Swiss archaeologists with Switzerland’s University of Basel have discovered a 1,000 year old tomb of a female singer in the Egypt’s Valley of the Kings in Luxor. The tomb was found by accident close to another tomb that was discovered 100 years ago. This is the only tomb of a woman who is not related to the ancient Egyptian Royal families ever found here. The singer was named Nehmes Bastet which indicates that she was

Feline God Bastet

protected by the feline God Bastet. At the time of the singer’s death, Egypt was ruled by Libyan kings, but because Thebes (now within the city of Luxor) was ruled by the high priests, they had the authority to bury family members in the royal cemetery which would explain how the singer came to be buried there.

This is the 64th tomb to be unearthed in the major tourist attraction of the Valley of the Kings. Way back in 1922 the golden funeral mask of Tutankhamen was discovered along with other amazing objects in the tomb of the king who ruled over 3000 years ago.

It is reported that the coffin of the singer is intact and it is thought that when the coffin is opened archaeologists will find a mummy with a cartonnage mask moulded to her face. This is the only tomb of a woman who is not related to the ancient Egyptian Royal families ever found in the Valley of the Kings. Based on artefacts found in the tomb, it is believed that the tomb was originally built for someone else and reused for the singer 400 years after the original one. The coffin of the singer belonged to the daughter of a high priest during the 22nd dynasty.

The artefacts found in the tomb have led to the conclusion that the singer sang in Karnak Temple which is one of the most famous and biggest open-air sites from the Pharaonic era.

The Valley of the Kings is located on the west bank at Luxor and was the royal cemetery for 62 Pharaohs. This was a secret place that could only be reached via a long narrow path. However the royal tombs here were robbed by tomb raiders despite sentries who stood at the entrance of the Valley and along the hilltops. Many of the thefts were carefully planned although it is believed many robberies were just ‘spur of the moment’.

Valley of the Kings Egypt

A visit to the Valley of the Kings is a must on your holiday packages to Egypt. The only ‘problem’ you will have is deciding which of the tombs to enter as a normal ticket only permits you to enter three. Take your time when exploring the tombs so that you can take in all the details, maybe visiting the site more than once for the ultimate experience. Take advantage of the last minute holiday deals that are always available to this enthralling country and experience the intriguing Valley of the Kings and other amazing historical sites.

Nosrani Bay is an exclusive resort offering some of the best hotels in the Sharm el Sheikh region. Noted for its beautiful sandy beach, crystal clear waters and amazing corals reefs, Nosrani Bay is the perfect choice for a quiet relaxing holiday in Egypt. The resort offers a much quieter atmosphere than the cheaper areas of Sharm like Naama Bay. Due to its reliable winter sunshine, the resort is a popular choice for December

Nosrani Bay

holidays, with visitors returning year after year for their winter sun holidays. All of the best Nosrani Bay hotels offer family entertainment and children’s activities, hence why the resort is a popular choice for family holiday packages to Egypt. Nosrani Bay boasts top-class hotels with fantastic swimming pools, stylish restaurants, in-house dive centres, private beaches and beautiful tropical gardens. The areas spa hotels, where guests can enjoy whirl pools, steam rooms, Ayurvedic massages, body wraps, facials and body scrubs, are ideal for a romantic getaway.

Declared a National Marine Park, Nosrani Bay has many sheltered beaches with natural surroundings and a secluded feel. There are also water sports centres which offer facilities for windsurfing and water-skiing.

Ras Nosrani has a first-class reputation for diving holidays with excellent dive schools offering courses for beginners and top-class excursions for more experienced divers. Attracting both snorkellers and scuba divers, the world famous Ras Nosrani coral reefs offer amazing undersea scenery and a spectacular variety of marine life. The crystal clear Red Sea offers excellent visibility and great conditions for fascinating night dives. Visitors to Nosrani Bay will have an unforgettable diving holiday, both snorkelling at the house reef or on an exhilarating excursion to some of the best dive sites in the world such as Ras Mohammed.

