Hurghada
According to A2ZGOV.COM, Hurghada is one of the most popular resorts on the Red Sea coast, consisting of several areas – the old center “Dahar”, the new center “Sakkala” and hotels, united under the name “New Hurghada”. There is no better place for water sports. Sailing, windsurfing, diving, deep sea fishing and much more are available to any vacationer.
El Gouna
The resort town of El Gouna was founded not so long ago, but has already earned the name “Venice in the Sands”. The fact is that all the buildings are located on islands connected, like the Venetian ones, by numerous bridges. The main transport is boats, which completes the picture of the resort in the Italian style.
Sharm El Sheikh
Sharm el-Sheikh is the main resort in Sinai with good 5- and 4-star hotels, consisting of several villages. The most remote parts are Nabq and Sharks Bay. All nightlife entertainment can be found in Naama Bay. Since the city lives entirely on tourism, a friendly attitude and the availability of a full package of tourist services are included.
Dahab
Dahab is a youth resort in the east of the Sinai Peninsula. Fans of windsurfing and diving will be able to indulge in their favorite sports. Canyons with colored sand and Bedouins add color.
Abu Simbel
Abu Simbel is a village 280 km south of Aswan and only 40 km from the border with Sudan. This very small settlement with an exceptionally low number of attractions per square kilometer attracts thousands of tourists a year with just two temples in one rock… but what a rock! It was she who had to be saved in the 1960s by the Egyptian authorities, together with UNESCO, from the rising waters of Lake Nasser, sweeping away everything in its path due to the construction of the Aswan Dam.
From 1964 to 1968, the temples of Ramses II in Abu Simbel were literally cut into pieces: into blocks weighing up to 30 tons, then transferred to a new place and reassembled – such a mega-lego. The new location of the temples is 65 meters higher and 200 meters further from the river.
Most tourists come to Abu Simbel for a couple of hours early in the morning to quickly explore the temples and return back to civilization for the night. You can stay here to while away the night only for the sake of the evening light and music show (not counting the crazy historians and subjects studying Ancient Egypt). For them, in Abu Simbel, it works from five hotels.
How to get there
EgyptAir flies every day to Abu Simbel from Cairo (departure is usually very early) and Ausan. It is unlikely to get to the town by car, it is easier to take a bus or minibus from Aswan (cost 35 EGP). Before landing, make sure that the air conditioner is in working order, as you will have to drive at least 4 hours. In addition, Abu Simbel can be reached along the Nile – on a cruise ship from Aswan.
Entertainment and attractions
Why is this very rock in Abu Simbel so attractive, for the sake of which such a massive “moving” was started 50 years ago? It turns out that two famous ancient Egyptian temples from the reign of Ramses II (1298-1213 BC) were carved in it. With a height of 100 m, this sandstone rock was called “sacred” many centuries ago, it had strong fortifications, because of which the area around was called the “Fortress of Ramessopolis”. The modern name of Abu Simbel comes from a bas-relief carved into the rock of a man in an apron, whom Arab sailors called the father of bread (from Arabic sinbel – ear).
Temples of Abu Simbel
In total, as already mentioned, there are two temples in the rock – a large and a small one. The first was erected in honor of King Ramses II himself; the second – in honor of his first wife, Queen Nefertari. The large temple is perfectly preserved: inside you can still see ancient images, inscriptions and frescoes. At the entrance to the temple, four colossal images of a seated king, 20 meters high, are carved. Above the entrance is an ornament of 22 baboons, whose height is 2.5 meters. In front of the small temple there are six statues 10 m high: two kings and one queen (the goddess of love Hathor with Nefertari’s facial features) on each side of the entrance.
Light show
Every evening, Abu Simbel hosts a sound and light show that starts at 6 p.m. from October to April and at 8 p.m. from May to September. Entrance for adults 100 EGP, for children 50 EGP.
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second largest city in Egypt and a popular Mediterranean resort. It is a kind of symbiosis of ancient history and a modern beach resort. The style and culture of Alexandria is very different from the rest of the country: they are noticeably closer to Europe. The undoubted advantage of relaxing here is the ability to combine a rich “excursion” with a beach holiday.
