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.

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.

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.

Located just 10 minutes from Naama Bay, on the quiet outskirts of Sharm el Sheikh, Om El Sid Hill is the perfect base for exploring the Red Sea area. Popular with families and couples, Om El Sid Hill is becoming more and more popular as a honeymoon destination. Located on a plateau above the coast,

Om El Sid Hill

 the resort offers amazing views across the Red Sea and sunsets which other resorts just can’t compete with.

The beaches here are some of the best in the region, especially the stunning Diamond Beach. Red Sea holidays are popular with divers looking for perfect conditions and crystal clear water. There is a wide choice of dive schools in the area offering divers of all standards the chance to experience the many sites and marine life. There are shallow dives for beginners and amazing reef dives for the more experienced. Non divers can also enjoy the fascinating marine life by snorkelling from the shore where there jetties going out to sea, enabling snorkellers direct access to the

Diving

unspoilt coral reef. You will be absolutely amazed by the colourful marine life and stunning underwater scenery. Apart from providing excellent diving opportunities, Om El Sid Hill offers some great watersports including windsurfing, water-skiing and fishing.

When you want a break from the beach there are plenty of day trips to choose from. Sharm el-Maya is the original old town area of Sharm el Sheikh and offers a traditonal Egyptian market, restaurants, cafes and shops. Trips to St Catherine’s Monastery, Ras Mohammed Marine Park and the Coloured Canyon are all a great day out for the whole family. Be amazed

Coloured Canyon

 at Egypt’s ancient attractions at Luxor, Cairo and Aswan or if you are looking for something a bit livelier visit Naama Bay, Sharks Bay, Nabq Bay and Al Pasha Bay. A holiday in Egypt would not be complete without a trip into the Sinai Desert either by camel, horse, jeep or quad bike. You will be blown away by the amazing sunrise and sunset out in the desert.

Om El Sid Hill enjoys amazing sunny weather which means that there are always great late deals to the resort at any time of the year.

With luxury hotels and bargain hotels there is accommodation to suit everyone here. Most hotels are set in landscaped gardens with high standard rooms, top quality restaurants, multiple swimming pools, spas and evening entertainment including shows and dancing. Family holidays to Om El Sid Hill offer excellent value for money with many of the hotels providing children’s clubs and entertainment for the everyone.

Ras Um Sid is situated in a quiet part of Sharm el Sheikh. Located at the tip of a small headland overlooking Red Sea beaches, Ras Um Sid is the ideal location for families and couples looking for a relaxing holiday atmosphere.

Beach

When the time comes for a bit more excitement then you can head off to nearby Naama Bay where you will find plenty of nightlife and great places to eat. Naama Bay is just a 10 minute ride from Ras Um Sid where many of the hotels provide shuttle buses for the journey.

There are many excellent hotels in the area, some of which are built on beautiful hillside terraces with lifts and cable cars which take guests to the glorious sandy beaches below.

With perfect weather conditions, ideal safe shallow warm waters, no strong currents and a fascinating reef close to the beach, Ras Um Sid is one of the most popular Red Sea choices for snorkelling and watersports fans.

Marine Life

Snorkelling in the clear blue waters here gives you the chance to see the wonderful brightly coloured marine life, corals and sponges of the reef. Ras Mohamed Marine Park which is home to the amazing Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef, Anemone City and the Straits of Tirin are all close to Ras Um Sid and offer excellent scuba diving opportunities. The area has lots of dive schools which offer lessons for divers of all ages and levels. Water sports include windsurfing, water-skiing, parasailing, sailing and deep-sea fishing.

Apart from the great diving opportunities, there is plenty more to do and see in the area. A trip into the Sinai Desert is a must for the whole family to enjoy together. This can include a quiet camel trek, an exciting jeep safari, a visit to a Bedouin village, an authentic meal under the open skies and much

St Catherine's

 much more. Then there are visits to Naama Bay, Nabq Bay and Sharks Bay which all offer great shopping and restaurants. If you are looking for more culture then there are trips to St Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai, walks through the wonderful Coloured Canyon and for ancient attractions you can head to Luxor where you can also enjoy a leisurely cruise along the Nile. To sample some local culture then don’t miss the authentic shops at Sharm el Sheikh’s souks. Here you will find everything from souvenirs to locally produced rugs and from spices to jewellery and gold.

