Travel Info Red Sea

Egypt is fascinating, intriguing and concerning, capturing! Nobody can evade its mysteries and fascination. The Red Sea attracts all water sports enthusiasts to its crystal clear water, which, though not actually red, still amazes with its clear emerald lagoons, its dark blue depths and stunning turquoise shallows. Experience the beauty of the Red Sea! Let one of our diving centres show you the great variety of the underwater world.

Marsa Alam (alias Mersa; Arabic: Marsa ´Alam) lies on the Red Sea in South Egypt, 271 km South of Hurghada. Edfu is about 220km away, it is 250km to asch-Schalatin and 131 km to the north lies El-Quseir. During the last two decades it has grown from a small coastal village with only a handful of small stone huts into a small town. Its importance lies in its location on the main coastal road, at the main crossroads to Edfu in the Nile valley and to the recently growing tourism.

Since November 2001, Marsa Alam can be more comfortably reached from the new airport Marsa Alam, which lies about 60 km NNW. The approx. 10,000 inhabitants are mainly fishermen; others keep sheep, goats and dromedaries; some work in the few mines, marble and granite quarries or in the hotels. Many are unemployed.

Sharm el Sheikh on the southern tip of the Sinai has been an insignificant village until 1970. When the Israelis occupied the Sinai in 1967 a coastal road was built between Sharm el Sheikh and Eilat, it was this new access which gave birth to what has now become a thriving city.

The first hotels were soon erected in Naama Bay. Today, it is the heart of the city just 6 km from the Old Town. Here you will find first class hotels right on the beach, cafes, shops, restaurants, leisure facilities, night-clubs and, of course, dive centres and the jetty. Sharm el Sheikh offers everything you need in addition to beautiful beaches and crystal-clear water to spend a relaxing and happy holiday. In the past years, many new hotels, beach bars and restaurants, shops, bike rental stalls, etc. have been built in Naama Bay.

Scuba divers value the spectacular dive site, especially the wrecks which are easily accessible.

 

The Sinai came into existence between 30 and 40 million years ago when the Arabian peninsula broke away from the African mainland.

Where the earth’s crust split apart the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez were created, leaving the small landmass of the Sinai in the middle bridging Africa to the west and Asia to the east; the Mediterranean to the north and the Red Sea to the south. It is a desert landscape with rugged, bleak mountains. Politically, Sinai is part of Egypt, geographically it is part of Asia. The mountains of the Sinai are granite layered with grey, pink and red stripes of volcanic rock. This extraordinary formation creates an array of breath-taking sights which captivate all visitors.

The Sinai, with its strange and beautiful mountains, its lonely coastlines, its deserts, its remote oases ringed with palm trees, its idyllic bays and seductive beaches, boasts some of Egypt’s most stunning sights. Sinai’s coastline (which is nearly 759km long) counts among the most beautiful coastlines in the world.

Any holiday in the Sinai has adventure, relaxation, sightseeing and history all in one place. Visiting such famous attractions as Saint Catharine’s Monastery and Mount Sinai, the Coloured Canyon and the National Marine Park of Ras Mohammed will enable you to experience the very best the Sinai has to offer.

Covering an area of about 1.000,000 square km, Egypt is positioned in the north east of Africa. The total population is around 80 million. Cairo, Egypt’s capital is one of the most populated cities in the world.

 

Egypt is not a conventional holiday destination. Its ancient culture, incredible art treasures and its lifestyle – unlike anything you’ll find in Europe – will astonish again and again. Travelling with an open mind and willingness to experience everything Egypt has to offer will more than compensate for the occasional irritation. The Egyptian style of doing business will, at times, try your patience. Punctuality and precision are not high on the agenda so try to relax and enjoy the show. One of the most common Arabic proverbs that you’ll soon become familiar with says, “Allah created the world, but did not hurry”. Some things will take a little getting used to and the thing that most people worry about is the attitude some people have towards hygiene which, undoubtedly, comes from the state of poverty many people live in, however with a little care and understanding, it’s an issue which shouldn’t cause any problems. The charm and mystique of Egypt will soon seduce you, as long as you don’t expect the “perfection” of the West. Think of the unexpected and unpredictable as all part of the adventure.

Egypt is a year-round travel destination and therefore has a permanent position in the tourism industry. However, since the revolution in January 2011 the tourism sector has suffered great losses. Terrorist attacks and other disturbances have been recurring. The media report about incidents in Cairo, Alexandria or other urban areas and the diving tourism is least affected by the disturbances. Our diving centres in Sharm el Sheikh and Marsa Alam have been reporting repeatedly that the incidents have no effect on the hotel and diving operation and that it is business as usual. Of course, we do understand your uncertainty and would therefore appreciate if you contacted us directly if you have any questions or doubts. We have noticed that especially divers are willing to travel despite the travel alerts and the difficulties finding flights or package offers during the past months.

