

Where can you swim with dolphins in Marsa Alam?

Samadai (Dolphin House) and Sataya are protected lagoons where wild spinner dolphins rest by day. Both run on daily quotas, so trips are calmer and less crowded than further north.

Is Marsa Alam better than Hurghada for snorkeling?

It is wilder and quieter, with dugongs, turtles and big dolphin pods, but the reefs sit further apart. Hurghada is busier and cheaper to reach. Many snorkelers visit both.

Is Marsa Alam good for beginners and families?

Yes. Bays like Abu Dabbab and Marsa Mubarak are shallow, calm and entered from shore, which makes them ideal for children and first-time snorkelers.

Related guides

Snorkeling in Marsa AlamWhere to See Turtles and Dugongs in EgyptHurghada vs Sharm El Sheikh vs Marsa Alam for SnorkelingBest Snorkeling Trips in Egypt

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