EASY TRAVEL in Sharm el-Sheikh & Na’ama Bay

Whether you are flying direct to Sharm or via a larger airport like Cairo, you will find that connections work really well for the large number of Sharm lovers from all over the world.


It would be a pity to miss the many attractions which lie so close at hand, and you will find that most hotels have a very efficient tour desk which can organize your trips on land and sea. A regular ferry service runs between Sharm and Hurghada and this gives you a great chance to see another great Red Sea resort – and perhaps continue further into Egypt. Be honest about your own fitness! Some trips involve long walking through rugged country and climbs to high altitudes. If that’s not your thing, there are many brilliant compromises where you can reach the wilderness along good roads in the comfort of an air-conditioned car – and then breathe in the magical scenery at your leisure. Many visitors include a trip to St Catherine’s


Monastery and Mount Sinai (Mount Moses) during their stay (see later section) and your local operator will be able to suggest a range of good value packages. 

don’t miss

As well as seeking out the undersea world yourself, you could visit the aquarium at Kafr El Gouna, which is full of interesting aquatic life, from colourful local fish to baby crocodiles, and makes an excellent day out for families. Golfers will love the El Gouna Golf Club, where it is high season all year round on the 18-hole course.

ISLANDS

Looking away from the desert and out fromt he coastline, you will find islands, reachable on short boat trips, and each with their own individual appeal. Many of the islands are popular dive sites, with a vast variety of dives suitable for all skill levels, from absolute beginner to seasoned expert. With coral walls, sandy shallows, and both shallow and deeper areas to explore, there is certain to be no shortage of diving and snorkeling choices, and the huge number of different sealife to be seen makes this whole area one that no diver should miss. Giftun Island is among the main diving sites to which day-boats take diving parties. The island is a beautiful sand reef, and is surrounded by a garden of corals and exotic marine life. On a trip to the island, you can soak up the glorious sunshine on the sandy beach or swim in the crystal clear waters - the reef is home to vibrant corals, a seemingly infinite number of bright and colourful tropical fish, and you may even see rays, turtles and dolphins. Many operators will provide equipment for snorkelling in order for guests to explore the views under the sea, and it is also possible to sail to other nearby coral islands. Mahmya Beach is on the southern shores of the Giftun Island National Park off the coast of Hurghada. Mahmya in Arabic means “Protected Area”, and it is a testament to the careful management of this idyllic island that it is able to welcome tourists and yet remain so wonderfully unspoilt. Day trips to Mahmya are operated by many tour operators. Visitors board one of two 27-seater Mahmya boats, and sail for around one hour to the island. To protect the coral reef and its marine inhabitants, the boats moor at buoys off the pristine bay, and visitors are taken to the shore by smaller boats. Once they have landed on the island, guests are free to snorkel on the impressive coral heads scattered in the clear lagoon, have a walk along the sandy beach, take on other guests at beach volleyball, try scuba diving with the diving centre, or just relax on the pure white beach. Lunch can be enjoyed at the restaurant, with seafood and Italian specialties, and later in the day guests can enjoy drinks at the bar.Despite being on an uninhabited desert island, first aid, security and trained lifeguards are present at all times, so tourists can relax in the knowledge that they are in safe hands.

Underwater adventure at Hurghada Sinbad, the submarine

With diving and snorkelling so popular, it is interesting to find yet new ways to enjoy the undersea views. How about two hours discovering the wonderful marine life of the Red Sea by submarine? Hurghada is home to Sinbad, a submarine which carries 44 passengers and has a crew of two pilots, who take their guests for a wonderful reefs and colourful fish can be found.

Historical interest & EXCELLENT DIVING SITES

It is well-known that Egypt is a country full of historical interest, and just to the south of Hurghada is Mons Claudianus, an ancient Roman penal colony from the days when Egypt was within the Roman Empire, and where prisoners mined granite as a building material for the Roman Empire (tourists will be pleased to hear that they will not be expected to work in the quarries during their visit!) This stone was used in famous buildings such as the Pantheon and Temple of Venus in Rome, Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli, and also in the defending walls and defence towers around Mons Claudianus itself. Hot springs, which were used for underground heating systems in Roman times, still exist today along with ruined granite artifacts, and the Roman camp, dwellings, workshops and stables. The granite mine itself is still there, and is the largest and best-preserved Roman site in the Eastern Desert. You will also find Mons Porphyrites (about 40km from Hurgada). The Hurghada area is a real state-of-the-art resort with a huge range of leisure activities,
entertainment and spa facilities. It is also an ideal base from which to explore the nearby resorts at Safaga, El Gouna,Makadi Bay and Sahl Hasheesh, all of which offer beautiful beaches, excellent diving sites,and their own ranges of activities and sights. With Hurghada International airport so close by, it is even possible to fly out to Cairo and take in the famous ancient sights such as the Pyramids, or to Luxor with its many ancient temples. The high level of top quality investment in top class new facilities highlights the excellent nearby resorts of Sahl Hasheesh, Soma Bay and Makadi Bay. They have a multitude of fine facilities including golf, spa and wellness resorts. They are also becoming very popular locations for holiday homes.