 

The visitor’s permit / visa can be obtained for European nationals at the airport on arrival for a fee of approximately US$ 25. All visitors must have a valid passport with at least six months left on it. Children do need their own passports. As from 26.06.2012, children cannot travel on their parent’s passport anymore.

For some European citizens (e.g. German nationals) it is possible to travel with an ID card in which case a photograph has to be brought to immigration at the airport. Please check with the Egyptian Embassy in your country if you need a passport or if you can travel with your ID card. If you enter the country from Israel, special procedures apply. Please check with the Egyptian Embassy in your country.
For non-European visitors information is available from the Egyptian Embassy and, if needed, visas should be applied for at least two months in advance.

 

Journey to Marsa Alam

Sharm el Sheikh is reached from the international airport Sharm el Sheikh. The transfer from the airport to Naama Bay takes about 20 minutes. The flight time from Europe to Sharm el Sheikh is between 4 and 7 hours (depending on the country of departure).

 

The currency is the Egyptian Pound (LE). 1 EUR = 9,5 LE (as of October 2013)
Cash in US Dollars, Euros, Swiss Francs or Pounds Sterling are commonly accepted. Most hotels and banks will change money for you provided you have your passport for identification. Exchange rates will vary so shop around. Credit cards can be used at many shops and restaurants. Cash machines to withdraw money by credit card are also available.

The official language is Arabic. English, German, French and Italian are all widely spoken at most destinations.

At present no inoculations are required to travel to Egypt but you should consult your Department of Health for the most up-to-date information. Hepatitis A and Tetanus vaccinations are recommended. When coming from a country where yellow fever is present, a valid vaccination against yellow fever is required. We would recommend something to deal with diarrhoea and digestive problems in your first aid kit. Sun protection is essential and due to the high air temperatures it is very important to take care of sufficient fluid intake. A minimum of 4 litres of fluid (ideally water) per day is advisable.

We recommend that all travellers take out insurance to cover cancellation, lost or stolen luggage and medical or hospital costs. Divers are advised to join DAN or a similar organisation. 

Egyptian meals can be quite rich and strongly spiced or very sweet. Most hotels offer an international menu. The meals are not usually served piping hot as in the West but just warm. Meat, fish, poultry and vegetarian options can usually be found on the menu. Never drink tap water!

 

Mobile networks are working in Sharm el Sheikh and Marsa Alam, but charges can be high. The international dialling code for Egypt is +20.

 

The predominant religion is Islam, 90% of the population are Muslims, the remaining part Coptic (Christian) Orthodox. Going “topless” when sunbathing has become a common sight on hotel beaches, but should if possible, be avoided. No “topless” sunbathing is permitted on dive boats out of respect for the Egyptian crew and their beliefs. Kindly note, that during “Ramadan” no food or beverages are consumed by practicing Muslims from dawn until dusk. This will usually slow down service.

 

Numerous public and religious festivals known as “mulid” are celebrated in Egypt. Although most festivals are related to specific Coptic or Islamic saints, usually all Egyptians, regardless of their religion, participate in the celebrations. Ramadan in Egypt is very special. It is celebrated with music, lanterns (so-called “fawannes”) and bonfires and attracts Muslim tourists from the whole region. The ancient spring festival “Sham el Nisim” (Coptic name: “shom en nisim”) has been celebrated for thousands of years, typically between the months of Paremoude (April) and Pashons (May) following Easter Sunday.

Ramadan is the Islamic fasting month which takes place at a different time every year. Muslims do not eat, drink or smoke from sunrise to sunset during this period. Away from the touristic areas there might be certain restrictions. In 2014, Ramadan is likely to start on 28 June and end on 28 July. The end of Ramadan will be celebrated with the feast “Eid al-Fitr”.

 

There is hardly any vegetation in the Egyptian desert and only a few acacias and thorn bushes can be found. Merely the banks of the river Nile are green with date palms, mulberries, fig and carob trees, lotus flowers, bamboo and reeds.
The fauna is not very manifold, either. Camels, donkeys, sheep, goats, jackals, hyenas and wild cats are the bigger mammals. In addition, there are rabbits, mice, lizards and scorpions to be found in the desert. On the banks of the Nile and in the Nile Delta many species of water birds are resident joined by numerous European migratory birds in winter. It is mainly the underwater world which attracts us. We mainly dive on the fringing reefs and in bays. In Sinai we also dive in Ras Mohamed national park and in the Straits of Tiran.

Botschaft der Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Kairo 2, Sharia Berlin (Ecke Sharia Hassan Sabri) Kairo 11211, Ägypten
Tel.: +20 2 27 28 20 00
Fax.: +20 2 27 28 21 59
eMail: info@kairo.diplo.de