Red Sea Coast
This historic monastery traces its origins to the 4th century AD when monks began to settle at the foot of Gebel Al Galala Al Qibliya, where their…
Must-see attractions in Red Sea Coast
Red Sea Coast
Dating to the 4th century, the Monastery of St Paul began as a grouping of hermitages in the cliffs around the site where Paul had his cell. The complex's…
Marsa Alam
This lagoon 18km south-east of Marsa Alam is home to three dive sites with a reef system full of interesting coral pinnacles and fish life. What makes…
Hurghada
A mind-boggling abundance of marine life is on display here, 5km south of the Giftun Islands, making Gota Abu Ramada a popular spot for underwater…
Hurghada
Hurghada's marina is a pleasant, car-free place to stroll, especially in the evening. When you get tired of staring out to sea or dreaming about owning…
Red Sea Coast
This small fortress was built in 1571 to provide Ottoman troops with control to the port and therefore passage to Mecca. Modified several times by the…
Marsa Alam
North of Marsa Alam, Elphinstone has steep reef walls covered with soft corals and is washed by strong currents that make it ideal for spotting sharks –…
Red Sea Coast
Perched about 300m above St Anthony's Monastery on a cliff just outside the monastery walls is the cave where St Anthony is believed to have spent the…
Red Sea Coast
The starkly beautiful desert of the Wadi Gimal Protectorate extends inland for about 85km from its coastal opening south of Marsa Alam, and is home to a…
Red Sea Coast
In the middle of the Wadi Gimal Protectorate, 60km south of Marsa Alam, lies a pristine sand beach with azure water and excellent coral and fish viewing…
Hurghada
Umm Qamar, 9km north of the Giftun Islands, is highlighted by three coral towers that are swathed in beautiful soft, purple coral and surrounded by a…
Hurghada
These islands, among the closest to Hurghada, form part of a marine reserve and are surrounded by a number of spectacular reefs teeming with marine life,…
Marsa Alam
A sandy island east of Berenice, Rocky Island has a range of dive possibilities, including a 25m drop off the east side of the island. Plenty of coral and…
El Gouna
Ease of access means this is an excellent dive site for beginners, though veteran divers will still enjoy the towering brain corals and fan-encrusted rock…
Hurghada
There is some fabulous diving off this island, which sits in the straits between Hurghada and Sharm. Pilot whales and large pods of dolphins have been…
Marsa Alam
Founded in 275 BC by Ptolemy II Philadelphus, Berenice was one of the most important harbours and trading posts on the Red Sea coast from about the 3rd to…
Red Sea Coast
The main route between the Nile and Red Sea for thousands of years, Wadi Hammamat runs from Qift, just north of Luxor, to Al Quseir. Inscriptions, remains…
Red Sea Coast
These ancient Roman porphyry quarries were the only source for the precious white-and-purple crystalline stone associated with imperial grandeur. Porphyry…
Red Sea Coast
This granite quarry/fortress complex was one of the largest Roman settlements in the Eastern Desert. For Roman prisoners, brought to hack granite out of…
Red Sea Coast
Little is known about Sheikh Al Faran, the mosque's namesake, beyond the fact that he came from the Hejaz (now Saudi Arabia), and that after his death he…
Red Sea Coast
One of the most impressive rock-inscription collections in the Eastern Desert is at Barrameya, which fringes the Marsa Alam–Edfu road. Here in the smooth,…
Red Sea Coast
The Salem Express is a stunning yet mournful sight. In 1991 this passenger ferry sank, killing about 1000 pilgrims returning from the hajj. While diving,…
Hurghada
The Ashrafi Islands, north of Hurghada, are less-visited than many other dive sites in the area, but have several wrecks in relatively shallow water (8m…
Marsa Alam
Atop an inshore reef 60km north of Berenice lies the wreck of this 65m-long cargo ship. Lying on its side in just 14m of water, Hamada is a fairly easy,…
Marsa Alam
Horseshoe-shaped Sataya, 50km north of Berenice, is the main reef of the Fury Shoals, and has steep walls leading down to a sandy slope scattered with a…
Marsa Alam
Impressive topography and excellent marine life (hammerheads, barracuda, groper and yellowmouth moray eels) mark this large, kidney-shaped offshore reef…
Red Sea Coast
Just behind the old police station is the fortress-like facade of the granary. It dates to the early 19th century and was used to store wheat that was…
Red Sea Coast
Panorama Reef is famous for its schooling barracuda, as well as numerous dolphins, eagle rays, grey reef sharks and silvertips, and for its soft and hard…
Hurghada
The reef’s upper section is home to bannerfish, angelfish and snapper. If the current is strong, you can drift along the wall skirting the edges of huge…
Hurghada
The stingrays this dive site is named after are most commonly seen in March and April, but there are plenty of other attractions year-round at this…
Red Sea Coast
The Eastern Desert is scattered with numerous Islamic tombs and shrines. One of the best known is that of Sayyed Al Shadhili, a Moroccan holy man and Sufi…
Bibliotheca Alexandrina El Gouna
El Gouna
Also known as the Embassy of Knowledge and linked to Alexandria's modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina library, this peaceful oasis is El Gouna's sleepy…
Red Sea Coast
Sikait, about 80km south-west of Marsa Alam, is thought to have been the main settlement for the workers in the Roman emerald mines. It's about 80km south…
Red Sea Coast
The ruins of the actual emerald mines for which the region was once famed can be seen on the slopes of Nugrus, where the ground is littered with pottery…
Red Sea Coast
Located 7km north of Al Quseir in a small bay abutted by the Mövenpick Resort, this dive site boasts a complex network of interconnecting caves and…
Red Sea Coast
An easy plunge 10km south of Al Quseir that appeals to divers of all levels, El Kaf is a canyon pitted with small caves and passages, and accented by…
Hurghada
Hurghada's public beach is not so appealing – it is often full of litter, and foreign women may feel uncomfortable about the attention they will attract…
Red Sea Coast
The mysterious ruins of what must have once been a substantial villa or complex sit on top of an isolated desert ridge. From here there are incredible…
Red Sea Coast
Originally an Ottoman diwan (council chamber), the once grand old police station on Al Quseir's waterfront is now a picturesque but dilapidated shell.
