SHARM el-SHEIKH, Egypt (25 Dec 2005) -- To be honest, even clutching my Exotic Fish Identification for Beginners idiot-edition cribsheet, I still couldn't tell a black blotched porcupinefish from a bloodspot squirrelfish; frankly, I wouldn't know a bluestriped fangblenny if it bit me. But, one thing's for sure, the battalions of gloriously multi-coloured marine life that slipped into view the moment I dipped my snorkel-bedecked face underwater deserved every hyperbolic moniker biologists have bestowed on them. And you don't need to be able to scuba dive to see them; when the water is calm and clear, you can spot fish from the deck of a boat. It's no wonder the brilliant-blue waters of the Red Sea are heaven for divers. Indeed, traditionally, most visitors to Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada and the other resorts that stud Egypt's eastern coast and the Sinai Peninsula were scuba divers. The purpose-built tourist town of Sharm El Sheikh, right on the tip of the peninsula, was particularly popular, thanks to its proximity to renowned dive sites such as Ras Mohammed Marine Park, credited with having the most beautiful coral reef in the world, and the Straits of Tiran. The Red Sea has more than 1,000 species of fish, some unique to these waters, and 150 types of coral, not to mention rays, turtles, dolphins and dugongs. Today, though, thanks to a phenomenal growth in flights from UK regional airports, anyone seeking a sea and sun holiday - families, couples, friends - are flocking here, too. Famously, even our own dear Prime Minister and his wife have been a couple of times, staying in the private villa of the country's newly re-elected president, Hosni Mubarak. Now, two important developments look set to boost its popularity even further. Firstly, British Airways has launched thrice-weekly scheduled direct flights from London Gatwick to Sharm El Sheikh, operated by partner GB Airways. The new flights are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays - this means that instead of being tied to charter flights that fly only once a week, Brits can go to Sharm for a long weekend. Several tour operators have responded quickly to include these in their programme, including specialists Discover Egypt. Secondly, Discover Egypt has launched a weekly charter flight between Luxor, starting point for Nile cruises, and Sharm El Sheikh. This may not sound a big deal, but previously, if you wanted to spend a week cruising the Nile followed by a week in Sharm El Sheikh, transferring between the two was a nightmare, necessitating two flights via Cairo, or a very long road journey across the desert. The new flight takes just 45 minutes. If you don't want to spend a whole fortnight by the pool, a Nile cruise and Sharm twin-centre holiday makes a great combination - sightseeing with sun, sea and sand. It would be criminal to come to Egypt and not see something of the country's ancient history. A Nile cruise provides a perfect introduction to it: you sail between Luxor and Aswan, with visits to Luxor, Karnak, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae temples, the massive stone statues known as the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens and Hatshepsut's Mortuary Temple, all in the company of an expert Egyptologist. Plus, of course, there's time to sunbathe and relax on the top deck as the boat glides along the beautiful Nile. The cruise also includes full board and a range of evening entertainment, from a belly dancer and Nubian musicians to fancy-dress parties and treasure hunts. At the end of a week, you fly on to Sharm El Sheikh for total rest and relaxation. So, what's Sharm got? Well, it doesn't have any ancient sites, though adventurers will love desert trips to St Catherine's Monastery, reputed site of Moses's burning bush, and the beautiful natural phenomenon called the Coloured Canyon. You can join a day trip to Luxor or even the Great Pyramids at Giza, Cairo, but both are exhausting excursions. What Sharm does have plenty of, though, is hotels and restaurants, dive and watersports centres, bars and clubs. It's all a bit different from just a decade or so ago. Then, says Werner Gessner, general manager of the Sonesta Beach Resort and Casino, no one had heard of Sharm El Sheikh. "There were only ten five-star hotels then," he says. "In the past five years, the number of hotels has risen to 200-plus." All the top names are represented, including Hyatt, Ritz Carlton and Crowne Plaza, as well as Sonesta. There's budget accommodation, too. So, who comes here? In the early days of its development the area was popular with Italians, who still come in droves, along with Germans, Dutch, Russians and, these days, Eastern Europeans and, increasingly, the Brits. In 2004 the country received 546,892 UK visitors, and 371,180 from January to June alone this year. Yes, holiday companies reported a rash of cancellations immediately after the terrorist attacks in July, but bookings soon picked up again. Tourism provides an income for a huge number of Egyptians, so, needless to say, security has been stepped up further now; resorts already had tourist police patrols and scanners at hotel entrances. | | Significantly, British tour operators' confidence in the destination remains unshaken, too; they are pushing ahead with further planned increases in flights, the number of holidays they sell, and the range of Red Sea resorts they feature; indeed, many have launched new brochures dedicated to Egypt for the first time. All will feature Sharm El Sheikh. "Sharm is, and has always been, a perfect winter sun spot for Europeans," says Gessner. "We have no rain, no snow, only guaranteed sunshine, we can promise that." Even in winter, temperatures average 27C. The 525-room Sonesta Beach Resort and Casino, in the resort centre of Naama Bay, represents the kind of high standards you can expect and afford, thanks to the favourable exchange rate - currently around ten Egyptian pounds to the pound sterling. Sonesta Beach has ten restaurants and bars, seven swimming pools, including one heated, a private sandy beach, diving and snorkelling centre, shopping arcade, kids' club, and sports galore. And that's before you get to the Las Vegas-style casino. Many hotels have their own diving, snorkelling, and windsurfing centres on site. If not, there are independent centres, with PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) courses widely available. Large numbers of diving and snorkelling boat excursions leave Sharm daily, but if you're not a water baby you can also get a glimpse of the Red Sea's amazing marine life on a trip out in a glass-bottomed boat. Better resorts also offer everything from tennis courts and gyms to golf, horse-riding and desert quad bike safaris. They usually put on some evening entertainment, too (though your belly dancer is likely to be Russian!), plus there are bedouin evenings in the desert, touristy but fun nevertheless. Or you can just walk around Naama Bay stopping off at whichever beachside shisha cafe, bar or restaurant you fancy. Do try some local food - it's generally cheap and delicious: houmous, rich aubergine or sesame dips, mixed salads, kebabs and koftas, falafels, and fabulous casseroles called tagens. Egypt has had a bit of bad press with regards to tummy troubles, but I'm convinced too much sun is more often to blame than poor kitchen hygiene. I've been here ten times, had a minor upset on the first visit and never again. A popular night-time activity is to wander round the Old Market area, where you'll find authentic shops around the back - bakers, sugar cane juice stalls, spice stalls - as greater Sharm supports a whole population of Egyptians who commute to work from all over the country. The market has become more touristy in recent years as the resort has expanded, with plenty of stalls selling souvenirs, some naff (belly dancer outfits), some impossible to get at home (hookahs), others rather nice (jewelled slippers at a fraction of the cost you would pay in the UK). Or, if you're planning on coming back for another look at Sharm's marvellous marine life, invest in a decent guidebook. That way, next time you come, you will be able to tell your black-spotted sweetlip from your leopard blenny. No bother. |
