Everyone knows that Egypt offers a rare combination of ancient civilizations, bustling cities and natural beauty. The capital Cairo is Africa’s largest city and home to some of the world’s most famous sites including the legendary pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx. However, there is more this historic country offers the holidaymaker.
The Red Sea Riviera has beautiful resorts, from Marsa Alam to Hurghada and El Gouna on the western coastline to the famous resorts in the Sinai Peninsula such as Sharm El-Sheikh, Dahab and Nuweiba.
The Red Sea attracts divers, photographers, marine scientists and leisure seekers from all over the world who hope to experience and explore the wonders of the abundant marine life and coral reefs and sample the beauty of its beaches.
I chose Sharm El-Sheikh, the most famous of four bays on the Sinai Peninsula offering a huge range of attractions. I found that the combination of sun, sea and sand coupled with amenities including casinos, shopping malls, restaurants, health clubs and antique attractions make Sharm El-Sheikh a wonderful destination.
From the moment I set foot on its clean white sands, looking at its breathtaking scenery and breathing in its clean air, I knew that I had made the right decision. An annual family holiday, after all, is a decision you make but once a year.
Sharm El-Sheikh is one of the most accessible and developed tourist communities on the Sinai Peninsula. It is the most famous of four bays hollowed out of the reef on this unique coastline. The level beaches in this area suddenly transform into a belt of sheer, flat-topped cliffs, which extend vertically out of the sea. Running parallel to these cliffs is a flat, narrow stretch of reef called the reef table, which is considered to be one of the richest and most famous in the world.
Sinai is known as the land where Manna fell from heaven and Moses received the Ten Commandments and that later on housed St. Catherine’s Monastery. I decide to spend a day visiting its historic attractions and to sample the local amenities.
A visit to the Bedouin village should be on your list, and all hotels in the area offer Bedouin tours. I went for an afternoon and ended the day with a fascinating evening of traditional dancing and singings and sampling a delicious Bedouin feast.
There are direct flights to Sharma El-Sheikh from some countries, but if the service is not available, you are most likely to fly to Cairo International and take an internal flight to Sharma El-Sheikh. The flights are offered by Egypt Air on a daily bases, and are value for money. The trip takes around one hour.
With the success of Sharm El-Sheikh and the other holiday resorts of the Red Sea Riviera, the Minister of tourism Dr Mamdouh El-Beltagi announced at the end of last month that the launching of the huge promotion campaign, at a cost of thirty three million Euros and announced at the ITB 2003, will go on as planned despite the current turmoil and turbulence in the region.
In a recent statement, Al-Beltagi said: “Egypt is thousands of kilometers away from the hot spot. The nearest distance is 1,002 km and farthest is 2,000.
“The Red sea campaign focuses on new destinations such as Taba, Nuweiba, Dahab, Ein Sokhna, and others. They are developing to the same high standard as Sharm El-Sheikh. Above all, Egyptians are peaceful and civilized people always welcoming their guests.”
The saying goes: “He who drinks Nile Water is bound to come back to Egypt one day,” and after spending one of the best short holidays ever there, I can say: “He who samples the natural beauty and charm of Sharm El-Sheikh is bound to visit it again.”
- Arab News Travel1 May 2003
