2023

It is located within the Red Sea governorate, from the borders of the beaches of Zaafarana in the north to Halayeb in the south, and within the Egyptian territorial waters, there are 39 different marine islands among those far and near islands. between and around the city beach.

For his part, an environmental researcher in the Red Sea reserves said that the island of "Abu Minqar" is the closest sea island to the city of Hurghada, and it was at a period of time part of the city and isolated from it, and the evidence for this is that it is the only island on which the "mangrove" trees that grow abundantly on the beach grow. He added that 80% of the island is mangroves.

The environmental researcher added that the mangrove tree is considered the most important tree that helps in biodiversity, as it provides a natural life for the beaches on which it is located, as it resists the factors of decay and erodes the coastal strip, and provides a food place for many fish, marine crustaceans, and also food for many wild animals, especially camels. It can also transform salty water into fresh water for itself, and all this means that its presence somewhere indicates the existence of a huge biological environmental diversity.

Mangrove trees begin to spread heavily, starting from the shores of Abu Minqar Island in Hurghada, and increase in the beaches south of Safaga and are abundant on the beaches in protected areas. Nature in Marsa Alam is like Wadi Al-Hammal and the south of the Elba Reserve. Abu Minqar Island is the most marine island, especially in the Northern Islands Reserve, where mangroves are spread.

Abu Minqar Island is also characterized by great biological diversity, as flocks of dolphins and various sea turtles are periodically monitored near it, and the most present on that island, especially in its migration season, are the eagle, seagull, harem owner, tern, and other different birds.

He added that Abu Minqar Island is the most beautiful marine island on the Red Sea coast, as it has distinctive sandy beaches that exceed the beaches of other islands, and that island is located within the islands within the scope of the Northern Islands Reserve, and it is forbidden to carry out any activities on its back, and it is allowed to carry out activities in the vicinity of its shores and not on land from it.

He revealed that there is a close connection between the local residents of Hurghada and that island, where during the holidays and the breeze, the fishermen from the city’s residents would accompany their families and spend a day on the island’s beach, and it became a permanent habit during the holidays, and the Ministry of Environment during the recent years allowed them to visit Abu Minqar for free.

Especially on the Sham El-Nessim holidays. Abu Minqar Island, near the shores of Hurghada, also witnessed many visits by many famous people. The famous player, Sergio Ramos, the star of Real Madrid, visited it for a long time during his vacations in the summer of 2019, and he and his wife were on it. A number of the stars of the round also visited it during their vacation in Hurghada.