Sharm el Sheikh: Perfect place to escape winter
Dec 16 2009 By Jo Leigh
THE Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh has been thrown into the spotlight this year as the demise of the pound against the euro has meant that holiday destinations outside of the Eurozone have come into favour and are suddenly top of the to-do list for British holiday makers looking for value for money and sun.
With year-round guaranteed sunshine and a huge array of five star resorts gracing the pages of the holiday brochures, Sharm seems like an obvious holiday choice. But for those looking for a little more than sunshine, a comfy sun lounger and an all inclusive wristband, can Sharm cut it against the cultural destinations of the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa?
Rather than commit to a two week break, I opted for a long-weekend taster of Sharm and my voyage into the unknown started on a chilly October morning in Birmingham. Five hours later the blistering heat of Egypt hit me as I descended the steps of the aircraft in Sharm el Sheikh, and only 60 minutes later I was entering the stunning Hyatt Regency hotel in Naama Bay, my home for the weekend.
Over the past few years, the cranes have arrived in Sharm and where previously the majority of hotels were all ‘first line’ and directly on the beach, many that are now being built are third or even fourth line, so not ideal if you’re looking for a sea view. The Hyatt Regency however is first line and boasts a stunning beachside position in the centre of Sharm el Sheikh.
On my first morning I was greeted at 7am by clear blue skies and 25 degree heat – so far, so good, the brochures are accurate. To see as much of Sharm as I could in the weekend, I’d opted to spend one day on land with the second day at sea, and to avoid the mid-day heat as best I could, I set off early on my Egyptian land adventure.
Only 15 minutes from Naama Bay, I was heading into the desert on a jeep safari and soon had my first sight of a Bedouin settlement, a stark contrast to the luxury of the resorts in Sharm el Sheikh. My over-zealous jeep driver ensured that I was well shaken during the five hour safari which took me into the barren, arid Egyptian desert that makes up almost 80 per cent of the country. Surprisingly, the desert tour took us back to the coast and to the Egyptian mangroves. These mangroves are home to the clear waters of the Red Sea and the wreck of the Maria Schroeder, a German ship which ran aground on coral in 1956 laden with jeeps and tanks, a number of which are still clearly visible.
If I wasn’t shaken to the max during the jeep safari, the day culminated with a sunset camel ride, which again took me into the heart of the Egyptian desert. The camels, many of which I’m sure we’d seen during the day on our safari, were all well versed in transporting tourists across the desert, but be sure to hold tight whilst dismounting – my camel wasn’t renamed buckaroo for nothing.
A typical Bedouin dinner followed, with the women of the group being required to kneed and bake Egyptian flat bread. According to Bedouin tradition, a woman’s ability to bake bread is a clear indication as to her prowess as a wife, so it was all eyes on the ladies once the bread making commenced. Needless to say, I don’t think I acquired a new husband through my bread making skills.
The sheer expanse, silence and darkness of the desert by night takes a while to get used to, but the stars and planets that are visible from here, albeit it by telescope, are unmissable and the sight of the moon, complete with its lunar landscape, is something that will stay with me forever.
In complete contrast to my day in the desert, day two of my trip focused solely on the water and it was another early start to kit myself out with snorkelling equipment before joining my boat, and a day spent in Ras Mohammed, Egypt’s first marine national park. With three snorkelling stops during the day, the clear waters of the Red Sea didn’t disappoint and the thrill of seeing Angel fish up close and personal was enough to excite even the most hardened of tourists. Dolphins are also commonly seen during the trip although they unfortunately failed to materialise during our day at sea. Much is written about diving in the Red Sea and it’s claimed that some of the best dive sites in the world can be found here. It’s all true and the breathtaking underwater world that surrounds Sharm is a must see.
Even if diving isn’t your thing, don’t miss out on viewing the marine life from the water’s surface. The sea off the coast of Sharm is crystal clear and a huge variety of fish and coral can easily be seen, even in shallow waters.
