Marsa Alam holidays

Footprint-free white sands and coral reefs teeming with turtles are on the cards with holidays to Marsa Alam.

The new kid in town

Marsa Alam is the most southern of Egypt's resorts, which means sunny weather’s the norm. Its shimmering beaches are some of the most unspoilt along the Red Sea Coast. But with an ever-growing number of luxury hotels popping up along its 50-kilometre shoreline, it’s certainly starting to rise in the popularity stakes.

The beaches

Marsa Alam lines up an unparalleled range of beaches, from popular stretches to unblemished swathes. The main one, Abu Dabbab Beach, is a sweep of white sand with a roll call of watersports, and a reef where dugongs and giant turtles are routinely spotted. At the other end of the spectrum are the beaches at Honkorab and Golaan. You'll find them to the south of the resort in Wadi el Gemal National Park. Here, solitary mangroves poke out of duck-pond still waters, and there’s not a soul around for miles.

The diving

Off the coast of Marsa Alam are some of Egypt’s most unspoilt reefs. Elphinstone Reef is arguably the best of the lot – a 70-metre-high coral wall, where whitetip reef sharks and giant turtles circle above your head. There’s also Samadai Reef, a place where wild spinner dolphins congregate, which explains the nickname, Dolphin House. If that's not your type of H20 action, you can head for Aqua Coraya waterpark, where the family-friendly slide count is in the double digits.

The sights

Port Ghalib is an exclusive marina development north of Marsa Alam. Its tree-lined quay brims with international restaurant chains, high-quality eateries, and a selection of upmarket shops. And if you’re looking for history, to the south of Marsa Alam you'll find Wadi el Gamal, which translates as Valley of the Camels. There's an emerald mine in the grounds of this national park, which supposedly supplied Cleopatra with her favourite bit of bling. Alternatively, you can leave tyre tracks in the surrounding desert on an adrenaline-packed quad bike tour.