Marsa Alam International Airport: where to stay, areas and…

Marsa Alam airport is not surrounded by a city but by roughly eighty kilometres of coastline dotted with isolated resorts, split between the stretch to the north towards El Quseir and the one to the south towards Abu Dabab Bay: there is no real centre to reach, and the choice almost always comes down to the resort already booked. Neither direction is close to the terminal: even the most convenient property requires 30-45 minutes by car, so it's always worth checking that the resort offers its own shuttle for arrival and departure times.

To the north, towards El Quseir

Neighbourhood · About 35-45 km north of the terminal, 35-45 minutes by car depending on the exact resort.

Best for: Travelers booking a resort on the coastal stretch towards El Quseir, with reefs for snorkelling accessible directly from the beach.

Pros

Reefs reachable by swimming from the beach at several resorts in the area, with no need for a boat
Prices on average lower than resorts to the south, towards Abu Dabab

Cons

No nearby town: El Quseir itself is a small town, with little organized tourism
Distances between one resort and another are measured in kilometres, so changing area in the evening is not practical

Recommended hotels in this area

Akassia Swiss Resort: On the northern coast, about 35-40 km from the terminal and 10 minutes from El Quseir; reef accessible directly from the beach, among the best rated in the area for snorkelling.
Novotel Marsa Alam Beach Resort: About 35-40 km from the terminal, 20 minutes south of El Quseir; 268 rooms opened in 2015, La Palme restaurant with a terrace over the sea.
Coral Hills Resort & Spa: In the same area as El Quseir, near Akassia Aqua Park; a 205-room complex in desert style, about 45 km from the terminal.

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To the south, towards Abu Dabab Bay

Neighbourhood · About 30-45 km south of the terminal, 35-50 minutes by car depending on the exact resort.

Best for: Travelers booking a resort in the stretch south of the terminal, in the area known for Abu Dabab Bay.

Pros

Abu Dabab Bay, one of the best-known areas of the Red Sea for spotting dugongs and sea turtles
Large resorts, with wide beaches and organized dive centres

Cons

Same distance from the terminal as the resorts to the north: not a more convenient option in terms of transfer
Total isolation, identical to the stretch to the north towards El Quseir

Recommended hotels in this area

Hilton Marsa Alam Nubian Resort: On Abu Dabab Bay, about 30 km from the terminal; over 400 rooms in Nubian style across 23 buildings, an unspoiled reef and a dive centre on the beach.
Brayka Bay Reef Resort: 17 km north of central Marsa Alam, near Abu Dabab Bay and the Elphinstone reef; direct access to the coral reef from the beach.

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