Ask Sherif Fathy where Egypt's next big holiday destination lies and he points north to the Mediterranean. “It’s what we call ‘sun and fun’,” the Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities says with a smile.
"That coast has huge investments going on now, and it will be the summer destination of the Mediterranean for the coming decades," Fathy tells The National on the sidelines of World Travel and Tourism Council’s Global Summit in Malta last week. "The growth is big.”
That extends to national figures, as Fathy says Egypt had welcomed about 14.4 million international tourists in 2026 by the end of September, despite regional tension slowing growth. "We expect to end the year with 20 million."
Much of that runs through Cairo. The Grand Egyptian Museum, which opened in November 2025, is now "the jewel of the crown", Fathy says. "Everybody is trying to reroute his trip, start or end his trip in Cairo." It welcomed about four million visitors between its opening and the end of August, and Fathy expects that figure to reach five million a year.
Yet the coastline running west from Alexandria towards Libya, known to Egyptians as the Sahel, has long been where Cairo families escape the summer heat. Now it is being sold to the wider world, and Fathy says the numbers prove demand is there.
For example, charter flights into El Alamein, he says, grew by 540 per cent last year and by a further 50 per cent this summer. The growth "could have been more, but we didn't have enough rooms," he adds.
That shortage is being tackled, however. "The properties being built there are extremely luxurious," Fathy says, and he expects the beach clubs and nightlife to be a big part of the draw.
Is it a good fit for UAE travellers? "Definitely," he says, describing UAE families who book the same hotels year after year and "come and enjoy it every summer".
Here is where to go along the coast, heading west.
Getting there
Most visitors fly in. El Alamein's airport is one of three serving the coast, and Fathy says it will soon be enlarged, along with the airport at Marsa Matrouh further west. This summer, Alamein International was served by 15 airlines, including Etihad and flydubai alongside Saudia, Flynas and Air Cairo, although many routes are seasonal.
Alexandria's Borg El Arab airport is the other main gateway, and the city makes an easy first or last night. By road, New Alamein is about 250km from Cairo, which is under a three-hour drive.
It’s worth noting that locals place everything by its kilometre marker along the coastal road, so you will hear a resort described as being at "Km 126".
El Alamein and New Alamein
Best for: summer festivals and Second World War history
The coast's main hub begins around Marina El Alamein at Km 100. Officials expect about 300,000 visitors to Alamein in 2026, up from about 170,000 last year.
New Alamein was planned as a year-round city, with an opera house, universities and residential districts alongside its beaches. In summer, it fills with concerts and festivals. This year's Yalla Sahel drew Gulf visitors to shows by Egyptian and Arab stars such as Amr Diab and Elissa.
The town is better known for the Second World War battles fought here in 1942. El Alamein Military Museum displays weapons and uniforms from the campaign. Nearby, the El Alamein War Cemetery holds the graves of thousands of Commonwealth soldiers and a German cemetery commemorates those who died in the battle.
Sidi Abdel Rahman and Marassi
Best for: luxury resorts and beach clubs
Between Km 124 and Km 144, on the International Coastal Road, Sidi Abdel Rahman is the coast's upscale heart, with high-end resorts, beaches and a busy entertainment scene. Marassi, at Km 126, is one of the best-known names on the coast, with several beaches, world-class hotels, residential villages, an 18-hole golf course and the first water park in Egypt’s North Coast.
A little further west, Ghazala Bay is quieter, private and exclusive, while El Dabaa offers calmer beaches with soft white sand and turquoise water. Much of this stretch is gated resort communities, so check day access beforehand.
Ras El Hekma
Best for: what's coming next, with a UAE connection
The biggest change on the coast is being built with Emirati investment. Abu Dhabi's ADQ appointed Modon Holding as master developer of Ras El Hekma in 2024, on a site of more than 170 million square metres.
The first district, Wadi Yemm, will be anchored by a lighthouse and a 10,000-seat amphitheatre. It includes a Montage hotel with about 200 rooms and suites, plus 96 branded villas. Beach club brand Nammos has also unveiled plans for a Cycladic-inspired resort, beach club and 72 one- to four-bedroom branded residences, plus a penthouse and retail village.
None of it is open yet. As of July, the project was in full construction with completion dates scheduled for 2028, so for now Ras El Hekma is one to watch rather than book.
Beyond it, Sidi Heneish has wide, largely untouched beaches and is starting to attract luxury developers.
Marsa Matrouh
Best for: hidden coves and Bedouin culture
Further west, Marsa Matrouh is a city rather than a resort strip. Fathy points to the Bedouin experience as one of the coast's draws.
The real attraction is the water. Ageeba Beach is a cove tucked between two hills and reached by a flight of steps. Cleopatra's Bath is a pool inside a rock cave where the waves break. Legend says the queen bathed there. Lagoon Beach, with its pearl-white sand and clear water, suits families.
For a break from the sea, the Rommel Museum, opened in 1977 in memory of German field marshal Erwin Rommel, holds Second World War artefacts.
Side trip: Siwa
Best for: desert landscapes and ecotourism
The coast itself is about “sun and fun”, Fathy says, but "it can be combined with ecotourism in Siwa". The oasis lies well inland – close to the Libyan border – and is a long drive from the coast.
It’s worth the effort, however, as it’s a leading ecotourism destination for the country, famed for its mud-brick architecture, natural landscapes and distinctive Berber culture.
Visit the old Shali fortress, a medieval citadel uniquely built from a salt-and-mud material called kershef. Or see the salt lakes, a network of saline pools and natural springs, which are said to be healing and glow in vivid colours. Elsewhere, the Temple of the Oracle, built in the 6th century BC, is linked in legend to Alexander the Great.