Marsa Shagra – Wonders of the Red Sea
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Features
Starting at
Marsa Shagra diving vacation
Marsa Shagra is one of the best-known destinations in Marsa Alam and was established more than 30 years ago as a dive resort. It is in a beautiful location in the Southern Red Sea with one of the finest house reefs in the region. Although the village has changed a lot since 1990, the concept and atmosphere remains the same, allowing guests to experience the incredible natural resources the Red Sea has to offer, both on land and underwater.
Divers and snorkelers can enjoy unlimited access to the house reef, which is easily accessible from the beach. Certified divers can dive unguided according to their certification, giving them complete independence and freedom in planning their dives. The house reef extends 2 km to the north and south, and zodiacs are available during daylight hours to let you explore every corner of the reef. In addition to the house reef, world-famous dive sites such as the off-shore reefs Elphinstone and Abu Dabab are a short distance away. With depths of more than 40 meters at the fringing reef, Marsa Shagra is an ideal playground for free divers who like to practice their skills in a sheltered environment with plenty of marine life.
Best travel time: Diving in the Red Sea is possible year-round. Usually the sea is slightly calmer between September and May and visibility is best then. The chance of thresher sharks at BDE is greatest between November & April. In the summer months, the water temperature is most pleasant.
The village is centrally located for exploring Marsa Alam’s attractions, all of which focus on nature experiences. Desert excursions, trips to Wadi El Gemal National Park, El Nayzak Beach, Qulaan Lagoon, Sharm el Luli and Ras Hankorab are all easily accessible.
Average Temperatures
Wetsuit advice for the Red Sea
In the summer months a 3mm is sufficient, but in the heart of winter a 7mm is wiser. In between, a 5mm will suffice.
What will you experience on this trip?
View itinerary here
Day 1
Today your diving vacation to Egypt begins. Today you will fly to Marsa Alam. The direct flight takes about 5.5 hours to Marsa Alam if you depart from Amsterdam, for example.
Once you are through passport control, have arranged your visa and picked up your luggage from the belt you will arrive in the arrivals hall. Here a staff member from Marsa Shagra is already waiting for you. In about 45 minutes you drive, south along the Red Sea coast, to the diving resort.
Arriving, you check in and settle into your room nicely.
Day 2 to 6 - Diving in the Red Sea.
For the next 5 days, you will enjoy diving every day. How often? That’s up to you because you have 5 days of unlimited diving on the house reef. The house reef at Shagra Village is one of the best in the southern Red Sea and features north and south reefs, which together form a natural bay with a sandy bottom that can be accessed directly from the beach. It is home to hundreds of species of marine life and an excellent variety of soft and hard corals. Shagra Bay is shallow, starting with a depth of 1-10 meters and slowly declining as it reaches the outer walls of 40-50 meters deep.
The house reef diving concept gives you the ultimate flexibility and independence with your buddy on our house reef. All divers receive a guided orientation dive on the house reef upon arrival and then you are free to dive unaccompanied, within your certification limits, for the remainder of your stay. The only time you will be tied to a schedule is if you sign up to visit a dive site off the house reef.
The dive sites are divided into zones: shore dives in “Zone A” and boat dives in “Zone B” and “Zone C.” These dives are optional and can be booked and paid for locally, in addition to the house reef diving package.
Day 7 - Excursions or Relaxation
Today you won’t be diving, but that doesn’t mean the vacation is over. On the contrary, today you can explore Egypt above water. There are several excursion options such as desert safaris. Explore by camel or four wheel drive the landscapes of mountains and wadis that serve as a backdrop to the Red Sea. Meet and learn about the Ababda Bedouins who live in the region. The area has a unique history that can still be seen, from gold and emerald mines from Ptolemaic and Roman times to petroglyphs that tell prehistoric and Pharaonic stories.
You can also book a day trip to Luxor. This is a unique opportunity to see something of Egypt’s historical culture. Departing at 3:30 in the morning and returning in time for dinner, you will have the opportunity to visit the following highlights: Valley of the Kings on the West Bank, Hatshepsut Temple, Memnon Colossi, 15-minute Tour on the Nile, Visit the East Bank and Karnak Temple
Day 8 - Return home or extension
The relaxing diving vacation is already over. Today you will be transferred back to Marsa Alam airport to fly back home.
It is also possible to extend your diving vacation with, for example, a liveaboard departing from Marsa Alam towards southern St. Lucia. Johns or the shark paradise NDE. It is also possible to take a beautiful cultural tour of Egypt. For example, visit the pyramids at Luxor or sail down the Nile on a traditional felucca (sailing ship).
The accommodation
The stay and surroundings
Marsa Shagra
The appeal of the location is its blend of modern luxury and natural simplicity – the best of both worlds. Shagra offers 5 different accommodation categories plus an accessible chalet fully equipped and adapted for wheelchair users. In addition, some of our chalets have connecting doors that are ideal for families.
Meals are served in an iconic buffet restaurant that caters to all tastes and requirements, with additional a la carte options available. There is no better way to start your day than with breakfast overlooking the house reef!
Marsa Shagra offers you plenty of facilities and a number of outlets to visit during your dive-free hours and evenings. There is a Pizza Oven Restaurant, a massage tent, bedouin lounge, daily Yoga classes (€15 per class) and a cafeteria where you can go daily for drinks and snacks.
