Red Sea Coast

The ‘Red Sea Riviera’ is a place of many different attractions. On the one hand, it is famous (or infamous, depending on your view) for cheap package holidays – overdevelopment has pockmarked the coastline deeply, leaving a trail of megaresorts and half-finished hotels in its wake. Alongside these are some exceptional exclusive resorts secluded from the hustle of the packages. Dig deeper and you will find other, more surprising sides to the region.

Some of the most important sites in Christianity's early evolution lie in the northern Red Sea coast's barren mountains. Venture south of brashly loud and proud Hurghada, and you’ll not only find some of Egypt’s best diving but also the epic, wild expanse of the Eastern Desert. Criss-crossed by trade routes dating back to the far reaches of prehistory, and scattered with ancient rock art and lonely ruins, this little-visited area is a desert-adventurer’s dream.