Marassi vs Fouka Bay vs Almaza Bay: which North Coast compound is right for you?
Last updated · BlueKeys
There is no single best compound. Marassi, roughly 3 hours from Cairo, offers the widest choice of chalets and villas, plus marinas and many restaurants. Fouka Bay, roughly 4 hours away, is quieter and design-led. Almaza Bay, roughly 5 hours away, has clear turquoise water, a long beach and no access card or cleaning fee.
Marassi, Fouka Bay and Almaza Bay at a glance
If you're comparing North Coast chalets for rent, these three compounds cover very different stays: a large resort built around marinas, a calmer design-led bay, and a beach town far to the west. The table below puts them side by side, using BlueKeys' September 2026 price snapshot.
| Compound | Marassi | Fouka Bay | Almaza Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it is | Near Sidi Abdel Rahman | Further west, in the Ras El Hekma area | Marsa Matrouh coast, the far west of the North Coast |
| Drive from Cairo | Roughly 3 hours | Roughly 4 hours | Roughly 5 hours |
| Feel | Marinas, beaches and lagoons, with many restaurants and cafés | Design-led resort on a sandy bay with lagoons; a quieter pace | Clear turquoise water and a long beach |
| Best for | Guests who want the widest choice and restaurants and cafés close by | Guests who prefer a calmer, design-led setting | Guests happy to drive further for clear water, and larger groups |
| Bedroom range on BlueKeys | Chalets and villas; the widest choice on BlueKeys' North Coast | 2–4 bedrooms | 1–8 bedrooms |
| Median nightly rate (Sept 2026) | EGP 18,666 | EGP 14,127 | EGP 22,000 |
| Typical range | EGP 14,433–29,376 | EGP 13,515–14,892 | EGP 19,800–33,000 |
| Homes on BlueKeys | 151 filed under Marassi, plus homes listed under its marinas | 84 | 152 |
| Access card | Most homes add one, priced according to the home and the length of your stay; included in the nightly rate for some homes; none at a few hotel-serviced properties | Per guest for some homes, per started week of the stay for others | None, and no cleaning fee either |
Medians and ranges are nightly rates before fees. Cleaning, access card and service fees (0–15% depending on the home) are itemised in the price breakdown on each listing before you confirm. Almaza Bay's rates cover the current season only (to 31 Oct 2026), while the Marassi and Fouka Bay figures draw on dates up to 16 Sep 2027, which don't yet include next summer's peak rates. The three medians are not a like-for-like comparison.
Who are Marassi chalets right for?
Marassi is Emaar's large resort near Sidi Abdel Rahman, built around marinas, beaches and lagoons, with many restaurants and cafés. It has the widest choice of chalets and villas on BlueKeys' North Coast, and at roughly 3 hours from Cairo it is the shortest drive of the three.
- Suits guests who want plenty of choice, restaurants and cafés nearby, and a shorter drive.
- Homes filed as Marassi have a median of EGP 18,666 a night (September 2026), with a typical range of EGP 14,433–29,376.
- Most homes add a beach and marina access card priced according to the home and the length of your stay; for some it is already in the nightly rate.
Who are Fouka Bay chalets right for?
Fouka Bay is Tatweer Misr's design-led resort further west, in the Ras El Hekma area, with a sandy bay, lagoons and a quieter pace. It is roughly 4 hours from Cairo. The 84 homes on BlueKeys have 2 to 4 bedrooms.
- Suits guests who prefer a calmer setting and don't mind an extra hour on the road compared with Marassi.
- Median of EGP 14,127 a night (September 2026), with a narrow typical range of EGP 13,515–14,892.
- The access card is charged per guest for some homes and per started week of the stay for others (7 nights count as 1 week, 8 nights as 2 weeks).
Who are Almaza Bay apartments and villas right for?
Almaza Bay is a resort town on the Marsa Matrouh coast, at the far west of the North Coast, known for clear turquoise water and a long beach. BlueKeys lists 152 serviced apartments and villas there, in Beachtown, Bay Homes and The Residences, from 1 to 8 bedrooms. At roughly 5 hours from Cairo, it is the longest drive of the three.
