Shopping in Marsa Alam: What to Buy, How to Haggle and What to Avoid

Marsa Alam is a coast of quiet resorts, reefs and desert, not a shopping city, and that is part of its charm. You won’t find the huge bazaars of Cairo or Luxor here, but there are good places to pick up spices, cotton, jewellery and gifts to take home. This guide covers where to shop, what is worth buying, how haggling works, and the souvenirs you should never buy.

Where to shop around Marsa Alam

• Your hotel: most resorts have a few small shops for gifts, beachwear and the things you forgot to pack. They are convenient, though choice is limited.
• Port Ghalib marina: the waterside promenade has shops selling jewellery, spices and handicrafts, as well as cafés and restaurants, so it is a good place to combine shopping with an evening out. Our guide to Port Ghalib marina has more.
• Marsa Alam town: a small, local town where residents do their everyday shopping, good for fruit, snacks and a look at ordinary life away from the resorts.
• El Quseir: the historic port town to the north has narrow old streets with small shops, a nice change from the resort areas. Staying there? See which excursions from El Quseir pick you up.

If shopping is a big part of your holiday, know that Hurghada, a larger town, has far more of it; our comparison of Marsa Alam vs Hurghada explains the difference. And if you visit Cairo, its famous Khan el-Khalili bazaar is covered in our guide to getting from Marsa Alam to Cairo.

What to buy: souvenirs worth taking home

• Spices and tea: cumin, coriander and mixed spice blends, and dried hibiscus flowers (karkadeh), which make the deep red tea served all over Egypt, hot or cold.
• Egyptian cotton: towels, scarves and light clothing. Egypt is famous for its cotton, but labels can be optimistic, so feel the fabric and buy what you like rather than what the label promises.
• Papyrus: a classic gift. Real papyrus is made from pressed strips of the plant, and when you hold it up to the light you can see the criss-cross pattern of the strips. Very thin, smooth sheets are often banana-leaf copies.
• Cartouche jewellery: a pendant with your name, or a loved one’s, written in hieroglyphs. They are usually made to order, so ask how long it takes before your last day.
• Perfume oils and essences, sold in small glass bottles.
• Stone carvings and figures: alabaster and other stone pieces are popular, but cheap copies are often resin or plaster, so check the weight and feel before you pay.
• Dates and sweets: an easy, safe gift to pack, especially if you buy them sealed.

Buy what you genuinely like. A small thing bought from a friendly shopkeeper often means more than an expensive piece bought under pressure.

How haggling works

In souvenir shops and markets, haggling is normal and expected. It is not rude, and it is often a friendly conversation, sometimes over a glass of tea. Supermarkets, pharmacies and shops with marked prices are different: there you simply pay the price.

1. Decide what the item is worth to you before you ask the price.
2. Let the seller name a price first, then offer a good deal lower and meet somewhere in the middle.
3. Stay relaxed and friendly. A smile gets you further than a hard bargain.
4. Agree on the final price and the currency (Egyptian pounds, euros or dollars) before you hand over any money.
5. Carry small notes, so you don’t depend on the shop having change.
6. If it doesn’t feel right, say thank you and walk away politely. Only start bargaining if you are ready to buy at a fair price.

Accepting a glass of tea doesn’t oblige you to buy anything. If you feel pressured, it is fine to leave.

What never to buy

Some souvenirs harm the reef or wildlife, and some can get you into serious trouble at the airport. Leave these alone:

• Coral, shells, sea urchins and starfish, whether bought or picked up on the beach. Collecting them is banned in Egypt’s protected areas, and customs can confiscate them when you leave.
• Anything made from turtle shell, shark, or other wild animals, including stuffed animals. Sea turtle products are banned from international trade.
• Anything sold as a genuine antiquity. Taking real antiquities out of Egypt is a crime, and an “ancient” piece offered to a tourist is almost always a fake. Keep receipts for replicas you buy.

The reef is the reason most people come to Marsa Alam. Our guide to the best beaches in Marsa Alam explains how to enjoy the shore without taking any of it home.

Shopping on day trips and safaris

Our trips are about the sights, the sea and the desert, not shops. The Luxor day trip, for example, covers the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon and Karnak, with lunch, and there is no shopping stop on the programme. Bring some cash for drinks and tips, and for anything you decide to buy along the way.

If you would rather see how people live in the desert than browse souvenirs, the afternoon Marsa Alam desert safari stops at an Ababda village to see traditional desert life and share a glass of Bedouin tea, before a camel ride at sunset and dinner under the stars.

Practical tips

• The local currency is the Egyptian pound. Larger shops and hotels often take cards; small shops prefer cash.
• Shop in the late afternoon or evening, when it is cooler and places like the marina are at their liveliest.
• Pack fragile gifts in your clothes, and keep liquids such as perfume oils within your airline’s rules.
• Ask before you photograph people or the inside of a shop.

Leave some room in your suitcase: our Marsa Alam packing list helps you travel light on the way out, and our list of the best things to do in Marsa Alam has ideas for the rest of your days.