Marsa Nakari - Red Sea Diving Safari

Set on a sheltered bay 18km south of Marsa Alam, Marsa Nakari sits close to the Samadai protectorate, known locally as Dolphin House, where a lagoon reef draws dolphins and snorkellers alike. The camp reaches it by day-boat. It is a small village, capped at 120 guests, and the scale shows in the pace: staff know names, and dive guides brief small groups rather than crowds. The bay itself is calm and shallow at the edges, good for wading in before a house reef dive. Ruins sit on a hill at the bay's southern end, a trace of the site's past as a port. Inland, the desert holds its own quiet, and the contrast between sand and reef is part of the draw. Rooms run from tents to chalets, all on a full-board basis with soft drinks, water, and coffee included. You can hear very little here beyond wind and the occasional generator hum, a function of the distance from Marsa Alam city and the smaller crowds that follow. Wadi el Gemal, a second national park nearby, adds mangrove-lined coast and a scatter of marine islands to the list of things worth a boat trip. Diving centres on the house reef, with excursions further out for those who want variety. Check-in runs from 2pm.