Ras Mohammed coral reef

Apart from lazing on the immaculate sandy beach there is plenty to see and do in the surrounding area. Away from the water the hotels offer a range of activities including yoga classes, tennis, volleyball, 5-a-side football, fitness classes, archery, horse riding and much more. There are excursions for the whole family to enjoy, such as camel treks, horse riding treks, desert jeep safaris, quad bike tours and desert Bedouin feasts under the stars. Neighbouring Sharks Bay, Naama Bay and Nabq Bay offer some excellent restaurants, nightlife and shopping opportunities. There are lots of trips available including a desert tour with a visit to St Catherine’s

St Catherine's Monastery

Monastery, hiking in the Coloured Canyon, exploring the Ras Mohammed Wildlife Reserve and trips to Luxor and Cairo to take in the amazing ancient sites.

Nosrani Bay enjoys a typical Red Sea climate with clear skies, uninterrupted sunshine in both the summer and the winter seasons and crystal clear warm waters all year round. July and August see an amazing 12 hours of sunshine a day with temperatures in the high 30′s, even December and January see 7 hours of sunshine a day with temperatures in the low to mid 20′s. Rain is virtually unheard of the summer and very rare during the winter months. Spring and autumn sees temperatures around 30C and are regarded as the best times to visit. Nights in Nosrani Bay are a lot cooler at any time of the year therefore it is advisable to take some warm clothing for the evenings.

With an all year round sunny climate and reliable winter sunshine the resort is the perfect choice for beach holiday deals at any time of the year. Combine your Nosrani Bay holiday with a Nile River cruise to discover all the ancient wonders of Luxor and surrounding areas.

The Hurghada resort of Soma Bay is regarded as the perfect choice for a top class beach holiday in Egypt. The resort hotels offer a blend of elegant traditional design while providing every modern convenience for cheap package holidays to Hurghada. Sitting on a scenic headland, Soma Bay offers wonderful panoramic mountain views and a beautiful sandy beach lapped by the Red Sea. Soma Bay is popular with water

Soma Bay

sports enthusiasts, families and couples looking for a romantic getaway. Ideal as a base for Red Sea diving holidays and golf holidays, Soma Bay offers a range of accommodation including top class five star hotels with spa centres, spectacular swimming pools, stylish restaurants, beautiful gardens and private beaches. Soma Bay is home to one of the largest thalasso spas in the Middle East. Thanks to the natural healing properties of the sea you can relax and rejuvenate as well as enjoying invigorating pools, whirlpools and saunas along with a whole range of beauty and health treatments.  Excellent sports facilities, children’s clubs and family entertainment make Soma Bay a firm favourite for family holidays to Egypt. Year round sunshine makes Soma Bay an excellent choice for a winter sun holiday to Egypt. Spring and late summer are great times to visit Soma Bay as holidays are cheap and the weather is ideal for lazing on the beach and exploring the surrounding area.

The soft white sandy beaches of Soma Bay offer a peaceful atmosphere for lazing in the sun or, if you are feeling energetic, some great water sports. Warm shallow waters and gentle sea breezes make the resort ideal for learning kite surfing, windsurfing and sailing. The dive schools in

Soma Bay Diving

the area offer excellent courses for all levels of diver from beginners to more experienced divers. The house reef at Soma Bay is home to two dives with many other dive sites just a short boat ride away. Non-divers can also marvel at the Red Sea’s coral reefs and marine life with many snorkelling sites accessible from the shore.

When you need a break from the beach there is plenty to do and see. Golfers will not be able to resist the amazing Cascades 18-hole championship golf course which was designed by Gary Player. There are lots of exciting excursions available like a romantic Bedouin desert feast under the stars, a quiet camel safari through the desert sand dunes, desert jeep safaris, boat trips and longer excursions to the ancient city of Luxor, Cairo and Aswan. Many of the resorts hotels offer a shuttle bus service to nearby Hurghada for shopping trips and for the lively nightlife.

