There’s one person on every dive boat that starts a spirited debate about where the best diving in the world is—and it’s definitely not wherever you all are now 😅

I’ve heard it debated among everyone from German and Malaysian divers to French, Indonesian, Korean, American, Dutch, Chinese, Australian, and aggressively confident British divers—usually while someone is peeling off a wetsuit, someone else is frantically searching for the freshwater rinse tank for their ring, and at least one person is insisting that their favorite destination is “objectively better” than the miraculous bit of ocean we’ve just climbed out of (you know the type!).

And somehow, no matter whether it’s a shore or boat dive or who’s onboard, the same place comes up on repeat: Egypt. And when someone brings it up, the group immediately argues about where exactly to go once you get there because Egypt doesn’t have just one iconic dive destination. It has several, and choosing the wrong one can completely change your experience!

So if you read my last post about how to decide between scuba diving in Marsa Alam, Sharm el Sheik, Dahab, and Hurghada for your trip to Egypt (no liveaboards!) and decided on Marsa Alam as your base for shore diving, this blog is for you! And you’ve made a great choice.

This guide is part of my Best Scuba Diving Destinations in the World series, where I break down the world’s top dive destinations—what you’ll see, who they’re best for, and when to go. From seeing charismatic megafauna to adrenaline dives to the best beginner-friendly spots, you’ll want to add these to your dive bucket list!

Scuba diving in Marsa Alam (Overview)

Where is Marsa Alam?

How to get to Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam is a quick hour and 20 minute scenic flight from Cairo. It was such a relief for me to leave the smog and sounds of the capital behind, watching the air clear from a brownish haze to blue skies with the coastline bursting into view.

If you check Google Flights, you’ll see that the small international airport in Marsa Alam (RMF) doesn’t have a ton of flights: there are only 2 a week to and from Cairo, but some lovely British divers I met on my trip said there are almost daily direct flights from London Heathrow—just check well in advance!

Tips for planning your trip to Marsa Alam:

• Plan the dates of your stay around available flights. I ended up having to rearrange my hotel and dive reservations a week before my trip after realizing there were no flights out the day I originally planned to leave! 
• There is almost no public transport, so be sure to arrange a transfer from the airport through your hotel or dive center well ahead of time.

Planning your trip for scuba diving in Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam is a dreamy scuba hideaway in southeast Egypt—there’s not much here except sand, sea, and dive resorts. You get that eat-sleep-dive rhythm of a liveaboard without being trapped on a boat, and still having easy access to some of Egypt’s most legendary dive sites!

If you’re looking for nightlight, markets, and a selection of restaurants around the resort, you won’t find it in Marsa Alam—think of it like being on the LOB, but on land haha! Everyone eats meals together in the resort dining room, and spends non-diving time in the common spaces like the beach, pool, and garden.

Marsa Alam dive sites and wildlife

You can see some of the most exciting megafauna and coral diversity in Egypt in Marsa Alam, like dolphins, sea turtles, Red Sea anemonefish, blue-spotted rays, and (seasonally) oceanic whitetip sharks, silky sharks, and manta rays!

• Sha’ab Samadai (Dolphin House): famous for a resident pod of dolphins that you can snorkel or dive near in strictly managed zones.
• Elphinstone Reef: one of the most iconic Red Sea pelagic sites with a strong possibility of seeing oceanic white tip sharks seasonally
• Abu Dabbab Bay: calm, sandy-bottom shore dive with sea turtles galore ALL YEAR

Learn more about the best season to visit Marsa Alam, the best time to visit for wildlife, and details about dive sites, conditions, and difficulty levels here!

One dive I’d never do again? I went scuba diving with dugongs in Coron, Philippines. Here’s 3 reasons I regret it.

Scuba diving in Marsa Alam: Dive prices

With Emperor Divers, we paid $1,588 for the PADI package for 2 divers in November, which is not peak season. This covered our 4 days of lodging, 3 days of diving, equipment rental, and full board.

However, they can really stick you with extras that can be a nasty surprise if you’re not expecting them, like environmental fees, lunch on the dive boat day, transfers, entrance fees to the marine park, and 14% sales tax.

Like most people, I hate being surprised by prices, so I wrote a dedicated blog with a detailed breakdown of eactly what we spent in Marsa Alam! It includes the actual pricing sheet, the extras we were charged for (so you can plan ahead for them!) and what I learned while I was there that will help you save some money and get a better deal.

Where to stay in Marsa Alam

There are several PADI dive resorts in Marsa Alam, but I stayed at Wadi Sabarah Lodge, which is a gorgeous PADI dive resort. It’s an eco resort (and fully solar powered!) with incredible sea and dune views and is actually made of fossilized coral limestone.

It sits on a hill between the Red Sea and the desert and is a really quiet, relaxing place with an awesome, shallow house reef, a botanical garden, Emperor Divers shop on property, and nightly ecology talks that are perfect for ocean lovers (I seriously went every night to learn about dugongs, corals, and more!) and talking to people with similar interests!

Read my full review of Wadi Sabarah here for all the details, pricing, and why it’s one of the most unique places I’ve ever stayed!

Scuba Diving in Marsa Alam vs. Sharm el Sheikh and other Egyptian dive destinations

I published a comprehensive comparison of Egypt’s most popular shore diving destinations in my last blog, and highly recommend checking it out if you’re debating between Marsa Alam, Sharm, Hugrahad, and Dagab still! But my short answer is that scuba diving in Marsa Alam is perfect for you if you’re all about nature, quiet, and relaxation. If you’re looking to mix in a metropolitan feel with nightlife and restaurants, Marsa Alam isn’t for you.

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Other scuba diving blogs

I hope this gave you the information you needed for scuba diving in Marsa Alam! If you’re looking for more scuba diving or outdoor adventure travel ideas, be sure to check out some of my related content!

• My guide to diving with thresher sharks in Malapascua (cost breakdown, best dive shops, what to bring, etc!)
• My guide to scuba diving the Lanai Cathedrals in Maui, Hawaii
• I helped manta ray conservation efforts while scuba diving in Komodo, Indonesia. Here’s how any diver can do it, step by step!
• I went scuba diving with dugongs in Coron, Philippines. Here’s why I regret it.
• First timer’s guide: What to pack for a liveaboard dive trip (DON’T FORGET THESE!)