How to get to Alexandria
There are no direct flights between Moscow and Alexandria. You will either have to choose a flight with a transfer in Istanbul (departure from Vnukovo, at least 6 hours 50 minutes on the way), or get through Cairo, from where buses regularly run to the place and planes fly.
Alexandria Hotels
The resort has many hotels of various levels. In Alexandria itself, hotels are mostly urban, in the suburbs – typically “beach”, with a large territory and a huge range of services. There is almost no animation, and if such a phenomenon occurs, then, alas, not in Russian. But very often hotels have their own nightclubs and discos.
Alexandria beaches
All beaches here are sandy. A rare hotel located within the city has its own beach with sun loungers and umbrellas – the guests of most of these hotels have to be content with public city beaches. But all coastal hotels located in the suburbs of Alexandria have their own equipped beaches. The swimming season lasts from the end of May-beginning of June to September inclusive.
4 things to do in Alexandria
- How to relax in the magnificent resort hotels of the suburbs of Alexandria or budget hotels in the city center.
- Feel the almost unbelievable European flair of Alexandria in the Arab East.
- View the sea from the imposing fort.
- Fill with reverence for the human genius under the vaults of the legendary Library of Alexandria.
Entertainment and attractions of Alexandria
The powerful fort, “guarding” the entrance to the eastern bay (built on the site of the legendary Faros lighthouse) is one of the main attractions of the city. Now the fort houses the Historical Museum. The second unique attraction is the famous Alexandria Library.
The exhibits of the Greco-Roman Museum cover the period from the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great to the end of Roman rule in the 4th century BC. n. e. In addition, tourists should visit the Montaza Palace, the Roman amphitheater, the Museum of Fine Arts, Pompey’s Pillar and Ras el-Tin Palace.
Alexandria is not only a seaside resort, but also a modern city. There are many cafes, restaurants, casinos and nightclubs. At the same time, the price level is an order of magnitude lower than in other resorts in Egypt.
Nuweiba
Nuweiba is a popular resort on the east coast of the Sinai Peninsula, 170 km north of Sharm El Sheikh. Geographically, it is divided into three parts: Nuweiba-Tabarin (Tarabin), where the Bedouins still live, numerous hotels have been built and the tourist infrastructure is most developed, the city of Nuweiba is the center of the resort and Nuweiba Museum (Maizena) is a business center with a port and fishing village.
Actually, Nuweiba is not even a city, but the name of a stretch of coast about 30 km long, on which there are small settlements, a few hotels located at considerable distances from each other, and the port of the same name. This resort is perfect for a relaxing family holiday by the sea, as well as for lovers of water sports.
Entertainment and attractions of Nuweiba
This cute tourist spot is so diverse that it will suit any picky vacationer. A romantic evening will overwhelm with emotions in an original restaurant in a fishing village near the port of Museumna, after which you can rush to the younger part of the oasis, where club frenzy, alluring shopping await everyone in Nuweiba-Tabarin.
The port of Nuweiba is the starting point for high-speed pleasure catamarans that regularly ply between Sinai and Jordanian Aqaba. From here it is also convenient to make excursions to Mount Moses and the monastery of St. Catherine (~ 110 km), as well as to Israeli Bethlehem and Jordanian Petra.
It is also worth taking a camel ride to the Ain el-Furtaga oasis, going on excursions to the Colored and White canyons.
Diving
Naturally, like any other coastal resort in Egypt, Nuweiba is an amazing place to dive and explore the fantastic underwater world. The most popular dive sites on these beaches are Ras Abu Gallum and Ras Mamlah, which are part of the Ras Mohammed National Park, so you need to be prepared that you will be required to have a special diving permit upon entry.
Another interesting place is the Devil’s Head with canyons – there is amazing snorkeling here, and underwater photos are divine. Another marine attraction is Maagana – a thirty-meter coral wall where groupers and stingrays are found.
2 things to do in Nuweiba
- During the day, a pretty bay with the so-called “dolphin beach” is especially attractive. Therefore, it is worth swimming with charming dolphins tamed by the Bedouin family.
- Ride a horse along the pristine beach at sunset. The stunning view of the Nuweiba coast will never be forgotten. Services are provided by a local Bedouin village.