For that extra touch of romance, why not combine your last minute holidays to Soma Bay with a cruise along the Nile.

Luxor

Soma Bay enjoys temperatures in the high 30′s in July and August, with cooling sea breezes which help to cool it down. This is the best time to visit if you want a lazy relaxing holiday as it is far too hot for anything too strenuous. Many people prefer to visit in May, June and November when days are filled with sunshine but the temperature is more bearable than during the very hot summer season. December to April see long sunny days with temperatures in the 20′s making this an ideal time for winter sun holidays which are perfect for activity holidays to Egypt.

The River Nile in Egypt conjures up a world of magic and mystery. A cruise along the Nile will take you through a land of ancient civilisations and is one of the best ways to see all the historic sites located along the river’s banks. Attractions include the temples of the Pharaohs, pyramids, tombs and obelisks.

River Nile

Cruising up the Nile from lower to upper Egypt will leave you in awe of this amazing country. Apart from the fascinating attractions that line the Nile river banks Nile cruise passengers will also get an insight into rural Egypt. Many people who visit Egypt don’t get to see life outside the major city’s and tourist areas but on a cruise you will see how life in rural Egypt has changed very little over thousands of years.

Colossi of Memnon

The Valley of the Kings is the one site not to miss on your bargain holidays to Egypt. This is an eerie site with more than 600 royal tombs, including the Tomb of Tutankhamen that will remain in your memory for the rest of your life. It is in these royal tombs that mummified pharaohs were sealed to begin their journey to the ‘afterlife’. You will also be able to visit the Colossi of Memnon, a gigantic pair of enthroned statues that once guarded the entrance to a long lost temple. On Luxor’s West Bank stands the Temple of Queen Hatchepsut. Built in honour of the only woman to reign over Egypt as a pharaoh, the temple is built into the cliff-face, rising up in a series of monumental terraces.

The Temple of Karnak is one of the most awe inspiring historic sites in the world. Taking over 2,000 years to build, the temple is more like a city of ancient Egypt. The site has three shrines, monuments, obelisks and the enormous Hypostyle Hall which has more than 130 amazing papyrus-shaped columns.

Like the Temple of Karnak, the Temple of Luxor is another awesome site. Constructed for the ritual practices of the Festival of Opet, visiting this amazing site will just leave you wanting more. An avenue of sphinxes leads down to the temple which has courtyards and chapels

Temple of Hathor

overlooking the beautiful River Nile.

The Temple of Denderah was built in honour of the cow-headed goddess of love, Hathor. Created by the Romans, this temple emulates traditional Egyptian styles but has a Latin twist. The astronomical ceiling in the Hypostyle Hall represents signs of the zodiac and heavenly bodies, offering an insight into the ancient Egyptians solar rituals and cults.

The monumental Temple of Horus is one of Egypt’s best preserved ancient shrines. Dedicated to the falcon-headed sky god the temple gives a great insight into how the ancient temples once looked. After passing through the colossal gateway which is guarded by two huge granite falcons you will reach the courtyards and sanctuaries covered in detailed wall carvings.

Temple of Sobek

The Temple of Sobek is unique as it was dedicated to two gods, the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon-headed Haroeris. The temple has two entrances, chapels and halls. You will be amazed by the mummified crocodiles in the chapel of Hathor.

There are many late deals available to Egypt throughout the internet. To take in the ancient and the modern touristy side of Egypt consider combining a Nile cruise with a hotel stay to enjoy the best of both worlds.

When you think of Egypt what springs to mind? Like most people you probably know Egypt as the land of the pyramids where you can relax on beautiful beaches in glorious sunshine, explore the many ancient sites that the country is so famous and cruising along the Nile for but there is much more to this amazing country.

Jungle Aqua Park Hurghada

Combining water sports and leisure, the Jungle Aqua Park near Hurghada is something different that has something for all family to enjoy on their package holidays to Egypt. Located on the Red Sea just 25 minutes from Hurghada on the road to Safaga, the park offers swimming pools, water slides and a multitude of sports and activities for all ages.

