The North Coast at a glance
Egypt's North Coast, the Sahel, is the Mediterranean shore west of Alexandria, developed with holiday villages and resorts towards Marsa Matrouh. From June to September many Egyptians head for areas such as Sidi Abdel Rahman, El Alamein and Ras El Hekma to escape the heat of the cities. Most homes are chalets and villas in gated beach compounds, and portal figures quoted by Global Property Guide put average apartment prices per square metre on the North Coast above New Cairo's in December 2025.
Areas and resorts to know
- Marina El Alamein: one of Egypt's best-known resort towns, where construction began in 1986.
- New Alamein: a new city launched in 2018, with towers by the sea, planned as an open city rather than a private beach resort.
- Sidi Abdel Rahman and El Dabaa: resort towns further west. El Dabaa includes high-end resorts such as Hacienda Blue and SeaZen.
- Ras El Hekma: sandy beaches and resorts such as Jefaira and Mountain View. Abu Dhabi's ADQ agreed a $35 billion deal to develop the area in February 2024.
- Further west: Qatari Diar agreed a $29.7 billion deal for Semla and Alam El-Roum, in Matrouh Governorate, in November 2025.
Getting there
It is a long drive from Cairo: Ras El Hekma is roughly 350 km away. The high-speed railway from Ain Sokhna towards El Alamein and Marsa Matrouh was preparing for trial runs, without passengers, in September 2026.
Before you buy a chalet or villa
- Visit in and out of season. Many resorts are much quieter outside summer.
- Look at the beach itself. Mada Masr reported in 2022 that some marina jetties had eroded neighbouring beaches.
- Ask about the annual maintenance fee and what it covers.
- Ask for the total price and the full instalment schedule, not only the down payment, and take independent legal advice before you sign.
Prefer a beach you can reach for an ordinary weekend? See Ain Sokhna and the Red Sea.
