| Egypt is
one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, but most visitors
see very little of what this fabulous country has to offer. Everyone wants
to join the hoards visiting the Pyramids, The Valley Of the Kings and Abu
Simbel. Everyone dreams of a Nile Cruise, all things that you should do
at least once, but what of the rest of the country? Unhappily Egypt has
one of the lowest rates of return visit in the world, perhaps because it
has not sufficiently promoted the rest of its many attractions.
The Sinai,
for instance offers a wealth of destinations and activities for the visitor.
Its busiest tourist spot is Sharm El Sheikh, a holiday town of five star
hotels, seafood restaurants, beaches and luxury. A frequent destination
for tour groups from Italy, Russia and the UK, Sharm is the Fort Lauderdale
of Egypt. Using it as a base, you can either enjoy many day trips, or simply
laze about on the beach drinking something pink with a little umbrella
in it. |
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The charming
Bedouin village of Dahab is about an hour away and a common day trip
for shopping. In Dahab the selection of souvenirs such as papyrus prints,
camel saddles, brass lamps, jewelry, perfumes, leathers and inlaid boxes
is bigger and cheaper than in Sharm.
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I have visited
Dahab many times in my five years in Egypt and it remains one of my favorite
places even if it’s been developing some of Sharm’s razzle-dazzle
recently. |
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| If you prefer
a much quieter venue, look into nearby Nuweba, particularly the colorful
section known as The Tarabin. From Nuweba you can catch the ferry for a
visit to Jordan and the ancient, red stone city of Petra. Visits to
Israel are also easy to do from the Sinai, but not advisable if you
are planning to travel elsewhere in the Near East. Arab Countries may deny
you entry if your passport shows that you have visited Israel.
For the more
adventurous, a night-time climb up nearby Mt. Sinai to see the dawn is
great fun. It’s not steep except for five hundred or so steps at the very
summit, and it’s easy to rent a camel for most of the ascent. Legend
has it that you will be retracing the footsteps of Moses who climbed Mt.
Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. In either Dahab or Sharm El Sheikh,
it’s also easy to arrange a hike in the Sinai Mountains through the fabulous
Colored Canyon and the equally beautiful White Canyon. |
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Offshore
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| A warning,
however, If you are in reasonable physical condition, you will not find
these hikes overly-taxing, but neither is for the faint-of-heart. The tour
organizer will try mightily to talk you into doing both in one day and
that’s quite possible but be prepared to be tired when you finish and bring
lots of water for the hikes.
Another Sinai
adventure is a camel trek with Bedouin guides. Usually these last three
days and you camp under the desert stars and eat Bedouin-style. You might
even enjoy a relaxing shisha (waterpipe) in the evening. You too can be
Lawrence of Arabia! Or is that Larry of the Sinai?
It’s possible
to enjoy both snorkeling and scuba diving in many, many places in the Sinai.
In fact the Red Sea is so amazingly clear, snorkelers often see just as
much as scuba divers do. A prime destination is Ras Mohamed National Park
on the extreme southern tip of the Sinai.
It has dozens
of superb dive sites and it is also possible to camp at designated spots
in the park for a small fee. |
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| Boat trips
for diving and snorkeling are easy to arrange at any hotel in Sharm, or
in any dive shop. Diving in Dahab is also superb; the infamous Blue Hole
is a must for divers.
There are dozens
of other excellent dive sites in Dahab as well, so be prepared to spend
a few days.
Best of all
is that the Sinai is extremely affordable. Even the five star hotels of
Sharm El Sheikh and Taba are considerably less expensive than they would
be elsewhere.
For a back-packer
or those traveling on a budget, The Sinai is heaven. Give this place some
serious thought the next time you are looking for an interesting place
to visit.
The following
are the previous articles David wrote for the magazine: |
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Article
Index ~ Egypt
Index ~ |
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