Hurghada is a popular Red Sea resort well known for its hot climate, beaches, scuba diving and snorkelling, water sports and nightlife. With temperatures around the 30˚C mark for most of the year Hurghada is a popular year round holiday destination, including Christmas and the New Year. The resort is divided into three main parts; the modern El Memsha, the city centre Sekalla and the old part El Dahar.

Jungle Aqua Park

When you need to take a cooling break from the heat on a hot summers day then take the family to Hurghada’s biggest aqua park. With 14 outdoor pools (some are heated) and 35 water slides, what a fantastic way to cool down. The Jungle Aqua Park water slides include wave pool which circles the whole area, swimming pool area (2 large swimming pools), kids area (18 games), group slide (3 games), tube free fall (1 game), twister (2 games), up hill (1 game), uphill plus (1 game), turbo lance, flying boat (2 games), wave slide (1 game), space boat (1 game), space hall (1 game), tsunami (1 game), multi slide (1 game 4 lanes), family slide (1 game), black hall (1 game), rafting slide (1 game), big rafting (1 game) and rafting river which is 1000 meters long.

Aqua Park Hurghada

The park also offers a variety of themed restaurants and bars including the Mediterranean restaurant, Asian planet restaurant, Tragin restaurant, Tarzan restaurant, Viking restaurant and the Zum Kaiser restaurant. Bars include the Ananas bar, Banana bar, Coconut bar, Crocodile bar, Indigo bar, Jungle bar, Lion bar and the Tropical bar.

Enjoy the thrilling water slides, exhilarating rides and the splash pools and animal rides for the younger children at the Jungle Aqua Park Hurghada on your next direct holidays to Egypt. Stay at the Jungle Aqua Park Hotel complex which offers holiday bungalows, a large swimming pool, lots of sporting activities including tennis, table tennis, football, mini-golf and aerobics and plenty to keep the children occupied including a children’s pool, children’s club for 4-12 year olds, playground and mini disco.

Since its formation in 2007, the Green Star Hotel Initiative has awarded its Green Star Certificate to 16 hotels in El Gouna and 4 hotels in Taba Heights. These hotels have been recognised for their dedication to sustainability and for their commitment to protecting the local environment. Local hotels, businesses, residents and visitors to El Gouna and Taba Heights all work together to minimise any negative impact the resort’s ever expanding tourist industry may have on the local environment.

El Gouna

El Gouna is a popular destination for last minute holidays and is officially recognised as Egypt’s most environmentally-friendly holiday destination. The resort was chosen as the first location for the initiative because of its sustainable development concept, internal recycling and water treatment plants and its authentic architecture.

The scheme aims to improve environmental standards in the Egyptian hotel industry and is the first of its kind in Egypt. Hotels are awarded 3, 4 or 5 Green Stars based on the measures put in place and the hotels commitment to improving their environmental performance, saving of valuable resources and increasing the use of renewable energy.

Nine hotels in El Gouna hold Five Green Stars – Ali Pasha Hotel, Dawar El Omda Hotel, Mövenpick Resort & Spa, Sheraton Miramar Resort, Steigenberger Golf Resort, Sultan Bey Hotel, The Three Corners Ocean View Hotel, The Three Corners Rihana Inn and The Three Corners Rihana Resort.
The Intercontinental, Marriott and Sofitel hotels in Taba Heights have also been awarded Five Green Stars.
Seven hotels in El Gouna hold Four Green Stars – The Arena Inn, Captain’s Inn Hotel, Club Med, Fanadir Hotel, Mosaique Hotel, Panorama Bungalows Resort and Turtle’s Inn Hotel.
The Three Corners El Wekala Golf Resort in Taba Heights has also been awarded Four Green Stars.

