Red Sea: Sharm el Sheikh and Sinai

Overlooking the Red Sea, at the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula, sun-kissed Sharm el Sheikh is noted for its warm winter climate, spectacular scuba diving and snorkelling, as well as its resort hotels. An ideal destination to consider concluding your Egypt holiday, Sharm el Sheikh offers visitors a wide range of activities, including watersports, quad biking, camel rides, and stargazing.

Many of Sharm el Sheikh’s hotels have direct access to the sea and a house-reef, while boat excursions to the nature reserve of Ras Muhammad National Park or Tiran Island will reveal more of the Red Sea’s spectacular submarine world. Sharm el Sheikh can also be used as a base for exploring the Sinai Peninsula.

Located 2½ hours’ drive inland, the Monastery of St Catherine is set in the glorious isolation of the Sinai desert beneath the mountain where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments. The monastery was built on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian between 527 and 565 AD. Among its many treasures is a great library of manuscripts, beautiful icons, and a 6th-century church reputed to lie directly on the site of the Biblical Burning Bush. The climb up Mount Sinai to welcome the dawn is a memorable experience and recommended if you can manage the 3-hour ascent.

A 90-minute drive to the north of Sharm el Sheikh, Dahab is a relaxed beach resort that is much heralded for its world-class kitesurfing and the famed Blue Hole – one of Egypt’s best snorkelling locations. Geologists believe that this submarine sinkhole formed during the last ice age. The impressive 800m long red-hewed Salama Canyon can also be combined with a visit to Dahab to create a highly memorable day excursion from Sharm el Sheikh. Another option is to explore the oasis of Wadi Feiran. Located between the Red Sea and St. Catherine’s, Feiran is noted for the luxuriant palm trees of its oasis and dramatic rocky scenery. The valley is considered to be one of Sinai’s most archaeologically important stretches of terrain and is the location of many ruined churches, some of which date back to the fourth century BC.