Marsa Alam — 3-Day Guide

Marsa Alam offers the Red Sea's best diving untouched by mass tourism — dugongs in seagrass meadows, manta rays at Elphinstone and a 4th-century Coptic monastery in the desert.

Also explore Marsa Alam for:

📋 General guide ⭐ Highlights

Dugong Snorkelling at Abu Dabbab & Bedouin Night

Elphinstone Manta Rays & Wadi el-Gemal

World's Oldest Monastery & Amethyst Mines

📋 General 3-day guide ⭐ Highlights

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Language	Arabic; English spoken in all dive centres and tourist hotels
Currency	Egyptian Pound (EGP); USD widely accepted at tourist facilities; ATMs at Port Ghalib marina
Transport	Car hire or jeep excursions essential outside resort areas; Marsa Alam town 5 km from most resorts; no public transport to dive sites
Best time	Oct–May ideal (25–32°C water, 20–28°C air); Jun–Sep very hot (40°C+) but diving excellent; dugongs year-round; manta rays Oct–Feb
Getting in	Marsa Alam International Airport (RMF) direct charter flights from Europe; or fly into Hurghada and transfer 3 hrs south
Tipping	$2–5/day for dive boat crew; $5 for dive guides; restaurants 10%; resort staff $1–2/day
Safety	Very safe resort area; Eastern Desert excursions require registered guides; sea conditions can change rapidly — follow dive operator safety briefings
Budget tips	Egypt is extremely affordable — $200/week all-inclusive resort packages common; local restaurant meals $5–12; dive packages significantly cheaper than anywhere else in the Red Sea