El Gouna is an upmarket holiday resort renowned for its luxury hotels, beautiful beaches, peaceful lagoons and picturesque islands. Offering a quieter atmosphere than resorts like Sharm el Sheikh, El Gouna offers amazing diving opportunities in its crystal clear waters which are rich in marine life. Cheap holidays during the warm and sunny winter season are popular with golfing fans and visitors just wanting a relaxing holiday with some winter sunshine. Many people holidaying in El Gouna find it hard to drag themselves away from their top class hotels but there is a lot to do and see in the surrounding area. Sightseeing excursions to places like Hurghada, Luxor and Aswan are very popular.

Taba Heights

Taba Heights is also an upmarket holiday resort with beautiful beaches lapped by crystal clear waters and a backdrop of mountain and desert scenery. The sheltered waters and shallow dive sites here make the resort very popular with divers of all levels, from beginners to the more experienced. Taba Heights offers great value for money holidays which can include a round or two of golf, nightclubs, casinos, a good choice of restaurants and private beaches. The quieter months of April and June are an ideal time to visit Taba Heights along with the warm winter months which are great for a perfect family holiday in the sun.

Egypt’s second largest city, Alexandria, has a more Mediterranean than Middle Eastern atmosphere and is known as ‘The Pearl of the Mediterranean’. Home to antiquities from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, Alexandria is ideal for a stopover on the way to Egypt’s stunning Mediterranean coast. Located to the north of Cairo on the Nile Delta where the Nile meets the Mediterranean Sea, the city of Alexandria overlooks a series of bays with golden sandy beaches.

Alexandria

Shopping in Alexandria is an experience not to be missed on your travel deals to Egypt. Visit the gold and silver bazaars in El Manshiya and El Attareen, the fish market on the Corniche Road to El Kashafa, the souvenir and second-hand book stores in the Attarin District and the bazaars on Al-Witwalli Street. Don’t forget to haggle when making a purchase as this is traditional in these parts. Egypt is a mainly Muslim country therefore men and woman should remember to always ‘cover up’ and never go out in revealing clothes or outfits.

Golfers can enjoy a round or two at Egypt’s oldest golf course at the Alexandria Sporting Club which was built in 1890 and at the Porto Marina Golf Course which includes a championship course, a floodlit driving range with 20 tees and seven target greens.

Eating out is a great experience in Alexandria. Don’t miss the traditional Egyptian mezzeh starters, lamb shwarma (the Egyptian equivalent of Turkish doner kebabs) and the delicious desserts including honey pastries, dates soaked in milk and baked rice.

Places to Visit in Alexandria

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Opened in 2002 this wonderful piece of architecture which resembles a giant sundial is an amazing reincarnation of the famous ancient library of Alexandria. The original library was home to the largest collection of manuscripts in the world and was a major centre of learning for 600 years until it was burned down in the 3rd century.

The Mosque of Abu al-Abbas Al-Mursi
Located south of Fort Qaitbay on the Corniche this is a beautiful mosque which was built on the ruins of the old Mosque in 1943. The mosque has a high minaret and four domes and is one of Alexandria’s most important Islamic monuments. Women are not allowed inside the mosque proper and may only visit a room at the back of the mosque.

El Alamein
The city of Al Alamein on the Mediterranean Sea is where the battles between Montgomery and Rommel took place during the Second World War. Today cemeteries, war graves and monuments can be seen here as reminders of the city’s past history.

Fort Qaitbay

Fort Qaitbay
Now home to a naval museum, this 15th century fort stands on the site of the original Pharos lighthouse which was destroyed by an earthquake in the 14th century.

Ancient Alexandria under the Sea
Much of ancient Alexandria lies under the sea. Take a diving excursion to discover the city’s many archaeological ruins which are preserved in this giant underwater museum.

Alexandria has mild rainy winters and hot summers that can often be very humid. January and February are the coldest months with temperatures reaching 12C-18c and minimum temperatures of 5C. July and August are the hottest months with temperatures averaging 30C.

