Sallumالسلوم

Sallum is the last town on Egypt's Mediterranean coast before the Libyan border, the point where the long coastal highway running west from Alexandria finally reaches the frontier. As a border and port town, it has the distinctive character of a frontier outpost — a crossing point for travellers and trade between Egypt and Libya, with a quiet harbour and a remote, far-flung feel. Reaching Sallum means travelling to the very western edge of the country, far beyond the resorts and crowds.

Sallum's setting is striking. Here the great desert escarpment — a high, steep plateau edge — sweeps down toward the coast, so the town sits dramatically between towering cliffs and the blue Mediterranean. The road climbs the escarpment in sharp bends, opening sweeping views over the bay and sea below. This rugged meeting of desert highland and turquoise water gives Sallum a raw, wild beauty quite different from the gentle beaches further east.

The Sallum area saw fighting during the Second World War's North African campaign, and the famous Halfaya Pass nearby was bitterly contested. Today it is a quiet, remote town, well off the tourist trail, of interest mainly to the most adventurous travellers, those crossing to or from Libya, and anyone drawn to Egypt's wild frontiers. As a sensitive border region, travel here requires checking current local advice and permissions — but Sallum remains a striking marker of where Egypt, and its long Mediterranean coast, finally comes to an end.

• What it is: Egypt's far-western frontier town on the Mediterranean.
• Arabic name: السلوم (Sallum).
• Where: at the western end of the coast, near the Libyan border.
• Setting: where a dramatic desert escarpment meets the turquoise sea.
• Character: a remote border and fishing town, far off the tourist trail.
• Note: a sensitive border area — check current local travel advice before visiting.

Sources include Egyptian travel references. Check current travel advice for border regions before visiting.