Close to Marsa Alam International Airport, and so very easily reachable straight from the plane, is Port Ghalib, a beautiful port with its own legend, and now a thriving marina and tourist town.
Port Ghalib is located five minutes from Marsa Alam International Airport and 2.5 hours, by road, from the Valley of the Kings. It unfurls along one of the finest marina and sweeps on the Red Sea.
Today, there are no ghost ships to be seen, but the area has grown into a luxurious marina and tourist resort, with excellent hotels by the beach serving as a haven for sunseekers and diving enthusiasts, spa and wellness lovers as well as those who would like to explore the wonders of Egypt.
The marina itself is the nucleus of Port Ghalib. A modern and fully serviced port of entry into Egypt, the marina can accommodate up to a thousand large yachts.
Acting as both a fully-functional marina and a leisure and tourism destination, there will always be plenty of activity in Port Ghalib, and in the crystal waters around its shores.
The Port Ghalib tourist resort stretches along some 3.8 km of beachy shoreline, and has a lively town centre, with busy promenades with shops, boutiques, restaurants, bistros, and cafes.
The Corniche Peninsula looks out over the marina, and is a half mile stretch of high class shops, restaurants, bars and cafes, along with recognizable chain brands, behind which is a traditional Egyptian bazaar called The Khan, where visitors will enjoy haggling with sellers for semi-precious gems, ceramics and perfumes, all part of the Egyptian bazaar’s traditional character and charm.
Port Ghalib has been created with an energetic and fun loving visitor in mind, with a long list of watersports, including kayaking, windsurfing, parasailing, wakeboarding, sailing boats andcatamarans, jet boats and jetskiing, waterskiing, scuba diving, underwater photography, snorkelling, and dolphin safaris, as well as deep sea fishing, and fun boat-drawn banana and donut rides. Taking part in such activities on the clear blue waters of the Red Sea is like a dream of paradise.
Other active pursuits out of the water are also available includinghorse and camel-riding, motocross and quad bikes, go-carting, paintballing, rock climbing, and abseiling. Tennis, swimming, kiting, cycling and archery are also available from the resort hotels.
For the youngsters, Port Ghalib has an exciting children’s club.Lulee Kids Camp offers supervised activity programmes for children (ages 4-12 in low season, 2-12 in high season), and operates every day of the year offering a range of activities to keep kids interested, involved and stimulated while adults get to enjoy the freedom of Port Ghalib.
Kids can expect to find treasure hunts,jungle gyms, mini golf, trampolines, bumper boats, ten-pin bowling, a games arcade, bubble diving, inflatables, and much more. If you have ever wondered how to keep the children occupied on holiday, Port Ghalib has more answers than you would believe.
Day trips into the desert
Day trips away from the sea can take adventurous types out into the desert, where it is possible to travel by four-wheel drive or to ride your own quad bike out into the Eastern Desert and its spectacular landscape of sand, rocks, oases and mountains. After a thrilling and awe-inspiring journey, the safari visits a Bedouin village where guests will be welcomed with traditional hospitality, and be offered the chance to ride in the desert on a camel, sure to make an interesting story to tell when you return home. Guests enjoy a barbecue dinner as the sun sets over the mountains, and traditional Bedouin music and entertainment captures their hearts, before setting off back by quad bike or jeep to the resort. These tours can be half day or full day trips.
Of course, in between all of this activity, guests will wish to find time to relax, and Port Ghalib has that covered, too. With spas and steam baths for both men and women to be pampered in, and sunset and moonlight cruises, Port Ghalib can offer a romantic and relaxing experience, as well as a vibrant and energetic one.
Port Ghalib has two beach areas each with their own unique appeal. The southern beach is ideal for swimming andgeneral beach fun, while the eastern beach offers jetty access to the reefs that surround the resort, which makes it perfect for snorkellers. Alternatively, guests may choose to visit other nearby dive sites by visiting one of the resort’s dive centres, which are operated by professional, fully trained instructors.
Three of the top ten dive sites in the world, The Brothers Islands, Daedalus Reef and Rocky Island, are within easy reach of Port Ghalib. The area also boasts some of best dolphin observing waters anywhere on the planet.
Being towards the south of the Red Sea Riviera means that Port Ghalib is within easy reach of Luxor, with its ancient temples and other famous sights and experiences.
With the airport close by, it is also possible to take flights to destinations elsewhere in Egypt, such as Cairo, very easily, and still return to Port Ghalib to soak up the luxurious and affluent atmosphere of one of Egypt’s finest new resorts.
There’s a very good chance that you will want to return to Port Ghalib again and again, knowing that there is so much excitement and adventure available.