Combine your package holidays to Sharm el Sheikh or Cairo with a few days in this intriguing city for a perfect Egyptian holiday.

Supplied by our reader Georgina Ann Simms

This 370 room resort is the first to be opened by Hilton Hotels & Resorts in Marsa Alam. The resort is the 17th resort to be opened by Hilton Hotels in Egypt. Marsa Alam is a great base for a cruise along the Nile and exploring the areas ancient sites and temples.

Marsa Alam

Overlooking the Red Sea, the resort has a beachfront location on Abu Dabab Bay, combining an entertainment village, a congress centre and a residential town. The hotel has a stunning beachfront location with amazing views of the Red Sea. All of the guest rooms and suites are decorated in contemporary Nubian style and have a private balcony or terrace with beautiful views over the sea, pool or gardens, air conditioning and ceiling fan, elegant bathrooms, hairdryer, LCD satellite television, telephone, high-speed internet access, tea and coffee making facilities, minibar and the signature Hilton Serenity Bed Experience.

The Hilton Marsa Alam Nubian Resort offers a vast array of sport and leisure facilities including four outdoor swimming pools (2 heated in the winter), a fitness centre, tennis courts, a diving lodge (on Abu Dabab Bay) and a children’s club. The hotel also has nine restaurants and bars, including the Marsa Restaurant which serves Middle Eastern specialities along with international dishes, the exotic Souk Cafe where you can relax with an Arabic coffee and tasty pastry and Breezes Pool Bar for your cocktails, not to be missed on your direct holidays to Marsa Alam.

Abu Dabab Bay

Guests can enjoy a range of fitness and recreation activities including scuba diving, snorkelling, fishing, aerobics, water aerobics, water polo, a walking track, jogging track, bicycle rental, sight seeing tours, beach volleyball and football, basketball, table tennis, pool table and not forgetting the beautiful sandy beach where you can relax in the glorious sunshine, swim in the crystal clear water and enjoy some of the great water sports which are on offer. Abu Dabab Bay is a world famous diving spot with many dive sites including those suitable for beginners and night dives. Divers will marvel at the sea cow (Dugong) and stone fish that are often seen here. Marsa Alam is renowned for its pristine reefs and variety of marine life.

For families with young children there is a babysitting service, children’s club and activities, mini disco, children’s pools, playground, children’s menu, highchairs and playpens to be enjoyed on their family holidays to Egypt.

Other facilities at the hotel include a concierge desk, guest activity/reception desk, bar area, breakfast area, lounge, safety deposit box, multi-lingual staff, 24 hour room service, currency exchange, ATM, beauty salon and barber shop, gift shop, clothing store, laundry/valet service and

Dugong-sea cow

luggage storage.

Egypt’s Mediterranean Coast stretches for over 600 miles between Rafah in the east and Sallum in the west on the Egyptian-Libyan border with Alexandria at the centre of the stretch. Running along Egypt’s northern shoreline this stretch of coastline is becoming more and more popular as a holiday destination and is even tipped by some to be the new Sharm el Sheikh.

Egypt's Mediterranean Coast

This stretch of coastline has everything you need for a relaxing beach holiday in beautiful surroundings, including soft golden sands and crystal clear blue waters.

Located on the edge of a seawater lagoon, the town of Marsa Matruh is the perfect place to unwind and relax in the sun. On the other side of the lagoon is Gharam Beach, another stretch of white sand where the order of the day is rest and relaxation under the sun. Around 25 miles from Marsa Matruh you will find Almaza Bay with its great new hotels which sit in wonderful palm lined gardens sitting on the sandy seafront.