Majestic deserts

As well as being known for its amazing beaches along the coast, Egypt is also famous for its majestic deserts, and taking a trip inland from the Hurghada area can open up new possibilities for adventure
and new experiences. To the west, the inland desert mountains rise up to dominate the landscape, making for breathtaking sunsets, and an unparalleled opportunity to explore. Quad bike desert tours are among many activities you will find around Hurghada, and make a wonderful story to tell upon your return home. The Eastern Desert is a fascinating and vast landscape of sand, rocks, oases and mountains, and is the home of the Bedouin people. Operators arrange tours in which, after safety tests and orientation, they lead you on a mid afternoon ride over the desert sands to a Bedouin village, where you will learn about Bedouin life, heritage and traditions, before riding a camel in the desert, and then taking in the amazing sunset view with a barbecue dinner, entertained by traditional Bedouin music, before you ride back to your hotel under  the desert stars. These visits to Bedouin villages can also be taken in four-wheel-drive vehicles for those who would prefer someone else to do the driving.

Around Hurghada

All of the excitement and beauty of Hurghada itself is reason enough for a long stay in the area, but the surrounding desert and coastline offers such a wealth of sights and experiences that you will
want to return time and again to discover new and unexpected encounters with the splendour of Egypt. 

hurghada international centre for aquatic sports

Hurghada was once a quiet fishing village, but over the last twenty years, it has become the leading seashore resort on the Red Sea. Holiday villages and hotels provide aquatic sport facilities for sailboarders, yachtsmen, scuba divers and snorkellers, as well as 36km of pure beaches on which to relax before adventuring
beneath the Red Sea to seek out underwater treasures.



Today’s active lifestyles demand that tourists can find exciting and challenging activities to enjoy on holiday, and Hurghada provides a perfect blend of engaging daytime pursuits and vibrant nightlife.



Hurghada has become an international centre for aquatic sports such as windsurfing, sailing, deep-sea fishing, swimming, but above all for some of the most spectacular diving and snorkelling in the whole world. The underwater gardens are amazing with a wide range of rare fish and coral reefs. If you are a diving enthusiast, or someone who would love to see what diving has to offer, Hurghada has simply the finest diving you will find. Whether you are an experienced diver looking for the ultimate locations, a novice keen to try diving for the first time, or somewhere in between and looking to learn more, Hurghada has exactly what you need. With PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) qualified instructors at a host of diving centres, you will find a diving experience to cater for your needs.



For those wishing to enjoy the sights beneath the Red Sea without learning to scuba dive, snorkelling is also popular in Hurghada, and is possible with a less demanding learning curve, although safety and orientation courses are given, and allows for underwater viewing up close in shallow water. Owing to its central location, the city provides a gateway to diving sites throughout the Red Sea, and is also known for providing access to many uninhabited offshore reefs and islands. It really is paradise for anyone with an appreciation of the underwater world. As well as the newer parts of Hurghada, don’t miss the chance to spend time appreciating the charm and character of the older parts of the city like Sakkala and Ad Dahhar. Back on dry land, Hurghada is well-served by beautiful hotels, where guests can enjoy spa facilities, massages and beautiful beaches from which sailing, windsurfing, deep sea fishing, kitesurfing, pedal boats and waterskiing are available. For those who would rather view the undersea beauty without getting wet, glass-bottomed boat trips are a great way to see the sights. By night, Hurghada shifts up a gear and reveals its famous nightlife, including the Ministry of Sound Beach Club, as well as the discos and entertainment on offer at most of the city’s hotels. Restaurants range from those serving traditional Arabic food to chains familiar to western visitors, including Hard Rock Café.

