Sea excursions

Marsa Alam or Hurghada: which coast to base yourself on

‹ Back to all articles
AV
Anorya Team · 18 mai 2025 · 1 min read

Better reefs and turtles south, more to do and cheaper flights north.

They are on the same sea and about 270 km apart, and the difference is essentially development.

Marsa Alam or Hurghada: which coast to base yourself on

Marsa Alam is newer, quieter and closer to the good reefs. The house reefs are better — many hotels have coral directly off the beach — turtles are routine at Abu Dabbab, and the southern dive sites and marine parks start here rather than being a day's travel away. It is also emptier, with less to do outside the hotel.

Hurghada has the volume: more flights and cheaper ones, more hotels at every price, a real town with markets and restaurants, and by far the widest choice of excursions. Cairo and Luxor are both reachable as day trips, which from Marsa Alam is much harder.

Marsa Alam or Hurghada: which coast to base yourself onMarsa Alam or Hurghada: which coast to base yourself on

Hurghada has the volume: more flights and cheaper ones, more hotels at every price, a real town with markets and restaurants, and by far the widest choice of excursions.

The simple rule: if the holiday is mostly about what is underwater, base in Marsa Alam. If it is a mixed holiday with pyramids, temples, desert and a town to walk around in the evening, base in Hurghada and take the southern reefs as a long day trip.

Marsa Alam or Hurghada: which coast to base yourself on
Share:

Keep reading

Giftun Island: what the snorkelling is actually like Sea excursions Giftun Island: what the snorkelling is actually like Read article → Twelve Red Sea fish you will almost certainly see Sea excursions Twelve Red Sea fish you will almost certainly see Read article → Swimming with wild dolphins, without harming them Sea excursions Swimming with wild dolphins, without harming them Read article →
Good to know

Frequently asked questions

We really have some of the lowest prices that can be offered while keeping the quality of service high. We are an online booking company working directly with large organizers in Egypt, so we can offer very favorable prices thanks to the large flow of tourists. Buying from us, you get quality service and don't overpay intermediaries.
The organizers' fleet has plenty of vehicles - cars, minivans and large comfortable buses. Vehicles for short, medium and long distances are equipped with air conditioning and safety systems, and buses with toilets are provided on long routes. All vehicles are regularly serviced and sanitized, hold the necessary tourist permits, and drivers are inspected before every trip.
We work without prepayment. Group excursions are paid on the bus or during the trip. The exceptions are individual excursions where plane tickets or documents are involved. The organizer comes to you - there is no need to look for anyone to pay. You can pay in cash in dollars or euros, and an alternative payment method can be arranged.
Egypt is heavily regulated when it comes to tourism. For a car or yacht to run a tour, daily permission from the police and military is required, and organizers without a license don't get permits. That is why on some tours we may ask for voucher and passport details (this applies to marine excursions, individual tours and some group tours that leave the city). For other excursions only the number of people is needed.
Some hotel guides wrongly claim insurance does not apply to third-party excursion organizers. That is not true. Your travel insurance is valid throughout Egypt, and once you are on the organizer's ship, bus or transport they carry full insurance responsibility for passengers - otherwise they could not obtain a tour permit at all.
Please check your belongings when you leave the bus or boat at the end of the tour. If something is lost it is hard to recover, as vehicles leave immediately to be cleaned. We will always help you look, but we cannot guarantee a 100% return - so please be careful!
We have a large daily flow of bookings, so most excursions run every day (or on set weekdays per the program's schedule). After booking we send the exact hotel pickup time. Many trips are shared with small hotel groups who bought the same tour from operators - the only difference is that our price is 40–60% lower.
Tour photographers are independent and do not work for the company, so any arrangement with them is your responsibility. We do not recommend paying in advance unless you are sure the photos will be delivered. If you do not want photos, tell the photographers early to avoid any pushiness.