Marsa Matruh

Most of the hotels and restaurants in the area cater for holiday makers from Europe hence most of the cuisine on offer is European. However for visitors wishing to sample Egyptian cuisine the hotels offer some authentic dishes. Try kofta (minced beef patties stuffed with peppers), tahini dip with warm pitta bread, chicken or lamb kebabs and don’t forget to try some of the tasty Egyptian desserts. Within close proximity to Marsa Matruh is The Corniche where you will find restaurants, cafes and fast food outlets like KFC, McDonalds and Pizza Hut. Try one of the local ahwa’s (very basic cafes) where you can enjoy some fresh kebabs, kofta and chicken followed by some ‘shai’ tea (served black with lots of sugar). Local people will be seen at these ‘ahwas’ sipping their ‘shai’ tea over a game of backgammon.

There are plenty of places to visit on your last minute holidays to Egypt

Alexandria

 when you want a break from lazing on the golden beaches along this coastline. You can take a tour of the desert memorials honouring those who lost their lives at El Alamein during the Second World War, take a trip to Alexandria (The Pearl of the Mediterranean) on the eastern end of the coast and visit the ancient temples which date back to the days of Cleopatra. Alexandria is a mesmerizing city with Roman ruins, museums and wonderful cafes where you can watch the world go by whilst enjoying the fruity aroma of the shisha pipes.

Most evening entertainment is provided by the hotels in the form of open air discos on the beach and belly dancing shows. There are a few discos in Marsa Matruh but most of the nightlife consists of just chilling out at the ‘shisha’ cafes along the Corniche.

If you are looking to visit Egypt’s Mediterranean Coast there are some great travel deals available throughout the internet.

Al Pasha Bay is located in a quiet area of Sharm el Sheikh. Popular with couples and families looking for luxury holidays, the area offers top class four and five star rated hotels and quiet private beaches. Most of the all-inclusive hotels have multiple swimming pools, private beaches, spa and health centres, various dining options, bars and nightclubs. There are cheaper hotels in Al Pasha Bay which offer great value for money holidays for families and young water sports fans. Just off the beach area of Al Pasha Bay are lots of narrow streets where you will find cafes, small spice markets and street stalls. For lively nightlife and restaurants a short ride will take you to the livelier Naama Bay.

The sandy stretches of beach here offer warm crystal clear waters and are great for relaxing in the sun, taking a swim and enjoying water sports like water-skiing, windsurfing and kite-surfing. For snorkelling fans the beautiful clear warm waters and easily accessible reefs are just perfect. Just meters from the shore-line you can see an amazing array of marine life. Boat trips enable visitors to see the more inaccessible areas of the reef. Al Pasha Bay makes an excellent base for a diving holiday in Egypt with access to the stunning Red Sea reefs. Visitors can enjoy some of Egypt’s famous dive sites including Shark’s Bay, Turtle Bay, Yolanda Reef and the spectacular Ras Mohamed Marine Park. The Al Pasha dive schools offer courses for all divers from beginners to the more experienced. For non-divers there are glass-bottomed boat trips which explore the waters to see

Red Sea Reef

 the beautiful coral gardens which are home to brightly coloured fish and marine life.

When you need a break from the beach you can try a spot of shopping at the little shops and bazaars in Al Pasha Bay or take a walk around the Sharm el Sheikh souks. The souks are great place to buy gifts and souvenirs like jewellery, gold, glassware, rugs spices and tea whilst on your direct holidays to Egypt. Sample local culture on a trip out into the desert and experience life in a traditional Bedouin village or go on a camel or jeep safari through the amazing desert sand dunes. Visits to Cairo, the

Monastery of St Catherine at Mount Sinai

ancient sites at Luxor and to the Monastery of St Catherine at Mount Sinai are three places not to be missed on your holiday to Al Pasha Bay.

Whether you visit Al Pasha during the winter or the summer you can expect long sunny days with clear blue skies and perfect warm clear waters. You are unlikely to see any rain in Al Pasha at any time of the year. Night-time temperatures in the desert are always cooler at any time of the year but are still totally enjoyable. July and August are the hottest months with 10 hours of sunshine a day with June and September being cooler and more bearable for many people. April and May are probably the best months to visit as temperatures are around 30C and there are always plenty of last minute holiday deals to be found on-line.