Port Ghalib: Where to Stay & What to Do Near Marsa Alam

Quick answer: Port Ghalib is a purpose-built marina resort town on Egypt's southern Red Sea coast, sitting right next to Marsa Alam International Airport and just north of Marsa Alam town. It was built from scratch on a stretch of empty shoreline as one integrated development: a yacht marina, a row of five- and four-star resorts, a promenade of restaurants and shops, a large mosque, and diving bases for the reefs offshore. If you fly into RMF for a Red Sea holiday, there is a good chance your transfer ends here within a few minutes of landing. This guide covers what Port Ghalib actually is, where to stay, what there is to do, and the practical details worth checking before you book.

What Port Ghalib is (and who built it)

Port Ghalib is a planned resort and marina complex spread along roughly 18 km of Red Sea coastline. It was developed by the Kuwaiti Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi Group and Sons (the MAK Group), through its Emirates Company for Tourism City, with the late Kuwaiti businessman Nasser El Kharafi named as the driving figure behind it. Total investment is cited at around $2 billion. Sources give slightly different figures for the founding date (the official site says 2002; other guides cite the marina opening in 2005) and for the total land area, so treat those specifics loosely. The marina has collected tourism-port awards over the years, including a run as Egypt's best specialised tourist port.

It helps to be honest about the character of the place. Port Ghalib is a resort town, not an old fishing village or a historic quarter. It was designed for tourism, so it is clean, quiet, walkable and a little sedate. Some travellers love that calm and containment; others find it lacks the lived-in bustle of a real Egyptian town. Marsa Alam town itself, roughly 65 km south, is small and low-key too, so Port Ghalib is often the more comfortable base.

Where to stay

The development holds a cluster of mostly five- and four-star resorts, many all-inclusive. Hotel branding here has changed hands over the years, so names on older listings may not match the current flag. Confirm the live brand with the property when you book. Names that appear tied to Port Ghalib include:

• Steigenberger Resort Alaya — a five-star Steigenberger property. (Note: Steigenberger Aqua Magic and Coraya Beach are different Red Sea hotels elsewhere, not here.)
• Marina Resort Port Ghalib, a member of Radisson Individuals — around 271 rooms, with an aqua park and heated pools; a solid family pick.
• Marina Lodge at Port Ghalib — a four-star property directly on the marina.
• Pickalbatros Palace Hotel – Port Ghalib — the former InterContinental The Palace, a five-star resort in Arabian style.
• Pickalbatros Sands Port Ghalib — around 292 rooms, villa-style design with a freeform pool.
• Pickalbatros Oasis Port Ghalib — roughly 347 rooms with lagoon views (older listings show Crowne Plaza branding).

A few three-star options such as Marina View also come up. The official Port Ghalib site simply promises "a wide range of 5 & 4 stars hotels." One thing to watch: some Sentido and similar brands sit elsewhere on the Marsa Alam coast, not inside Port Ghalib, so check the exact location before assuming a hotel is walkable to the marina.

The marina, dining and shopping

The marina is the heart of the town. Port Ghalib International Marina is one of the region's largest private marinas, built to hold on the order of 1,000 yachts (Wikipedia cites capacity of 1,050 vessels and around 2,000 yacht visits a year). It is an official Port of Entry to Egypt for yachtsmen, with Harbour Master, Customs and Immigration on site, plus fuelling, repairs and provisioning. Arriving boats call in two hours ahead, and no entry is allowed after sunset.

Running along the water is a landscaped promenade, described as about half a mile long with well over a hundred dining, shopping and entertainment venues (some sources phrase it as 15-plus restaurants and roughly 120 retail outlets). Named spots include Divino for Italian, Soho Bar Tapas and Grill, Wunder-Bar, Al Sultan for Egyptian food, and Hakuna Matata, most with marina views. Shopping is centred on a souk-style bazaar selling souvenirs, handicrafts, clothing, watches and dive gear. The Port Ghalib Mosque, with a marble-columned interior and a minaret, is a landmark near the promenade and worth a look.

Diving and snorkelling

Diving is the main reason many people come. Port Ghalib works both as a day-diving base and as a departure port for liveaboard safaris into the southern Red Sea. Emperor Divers runs day diving from here and liveaboards such as the "Southern Solitude" and "Daedalus, Fury & Elphinstone" trips; PADI Travel lists a seven-night St. John's, Fury Shoal and Elphinstone itinerary that begins and ends at Port Ghalib. Premier sites within reach of the wider area include Daedalus Reef, the Brothers Islands, Zabargad Island and Rocky Island.

The southern Red Sea has a reputation for quieter, more pristine offshore reefs than Hurghada, better suited to experienced divers chasing pelagic life (sharks, dolphins, dugongs), often reached by liveaboard or speedboat. Hurghada, by contrast, leans toward higher-volume, more beginner-friendly day-boat diving and livelier nightlife. If you are new to diving or want easy shore snorkelling, Marsa Alam is still doable, but the headline sites reward a bit of experience.

Dolphin, dugong and desert trips

Beyond scuba, the area is known for wildlife encounters. Marsa Alam has been nicknamed the "Egyptian Maldives" for its clear water and white-sand beaches, with regular sightings of turtles, dolphins and sharks. Nearby Abu Dabbab beach is a well-known spot for turtles and, at times, dugongs. Boat trips to the Samadai and Marsa Mubarak areas are the usual way to try for dolphin and dugong encounters. Inland, desert excursions and other day trips round out a stay for those who want a break from the water. As with any wildlife trip, sightings are never guaranteed, and responsible operators keep a respectful distance.

How to get there and get around

The standout logistic is the airport. Marsa Alam International Airport (RMF) is essentially on Port Ghalib's doorstep. Sources put the drive at anywhere from 2 to about 8 km, so the transfer is usually just a few minutes up to around 15 minutes, one of the shortest airport-to-resort hops on the Red Sea. Ignore aggregator listings that claim "60 km" and "15 minutes" in the same breath; those are inconsistent and almost certainly wrong.

RMF is a major charter and leisure gateway from Europe, especially Germany, Italy, Poland and the wider Central European markets, plus the UK, Switzerland and Austria. Many visitors arrive on a package with transfers included. If you book your own, indicative 2026 private-transfer prices run from roughly €22–27 one-way for a sedan or small SUV, with local taxis cited around €8 each way. Treat all of these as a rough feel and verify at booking, since rates shift by operator, vehicle and group size.

Inside Port Ghalib, the resort core and marina are walkable. For anything beyond it, including Marsa Alam town about 65 km south or dive sites down the coast, you will rely on hotel shuttles, taxis or organised trips.

Who it suits and when to go

Port Ghalib suits three groups especially well: divers and water-sports travellers who want a base for the southern reefs; families, thanks to all-inclusive resorts, aqua parks and calm swimming bays; and anyone after quiet, contained resort comfort rather than a busy town. Yacht owners are the fourth natural fit, given the Port of Entry status and berth capacity. What it is not is a nightlife destination; if late bars and clubs are the point of your trip, Hurghada is the livelier choice.

The comfortable season runs roughly October to April, with pleasant average temperatures often cited around the low 20s°C, ideal for diving and marine sports. Summers get hot, climbing into the mid-30s and beyond, though the Red Sea stays warm year-round (water temperatures roughly 22–29°C), so the resort works as a year-round destination with winter as the sweet spot.

In short, Port Ghalib is a purpose-built, calm and convenient Red Sea base, unbeatable for airport proximity and diving access, best for travellers who value comfort and quiet over local grit or a party scene.