Egypt
Marsa Alam
Dugongs grazing on seagrass in shallows so clear you watch from the surface, desert silent behind.
The dugong surfaces slowly, a grey bulk trailing seagrass from its mouth, and you watch from the surface through water so clear it barely seems to exist. Behind the reef, the Eastern Desert rises in rust-coloured ridges without a single tree. Marsa Alam is where Egypt's Red Sea coast is at its emptiest and its marine life at its richest.
Marsa Alam sits on Egypt's southern Red Sea coast, roughly 270 kilometres south of Hurghada, where the continental shelf drops steeply and offshore reefs remain largely untouched by mass tourism. The area is one of the few reliable places in the world to encounter dugongs — the endangered marine mammals that graze on seagrass beds in the shallows of Abu Dabbab bay. Elphinstone Reef, accessible by boat from Marsa Alam, is consistently ranked among the Red Sea's top dive sites, with oceanic whitetip sharks patrolling its deep walls. The coastline includes protected mangrove lagoons and uninhabited islands, while the desert hinterland — Wadi al-Gemal National Park — extends the wilderness inland. Eco-lodges and small resorts line the coast, offering a quieter alternative to Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada without sacrificing reef quality.
Couple
Eco-lodges with private beach access, sunrise snorkelling with dugongs, and empty coastline in both directions — Marsa Alam delivers seclusion and natural spectacle without needing to rough it.
Family
Abu Dabbab's shallow seagrass bay is calm enough for children to snorkel safely, and the dugong encounters happen in waist-deep water. Resort-based stays keep logistics simple while the marine life does the rest.
Friends
Elphinstone Reef, Fury Shoals, and the Sataya dolphin reef provide some of the most exhilarating diving in Egypt. A group of divers can base here for a week and never repeat a site.
- Dugong sightings in the shallow seagrass beds off Abu Dabbab bay are reliable enough that some dive operators offer money-back guarantees.
- The dive site at Elphinstone Reef — a 45-minute boat ride offshore — is rated consistently among the top ten dive sites in the world.
- The town retains a working fishing port alongside the resort hotels — the morning fish market runs entirely independently from the tourist industry.
- Eco-camps south of town offer full-board stays in Bedouin-style tents at the desert-meets-sea junction, with no Wi-Fi and no crowds.
Fresh Red Sea fish and prawns grilled at beachside restaurants, the catch landed that morning.
Egyptian breakfast buffets at the eco-lodges: ful, eggs, fresh juice, and warm bread.
Bedouin-run cafes in the mangrove bays serving tea and simple grilled fish.
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