El Gouna & Hurghada

El Gouna, “ The Venice of the Red Sea”


El Gouna is a modern resort about 25km north of Hurghada, ingeniously using a network of lagoons and canals to create not just one strip of beach front, but a whole city of beautiful beaches linked by bridges across clear turquoise water. It is for this reason that El Gouna is considered to be the “Venice of the Red Sea”. Simultaneously refined and informal, it is a resort where visitors enjoy superb facilities and an endless list of opportunities for adventure and fun, all in a relaxed and accommodating atmosphere. It has also built a very strong reputation as a “green” resort and is a leading example of tourism being run in an environmentally responsible way. There are two main beaches at El Gouna. Exciting Mangroovy Beach, with its sports, outdoor parties and barbecues, and Zeytuna Beach, which is located on its own island, and has a 600-metre long jetty reaching out into the sea over the coral reef. Diving and snorkelling are popular in El Gouna, with interesting dive sites in an area which is fairly inaccessible to mass tourism. Local codes of practice have kept the sites unspoiled, and you will feel as though you are among the first to discover the amazing submarine views. At these special places, it is possible to swim with dolphins and turtles, or explore the coral reefs for the many unusual fish
and coral-dwelling creatures which cannot be found elsewhere. The clear waters and incredibly rich variety of marine life in the area means that El Gouna’s dive sites are perfect for underwater photography, and you are sure to come away with your best pictures as well as wonderful memories of a diving experience
unlike any other. There are ideal conditions for kite surfing here too, and the experts will tell you that this is one of the world’s best centres for the sport. Nightlife in El Gouna is rich and varied, with large discos and vibrant bars, as well as smaller, more intimate venues and restaurants with a huge variety of entertainment, and cuisine from around the world, including Indian, Thai, French, Belgian, Chinese, German, Italian, and British. A lively evening of music and dancing, or a quiet romantic evening of dinner and cocktails are both waiting in El Gouna. The two main areas of Kafr el Gouna and Abu Tig Marina offer the trendiest bars and cosiest pubs, along with billiard bars, beach bars, karaoke cafes, and the Palladium openair disco. Places at the heart of the social scene include Studio 52, the marina promenade, and Mangroovy Beach, which often organise live concerts and events, including beach barbecue parties. You can also take advantage of the “dine around” system here too, which means that you can add variety to your stay and try an excellent range of restaurants and dishes.

Exploring the region: things to see and do


Diving
The Red Sea boasts some of the most spectacular diving sites in the world. An extraordinary range of activities and adventures awaits you in the tourist resorts along the western coast. Here you will find El
Gouna – a diver’s paradise, with 30 well-known sites that include coral reefs and famous wrecks such as the Thistlegorm. The amazing variety of sealife offers you opportunities to admire gardens of coral, swim in the company of giant gorgonians, butterfly fish, turtles, ponderous Napoleon fish and many other gaudy sea creatures… One desert, but so many things to do The great desert expanses along the shores of the Red Sea are anything but dull. From tourist resorts such as Hurghada, Makadi Bay and Soma Bay you can travel out on day trips or half-day excursions. Make an on-the-spot decision – choose a camel trek, or a crosscountry adventure on quad bike. Opt for highspeed thrills on a sand yacht, or a safari in a 4x4. Or visit a Bedouin encampment and finish your adventure by tucking into a sumptuous banquet beneath the stars, after watching another magnificent desert sunset unfold. Monasteries in the desert
Just 55 km from the Suez Canal, Ain Sukhna is the ideal point of departure for exploring the Western Desert and viewing its historic monasteries. While not so well known as St  Catherine’s monastery on the Sinai Peninsula, they remain fascinating places to visit, with an impressive historical heritage. St. Anthony’s monastery is thought to be the oldest in the world, and yet monks still live, work and pray there. Not far from St. Paul’s monastery you will have plenty of opportunities to admire the many subtle shades of pink that colour the gorgeous mountain landscapes. 


Tour of the islands


Travel on a voyage of discovery around the islands of the Red Sea; watch the setting sun melt into the waves as you enjoy a delicious meal of freshly grilled fish. Embark at Hurghada for a journey to Giftun, an archipelago that has been turned into a magnificent National Park. Your captain will drop you off on
an isolated beach so you can sunbathe, swim, or indulge in some free diving. Add a romantic touch to your escapade by renting a sailing boat, in which you can explore the beautiful creeks that abound along the shoreline