- Suits guests for whom the water and beach are worth the longer drive, and larger groups looking for homes with many bedrooms.
- Median of EGP 22,000 a night, with a typical range of EGP 19,800–33,000. These rates are published only to 31 Oct 2026, so they reflect the current season.
- No access card and no cleaning fee; the service fee for Almaza Bay homes is 10%.
Which part of Marassi? Marina 1, Marina 2, Marina Views and Greek Village
Marassi is large, and some of its homes on BlueKeys are listed under their own marina or village. Each has a different character and price level (medians for September 2026, before fees):
| Area in Marassi | Character | Median nightly rate | Typical range | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marina Views | Lagoon-side chalets, family-friendly | EGP 29,682 | EGP 22,287–36,822 | 27 |
| Marina 2 | Lively | EGP 22,899 | EGP 18,615–35,037 | 26 |
| Marina 1 | Calmer, lower density | EGP 16,677 | EGP 13,464–22,848 | 12 |
| Greek Village | Cycladic-style chalets around gardens, 1–2 bedrooms | EGP 11,883 | EGP 10,200–13,566 | 11 |
What about New Alamein and Playa?
New Alamein is a modern waterfront city with high-rise sea-view towers and a promenade, roughly 3 hours from Cairo. On BlueKeys it includes the City Edge towers (studios and 1-bedroom sea-view apartments, median EGP 11,424 across 7 homes) and Marsa Boutique Hotel (hotel-serviced suites, median EGP 21,012 across 5 homes).
Playa is a beachfront North Coast resort with 2–4 bedroom chalets and villas, some with pools. BlueKeys lists 6 homes there, with a median of EGP 24,786 a night and a typical range of EGP 22,500–36,000. Most Playa homes charge the access card per started week. All figures are September 2026 and before fees.
So, what's the best compound in Sahel for you?
- Shortest drive and the most choice: Marassi.
- A quieter, design-led stay with 2–4 bedrooms: Fouka Bay.
- Clear water, a long beach and no access card or cleaning fee, if you don't mind a longer drive: Almaza Bay.
- Sea-view towers in a waterfront city: New Alamein.
Still undecided? You can ask the BlueKeys team on WhatsApp, in Arabic or English, for recommendations before you book.
Frequently asked questions
Which North Coast compound is best for families?
It depends on what your family needs. In Marassi, Marina Views has lagoon-side chalets described as family-friendly, and Marassi is the shortest drive from Cairo (roughly 3 hours). Fouka Bay has a quieter pace and 2–4 bedroom homes. Almaza Bay has homes from 1 to 8 bedrooms but is roughly 5 hours from Cairo.
Which is cheapest: Marassi, Fouka Bay or Almaza Bay?
By September 2026 median nightly rate, Fouka Bay is the lowest of the three at EGP 14,127, followed by Marassi at EGP 18,666 and Almaza Bay at EGP 22,000. Inside Marassi, Greek Village has a median of EGP 11,883. These are rates before fees, and Almaza Bay adds no access card or cleaning fee, so compare the full price breakdown on each listing.
How far is Almaza Bay from Cairo?
Almaza Bay is on the Marsa Matrouh coast, at the far west of the North Coast. It is roughly 5 hours' drive from Cairo, compared with roughly 4 hours to Fouka Bay and roughly 3 hours to Marassi.
Do I need an access card in Marassi?
Most Marassi homes add an access card for the beach and marina, priced according to the home and the length of your stay. For some homes the card is already included in the nightly rate, and a few hotel-serviced properties charge no access card. Each listing shows the card in its price breakdown before you confirm.
What is the best compound in Sahel?
There isn't one best compound for everyone. Marassi suits guests who want the widest choice and a shorter drive, Fouka Bay suits those who prefer a quieter, design-led stay, and Almaza Bay suits those who want clear water and a long beach and don't mind a longer drive.