Marsa Alam ( ' , Classical Arabic ) is a tourist

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in south-eastern

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

, located on the western shore of the

Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...

. It is described as a "popular" tourist destination. Marsa Alam is a relatively recently built town; its development began in 1995 through the investments of the Kuwaiti Al-Kharafi Group, which established the town and its initial facilities, resorts and infrastructure. Its growth was accelerated by the opening of Marsa Alam International Airport in 2003. Due to its crystal clear water and its white sandy beaches, it is also known as the "Egyptian Maldives."

Geography

The region covers an area of 38,433 km² and sits at an elevation of approximately 60 meters above sea level. It is located 274 km south of Hurghada and 134 km south of Qusayr. It is inhabited by about 11,497 residents.

Climate

Despite being over north of the tropical zone, the city experiences a tropical

hot desert climate The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk'') is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

: BWh), with steadier temperatures than places to the north such as Hurghada and

Sharm el Sheikh Sharm El Sheikh (, , literally "bay of the Sheikh"), alternatively rendered Sharm el-Sheikh, Sharm el Sheikh, or Sharm El-Sheikh, is an Egyptian city on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in South Sinai Governorate, on the coastal strip alo ...

. Among major

Egyptian ''Egyptian'' describes something of, from, or related to Egypt. Egyptian or Egyptians may refer to: Nations and ethnic groups * Egyptians, a national group in North Africa ** Egyptian culture, a complex and stable culture with thousands of year ...

cities and resorts, Marsa Alam, Kosseir and Sharm el-Sheikh have the warmest nighttime temperatures. 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.

Tourist activities

Beaches near Marsa Alam include Abu Dabba. There, tourists report seeing turtles, dolphins, sharks and marine wildlife like crocodilefish and

octopus An octopus (: octopuses or octopodes) 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, and nautiloids. Like oth ...

es. Marsa Alam is also known a kitesurfing destination and starting point for safaris. The town is located near some historic emerald mines and the Temple of

Seti I Menmaatre Seti I (or Sethos I in Greek language, Greek) was the second pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt during the New Kingdom of Egypt, New Kingdom period, ruling or 1290 BC to 1279 BC. He was the son of Ramesses I and Sitre, and th ...

at Khanais.

Wadi El Gemal National Park

The Wadi El Gemal National Park covers an area of approximately 7,450 km², including a land area of 4,770 km², and a marine area of 2,100 km². It covers 60 km of the

coast and includes the Wadi El Gemal islands, coral reefs and seaweed clusters, in addition to Mount Hamata, which is located at the beginning of the reserve. A flowing freshwater source mixes with seawater and forms a low-salinity

marsh In ecology, a marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants rather than by woody plants.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p More in genera ...

. The reserve is divided into several areas: the Wadi El Gemal Island area, which is the second largest concentration of the

sooty falcon The sooty falcon (''Falco concolor'') is a medium-sized falcon breeding from northeastern Africa to the southern Persian Gulf region. The word sooty means to be covered in soot (ash), and is used to describe the color of the Sooty Falcon. Hence, ...

; the Hankawareb area, which is 18 km south of Wadi El Gemal and is characterized by beaches and coral reefs; and the Qalaan area, which is 9 km north of the village. The Hamata area is characterized by the presence of vast areas of

mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal rivers. They have particular adaptations to take in extra oxygen a ...

and many types of endemic and migratory birds. The Hamata Islands area, which is located two miles from the beach opposite the village of Hamata, is characterized by places for practicing swimming and diving activities. The valley was given its name due to the presence of a plant in that area that is palatable to camels. Wildlife and marine life are active in the reserve, including

mountain goat The mountain goat (''Oreamnos americanus''), also known as the Rocky Mountain goat, is a cloven-footed mammal that is endemic to the remote and rugged mountainous areas of western North America. A subalpine to truly alpine species, it is a s ...

“ibex”,

dorcas gazelle The dorcas gazelle (''Gazella dorcas''), also known as the ariel gazelle, is a small and common gazelle. The dorcas gazelle stands about at the shoulder, with a head and body length of and a weight of . The numerous subspecies survive on veget ...

