Port Ghalib Marina: An Evening by the Water and the Trips That Pick You Up

Marsa Alam is mostly quiet resorts, empty desert and reef, so when visitors want an evening out, many head to Port Ghalib. Its marina is lined with a waterside promenade of cafés, restaurants and shops, and it sits only a few kilometres from the airport. This guide explains what Port Ghalib is, what an evening at the marina is like, and which of our trips pick you up there, so you can plan your week around it.

What is Port Ghalib?

Port Ghalib is a resort town and marina on the Red Sea coast north of Marsa Alam town, about 4 to 5 km from Marsa Alam International Airport. The marina was established in 2002 as part of the resort, and it is often described as Egypt’s first private seaport. Hotels and holiday apartments surround it, so many guests can simply walk to the waterfront.

The marina is also an official port of entry, which means visiting yachts can clear customs and immigration there. On a walk along the quay you may see sailing yachts that have come up the Red Sea from far away, moored next to local boats.

An evening at the marina

The best time to visit is late afternoon into the evening, when the heat of the day has gone and the lights come on around the water. The promenade is lined with cafés, seafood restaurants and shops selling jewellery, spices and handicrafts, so you can stroll, sit down for a drink or dinner, and watch the boats.

• Come for sunset and stay for dinner: the marina is at its liveliest in the evening.
• Families: children usually love watching the boats come and go.
• Shopping: haggling is normal in many shops, so agree on a price before you buy and walk away politely if it doesn’t feel right. Our guide to shopping in Marsa Alam explains what to buy and how haggling works.
• Never buy coral or shells. Collecting them is banned in Egypt’s protected areas, and customs can confiscate them at the airport.
• Dress is relaxed, but a light layer that covers your shoulders is a good idea away from the hotel.

If you are not staying in Port Ghalib, ask your hotel how best to get there. Taxis are the usual option from the nearby resorts, and it is worth agreeing the fare and the time to collect you before you set off.

Trips that pick you up in Port Ghalib

Hotel pickup from Port Ghalib is included on every one of our tours, with no surcharge, so the marina makes an easy base for the week. These are the usual pickup times; your exact time depends on your hotel and is confirmed the day before.

• Desert afternoons: the Marsa Alam desert safari with quad, camel and Bedouin dinner (pickup around 2:30 PM, 5 to 6 hours), the Super Safari by 4x4 (around 2:00 PM), the quad ride (around 3:30 PM) and the sunset camel ride (around 4:00 PM).
• Easy sea mornings: the Abu Dabbab snorkeling trip to the turtle bay, with pickup around 8:30 AM and back by early afternoon.
• Full days at sea: the Sataya dolphin reef trip (pickup around 6:00 AM), the Hamata Islands boat trip (around 6:30 AM) and the diving trip (around 7:00 AM).
• The Nile Valley: the Luxor day trip (pickup around 4:00 AM) and the Aswan day trip (around 3:30 AM).

One thing to know: the boat trips don’t sail from Port Ghalib marina. The Sataya and Hamata trips leave from Hamata harbour in the far south, and the transfer there from your hotel is included. If you are staying elsewhere, our hotel pickup checker shows which trips collect from your area, and our guide to Marsa Alam excursions lists every trip in one place.

Planning a week around the marina

Because most trips are either a morning or an afternoon, it is easy to fit evenings at the marina around them. A few ideas:

• After the Abu Dabbab trip you are back by early afternoon, with time for a rest before an evening at the marina.
• Desert safaris return after dark, often after dinner, so keep the marina for another night.
• Full-day boat trips and the Luxor and Aswan trips start very early, so plan a quiet evening before them and a relaxed marina dinner the day after.

Torn between the two favourite sea trips? Our comparison of Sataya or Abu Dabbab helps you choose, and our list of the best things to do in Marsa Alam has more ideas for your days.

Arriving and leaving through Marsa Alam airport

Of all the areas we pick up from, Port Ghalib is the closest to Marsa Alam International Airport: our airport transfer to Port Ghalib hotels takes about 10 minutes. That makes the marina a relaxed first evening after your flight, and an easy last one before you fly home. Our Marsa Alam airport arrival guide explains the airport step by step.

If you plan to dive, remember the rule of no flying for 18 to 24 hours after diving, and book the diving trip earlier in your stay rather than on your last day.