May is just around the corner. It is never too early to think about the beaches. When people think Egypt, they think about the pyramids, mummies, and the various temples. At the end of the day, my most visited destination had to be the beaches.
Red Sea
I have mentioned the Sinai Peninsula in a previous post. Needless to say, it was one of my favourite vacation place while in Egypt.
Sharm el Sheikh – The most famous destination that has its own international airport. I don’t recommend staying in Sharm el Sheikh unless you are there for the clubs. Unless your hotel is at the central area. It would take some taxi rides to get around. I don’t like it for how touristic it is. Though if you are there, make your way down to Ras Mohammad for snorkelling.
Dahab – I cannot count how many times I went to Dahab. It has a little bit of everything. Everything you need is within walking distance (hence no haggling with taxi drivers).
I like choosing accommodations that has a balcony, because you can buy and drink your own liquor, and play your own music. Just note that all tap water is salted and cannot be consumed. Always buy bottled water.
There are so many restaurants. My favourite restaurant/bar is “Yalla Bar”, which I stumbled upon randomly by chance. They have tables for eating, sun beds for sunbathing, or you can rent some goggles and snorkel for a bit while waiting for the server to make your drink.
Blue hole, one of the most famous scuba diving and snorkelling spots in the world, is only a few kilometers away from Dahab.
Mount Sinai is a must go because it is where Moses received the Ten Commandments. In addition, seeing the sunrise/sunset is beautiful there. I ended up going on January 7, a cold winter today. It was snowing at night (which is very rare, it hasn’t snowed for a few years). The early morning of next day, I saw the beautiful view of Mount Sinai covered by snow.
Nuweiba – You stay at a camp – they have huts along the coastline of red sea. Sunbath, snorkelling, drinking tea are some of the activities to do during the day. When the night comes, don’t put away your beach towel yet. Lie down on the beach and stare at the sky: you won’t believe how many stars you can see.
It is nice to go with some friends or you can make friends while there. It is so calm and relaxing. This is the perfect getaway if you are tired of all the noise in Cairo (or any major metropolitan cities around the world).
My personal recommendation would be Dahab for all purpose, Nuweiba for some isolated time with mother Earth, and Sharm el Sheikh for nightlife.
Pacific Panorama 