During this trip, you will stay in a Royal Tent. The Royal Tent (Photos 1 & 2) is our most popular accommodation option. The interior is 5×5 meters and well furnished with a minibar, fan, beanbag chairs and table, and a sitting area just a few meters from the shoreline. Royal tents are available with one double bed or two single beds and share a common bathroom. Shower towels are available at the reception if needed (free of charge) and beach towels can be rented on site for a fee.
There are other options regarding accommodation. So you can upgrade to a Hut (photo 3). Our cabins are simple rooms with a domed roof measuring 3.5 x 3.5 meters. They are located on the beach, slightly back from the shoreline, but offer uninterrupted sea views. They have two single beds and no private bathroom.
More luxurious are the deluxe chalets and premium sea vie deluxe chalets (other photos). These chalets have air conditioning and a private bathroom.
Travel costs
What is included
This travel package is € 801 per person based on two people in one Royal Tent. The trip can be extended as desired. A number of things are included by default in this travel package.
Prices are subject to price changes, increases or changing exchange rates. Flights are always based on the cheapest possible booking class.
Want to know more about the possibilities? Get in touch with us!
Included in this trip, from € 801 p.p.
- 7 nights in a Royal Tent
- Accommodation on full board basis
- Return transfers
- Dive package consisting of 5 days of unlimited house reef diving
- VZR, Calamity Fund & Administration fee
Excluding
- Flight to Marsa Alam from € 550 p.p. but usually around € 700
- Marine Park Fee € 5 per stay
- Hyperbaric Chamber Fee € 7 per stay
- Visa at Egypt airport approx. € 25
✈︎ The quoted (international) flight prices are indicative prices and based on departures from Europe.
However, we can arrange flights from any location worldwide.
Booking your own flights is of course also possible.
Optional
- Upgrade to a Deluxe Chalet € 161 p.p.
- Boat dive Zone A € 15 per dive
- Boat dive Zone B € 20 per dive
- Boat dive Zone C (Elphinstone) € 30 per dive
- Nitrox € 2 per tank
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Frequently asked questions about this diving vacation
Diving general
You can do both boat diving and shore diving here. An unlimited house reef diving package is offered in this trip.
There are a total of 3 boat diving zones, of which Zone A is very close and Zone C, which includes Elphinstone is about 40 minutes away by boat.
Since you have a package for unlimited diving, you can dive as much as is allowed within your limits.
Yes definitely, on the house reef.
Yes! Marsa Shagra is one of the richest and most pristine house reefs in the south and has been declared a protected area for 20 years. Many photos of species in Red Sea reef guides such as Debelius and Collins were taken here. According to Robert Meyer, author of Collins, at least 5 endemic species live in this protected bay. The reef is occasionally visited by pelagic species such as dolphins, manta rays and whale sharks.
Marsa Shagra has its own PADI dive center and they can offer a full range of PADI recreational courses, from Discover Scuba Diving to PADI Rescue Diver. If you want to do a particular specialty course, feel free to contact us regarding the possibilities.
Yes, on-site.
Diving equipment
15-liter tanks are available in the villages of Shagra and Nakari (according to availability) at an additional cost of 3 euros per dive.
The additional charge is €2 per tank.
Full equipment per day with computer costs €35 p.p. and for 5 days €165. Please indicate before departure what you would like to rent so we can coordinate with the diving school.
Other activities & excursions
Guests of Marsa Shagra are invited to snorkel for free (excluding equipment) on the house reef. It is without doubt one of the best house reefs with a huge diversity of marine life and is accessible to all levels of swimmer, snorkeler and diver. The house reef extends more than 2 km from north to south and meets in a protected bay in the middle with direct access to the beach. The house reef offers a variety of marine life, from green and hawksbill turtles, blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, stingrays, many Red Sea reef fish and occasional passing whale sharks and manta rays. It is not unusual to encounter spinner dolphins visiting the bay for protection, especially in the early morning. Zodiacs are available from dawn to dusk at the jetty for those who wish to explore the outer reef.
Group sessions are offered daily at sunrise and sunset, with the option of scheduling private sessions at other times. Whether you have been practicing yoga for years or have never tried it before, you are welcome to join at your own level and pace.
In Yoga (Union), the body and breath are closely linked to the mind. By controlling breathing and holding the body in postures, yoga creates harmony. The postures are designed to relieve tense muscles, strengthen internal organs and improve the flexibility of the body’s joints and ligaments. For a diver, the essential elements of yoga can significantly reduce the risk of injury. Specific exercises can improve core stability, work on the lower back to protect it from trauma from double sets and lead belts.
Prizes:
| Regular Yoga Class – 60-75min | € 15 |
| Kundalini Class – 60-75min | € 20 |
| Private class – 60-75min | € 25 |
| 5 Regular Yoga Classes | € 75 |
| 5 Kundalini Classes | € 100 |
| 5 Private Classes | € 125 |
| 10 Regular Yoga Classes | € 130 |
| 10 Kundalini Classes | € 180 |
| 10 Private Classes | € 230 |
In addition to city trips to Port Ghalib and Marsa Alam, there are also desert excursions. Explore the landscapes of mountains and wadis that serve as a backdrop to the Red Sea by camel or Four Wheel Drive. Meet and learn about the Ababda Bedouins who live in the region. The area has a unique history that can still be seen, from gold and emerald mines from Ptolemaic and Roman times to petroglyphs that tell prehistoric and Pharaonic stories.
Accommodation
No, only the Deluxe Chalets have air conditioning.
There is internet access via Wi-Fi. Ask at the front desk for more information and prices. Also keep in mind that due to the remoteness of the location, Internet access is not always as fast and efficient as in other parts of the world!
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