MARSA MATROUH

The Egyptian government has begun giving special attention to Marsa Matruh in the past few years. It was considered a small unimportant city but as they noticed that Matruh can attract a huge number of tourists they started to pay increasing attention. This special care the government given to Marsa Matruh can be felt as soon as you step into the city.

The traffic has become quite organized, unlike Cairo. The governorate of Matruh prohibited the Kareta, the famous donkey carriage ride because they caused a big problem in the traffic and in cleaning the city as well.

There are many international food chains opening in Marsa Matruh such as McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Hardees. Of course, this is in addition to the numerous oriental restaurants that offer tasty Egyptian and international dishes, with very cheap prices, that are located on the seaside and ion downtown Matruh.

Activities in Marsa Matruh

The most important question people ask before they go to a sea resort is what is there to do at night? In Matruh, there are many activities. The most popular among the Egyptians who visit Matruh is to go walking downtown. Marsa Matruh is also an excellent place for shopping as its closeness to the Egyptian-Libyan border gives Marsa Matruh the chance to be the perfect market for products imported from Libya and other African North Coast countries. These products include shoes for all ages and cotton products that are imported and others that are manufactured in Egypt. There are the oriental perfume shops as well that sell different colognes and scents for men and women. Marsa Matruh is also quite famous for selling “Leb”, the most popular Egyptian nuts.

The other reason Marsa Matruh is an interesting place for shopping is that it is at the top of the Western Desert of Egypt and this gives it the chance to sell special desert herbs that can hardly be found anywhere else. These herbs can cure different sorts of diseases and illnesses. These include colon disorders, toothache, coughing and lung problems, headache, hair herbs, and so many other things.

There are two major markets in Marsa Matruh: Alexandria Street, the second major street after the Kornish, and Souq Libya, or the Libya Market where many products who are imported, legally or illegally from Libya. A visit to any of these markets can be worthwhile as they have many nice goods of good quality and very low prices.

Many of the hotels around the city have bars and nightclubs for those who would like more action in their night time. The nightclub at the Beau Site hotel is quite a nice place for having a drink and dancing. There are also places for billiards, bowling, and many other activities and games. Some hotels offer entertainment programs for their guests of all ages.

The accent of the people in Matruh is different than any other Egyptian city. Their Arabic language is more like the Libyans. The population in Marsa Matruh has exceeded 100,000 in the past few years. Most of these people work mainly with local tourism as thousands of Egyptians visit Matruh in the summer. The original people of Matruh still live in tribes around the major city of Marsa Matruh.

Marsa Matruh, or the port of Matruh in Arabic, is the capital and main city in the governorate of Matruh. It lies 290 kilometers away from Alexandria and 524 km away from Cairo. The most significant characteristic of this city is its long amazing 7 km shore with its crystal-clear water and white soft sand and the bay is protected with a series of rocks forming a natural wave breaker. This makes Marsa Matruh one of the most beautiful sea resorts in the whole world.

Another major aspect of Matruh is the number of different beaches spread all over its long shore. There is the Ageeba Beach, Al Obayed Beach, Al Gharam Beach, Cleopatra Beach, and the other public beaches that are located in the city of Marsa Matruh like Al Awam Beach and Romel Beach. Each hotel, as well, has its own private beach.

All these beaches have a common feature which is the clear water and the warm soft sand. On the other hand, each of these beaches has a special element that makes it unique.