, which is also known as the afri, the aril

gazelle A gazelle is one of many antelope species in the genus ''Gazella'' . There are also seven species included in two further genera; '' Eudorcas'' and '' Nanger'', which were formerly considered subgenera of ''Gazella''. A third former subgenus, ' ...

, which is one of the smallest and most common species of deer,

ibex An ibex ( : ibex, ibexes or ibices) is any of several species of wild goat (genus ''Capra''), distinguished by the male's large recurved horns, which are transversely ridged in front. Ibex are found in Eurasia, North Africa and East Africa. T ...

antelope The term antelope refers to numerous extant or recently extinct species of the ruminant artiodactyl family Bovidae that are indigenous to most of Africa, India, the Middle East, Central Asia, and a small area of Eastern Europe. Antelopes do ...

, and more than 13 species of birds, including the sunset falcon. Marine life includes four species of sea crab,

dugong The dugong (; ''Dugong dugon'') is a marine mammal. It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest ...

, green turtles,

whale shark The whale shark (''Rhincodon typus'') is a slow-moving, filter feeder, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known Extant taxon, extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of . The whale shark holds many records for ...

, mermaid fish,

dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal in the cetacean clade Odontoceti (toothed whale). Dolphins belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontopori ...

, and more than 13 species of small fish. The local fauna includes 141 species of plants, including mangrove trees, swamp herbs, and doum palms. The area also includes the Temple of Sket, located 60 km inside Wadi El Gemal. The reserve has four entrances, and three administrative offices have been established, in addition to a museum for the Ababda tribes in which the tools they use are displayed. Tribal women are also taught how to market and sell handicrafts. The Ministry of Environment provides patrols to enforce environmental law and provide

environmental monitoring Environmental monitoring is the processes and activities that are done to characterize and describe the state of the environment. It is used in the preparation of environmental impact assessments, and in many circumstances in which human activit ...

Transportation

Marsa Alam International Airport

Work began on Marsa Alam International Airport in March 1999. It was opened for commercial aviation in October 2001, and it was officially opened in October 2003 with a capacity of up to 600 passengers/hour. It was established with the aim of serving the coastal region in the south of

from the city of Al-Qusayr to the city of Marsa Alam, with a length of 120 km. The airport is 34 nautical miles northwest of Marsa Alam, and 210 km south of Hurghada. Flights include origins in

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

for the purpose of tourism. The airport includes a passenger building located on an area of 5,000 square meters. The airport is managed and operated by IMAC Airport Management and Operations Company, one of the Kuwait Al-Kharafi Group, using the

build–operate–transfer Build–operate–transfer (BOT) or build–own–operate–transfer (BOOT) is a form of project delivery method, usually for large-scale infrastructure projects, wherein a private entity receives a concession (contract), concession from the public ...

system.

Yacht Marina

Marsa Alam Bahri

Marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : "related to the sea") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo ...

or Port Ghalib Marina is located 65 km north of Marsa Alam City, 75 km south of El Quseir City, and 4 km south of Marsa Alam International Airport. Its total area is 315,872 m², with a marine area of 277,872 m². The combined length of its piers is 5,200 meters, and the ground area around the piers is 35,000 m². The main activity of the marina is to receive foreign and local tourist

yacht A yacht () is a sail- or marine propulsion, motor-propelled watercraft made for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a ...

s. It operates 24 hours a day. It is frequented annually by an average of about 2,000 yachts, its capacity is up to 1,050 yachts. The marina was established and managed by the Marsa Alam Tourism Development Company. The marina is equipped with yacht repair facilities, electronic navigation aids, ship waste reception facilities, yacht feeding units with fresh water, electricity and communications, refueling services, security and safety tools, environmental preservation, and fire and pollution control. It has a main navigational approach shaft, illuminated electronically at night, deep in the sea, 60 meters from the beginning of the navigational channel, to guide yachts in their approach to the navigational channel.

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) {{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