Marsa Alam ( ar,
مرسى علم ' ,
Classical Arabic ) is a town in south-eastern
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
, located on the western shore of the
Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; ...
. It is currently seeing fast increasing popularity as a tourist destination and development following the opening of
Marsa Alam International Airport
Marsa Alam International Airport is an international airport located 60 km north of Marsa Alam in Egypt. It is an important destination for leisure flights from Europe.
Overview
It was built in response to the increasing needs of European ...
in 2003.
Due to its crystal clear water and its white sandy beaches, it is also known as the "Egyptian Maldives".
Among the most famous beaches around Marsa Alam is the Abu Dabab beach. In Abu Dabab, turtles are a common sight. For tourists who seek to see something less typical, there is marine wildlife like
crocodilefish and
octopus
An octopus ( : octopuses or octopodes, see below for variants) is a soft-bodied, eight- limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda (, ). The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttlefish, ...
es.
Marsa Alam is also known as the world-class kitesurfing destination and starting point for safaris.
Marsa Alam also has some inland attractions, such as the Emerald Mines and the Temple of
Seti I
Menmaatre Seti I (or Sethos I in Greek) was the second pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt during the New Kingdom period, ruling c.1294 or 1290 BC to 1279 BC. He was the son of Ramesses I and Sitre, and the father of Ramesses II.
The ...
at Khanais.
Climate
Despite being over north of the
tropical zone, the city experiences a tropical
hot desert climate (
Köppen: BWh),
with steadier temperatures than places to the north such as
Hurghada and
Sharm el Sheikh, yet
Kosseir is steadier and has cooler summers. Marsa Alam, Kosseir and Sharm el-Sheikh have the warmest night temperatures of all other
Egyptian cities and resorts. Average maximum temperatures during January typically range from and in August .
The temperature of the Red Sea at this location during the year ranges from .
The highest record temperature was , recorded on May 10, 2010, while the lowest record temperature was , recorded on January 3, 2008.
See also
*
Red Sea Riviera
*
El Gouna
*
Sahl Hasheesh
' ( ar, سهل حشيش ) is a bay located on the Red Sea coast of Egypt, near Hurghada, approximately 18 km south of Hurghada International Airport.
The Sahl Hasheesh Bay is home to a number of islands and coral reefs with diving an ...
*
List of cities and towns in Egypt
References
External links
On the Red Sea, as Hotels Go Up, Divers Head Down''The New York Times'' on diving in Marsa Alam (April 8, 2007)
Marsa Alam Guide
{{Authority control
Populated places in Red Sea Governorate
Populated coastal places in Egypt
Red Sea
Resorts in Egypt
Seaside resorts in Egypt
Tourism in Egypt
Underwater diving sites in Egypt