Marsa Alam is a town in south-eastern Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

, located on the western shore of the Red Sea

Red Sea

The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...

. 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

Marsa Alam International Airport is a growing airport in Marsa Alam, Egypt. In response to the increasing needs of European travelers to this southern Red Sea destination, along with many other airports in the Red Sea such as Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport in Sharm el-Sheikh, Marsa Alam is...

 in 2001.

Marsa Alam is situated near the Tropic of Cancer

Tropic of Cancer

The Tropic of Cancer, also referred to as the Northern tropic, is the circle of latitude on the Earth that marks the most northerly position at which the Sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith...

 where the Arabian Desert

Arabian Desert

The Arabian Desert is a vast desert wilderness stretching from Yemen to the Persian Gulf and Oman to Jordan and Iraq. It occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula, with an area of...

 meets the Red Sea, and it has the appearance of a tropical paradise with its palm trees, mangroves and sea coasts fringed with barrier coral reefs. It has already gained a strong reputation amongst scuba divers

Scuba diving

Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....

 due to its numerous and unspoilt diving sites both along the coast and offshore. Sightings of spinner dolphin

Spinner Dolphin

The Spinner Dolphin is a small dolphin found in off-shore tropical waters around the world. It is famous for its acrobatic displays in which they spin longitudinally along their axis as they leap through the air.-Taxonomy:...

s, dugong

Dugong

The dugong is a large marine mammal which, together with the manatees, is one of four living species of the order Sirenia. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest modern relative, Steller's sea cow , was hunted to extinction in the 18th century...

s and hammerhead shark

Hammerhead shark

The hammerhead sharks are a group of sharks in the family Sphyrnidae, so named for the unusual and distinctive structure of their heads, which are flattened and laterally extended into a "hammer" shape called a "cephalofoil". Most hammerhead species are placed in the genus Sphyrna while the...

s are a frequent occurrence for those who venture into its waters.

Marsa Alam also has some inland attractions, such as the Emerald Mines and the Temple of Seti I

Seti I

Menmaatre Seti I was a Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt , the son of Ramesses I and Queen Sitre, and the father of Ramesses II...

at Khanais.

Climate

Average temperatures during the winter months (October to March) range from 18 to 35 degrees Celsius and during the summer months (April to September) from 20 to 45 degrees Celsius. The temperature of the Red Sea at this location during the year ranges from 22 to 29 degrees Celsius.

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 Gallery
• Red Sea Spinner Dolphins
• The Dugong of Marsa Abu Dabbab
• Marsa Alam Guide
• Marsa Alam touristic and residential resorts
• Marsa Alam Dugon
• Marsa Alam airport