A must on your last minute holiday deals to this amazing country is to sample the delicious cuisine. Visit the restaurants and cafes which serve traditional spicy food, including various grilled meats, kebabs and koftas.

Ras Um Sid is popular with families, couples, diving and water sports enthusiasts looking for cheap holidays to Egypt which are always available throughout the internet.

Located on the Sinai Peninsula, Nabq Bay is ideal for quiet relaxing beach holidays. Offering amazing views to Tiran Island and the Sinai Desert mountains, Nabq Bay is situated in a beautiful location close to Sharm el Sheikh and the lively Naama Bay. 

Nabq Bay diving

Blessed with excellent beach facilities, sandy beaches, warm blue waters and soft sea breezes, Nabq Bay is an ideal location for just lazing on the beach or enjoying some snorkelling and scuba diving. There are some amazing wrecks and dive sites for experienced divers to explore while beginners can take advantage of the local diving schools who have a great reputation for teaching beginners. There are some beautiful coral reefs to explore in the beautiful Red Sea around Nabq Bay including those at Ras Mohammed and the Straits of Tiran. The undersea wrecks at Thistlegorm and Dunraven are among the most popular with divers in the Red Sea. The wonderful sea life here can still be explored if you are not into diving. There are no end of snorkelling opportunities available here along the coastline of Nabq Bay and at all the adjoining bays along the coastline. The lagoon at Nabq Bay offers a huge range of water sports including windsurfing, kite surfing, parasailing, water skiing, sailing, canoeing and of course pedalos for all the family to enjoy. And for those who don’t want to get wet there are glass-bottom boat trips where you can marvel at the undersea beauty from the comfort of your dry vessel.

Temple at Luxor

Not everyone comes here for the beaches and the diving. There is lots more to do here including exciting jeep safaris, quad biking, mountain biking, horse riding, camel riding and excursions to wonder at the country’s amazing history. Favourite sightseeing tours include Luxor and Aswan and what better way is there to view the fascinating surroundings than on a cruise down the River Nile.

Families and couples alike can take advantage of the last minute holidays that are always on offer to Egypt and enjoy the sun, sand and relaxation that the country has to offer.

If you are looking for an economical diving holiday there are lots of cheap package holidays around where you can use Nabq Bay as your base.

Naama Bay is a resort area of Sharm el Sheikh on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, with Shark’s Bay to it’s north and Hadaba to it’s south. The beach resort of Sharm el Sheikh stretches for 25 miles along Egypt’s Mediterranean coast, with Naama Bay situated right in it’s heart.

Naama Bay

Visitors come to Naama Bay mainly for the scuba diving and snorkelling. The resort offers some of the most diverse dive sites in the world. There are lots of wreck dives along this stretch of the Red Sea, with the Ras Mohammed Marine Park which is home to Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef within easy reach of Naama Bay. Dive centres and dive schools are plentiful in the area, along with boat dives and dive jetties which enable divers easy access to the coral reefs and underwater sea life.
Other watersports on offer here include catamarans, canoeing, windsurfing, parasailing, water skiing, banana boats and pedaloes. There are also snorkelling trips available for non-divers. For visitors who wish to see the wonderful marine life but stay dry there are glass bottom boat rides on offer.

Ras Mohammed Marine Park

In Naama Bay you will find dive centres, a lovely pedestrian promenade which runs along the sandy beachfront, hotels (both large and small), restaurants, bars, casinos, discos and shops.

At night some of the larger hotels offer themed nights with belly dancing and local folk music. Most of the hotels in Naama Bay have their own private stretch of the mile long beach here.

Naama Bay offers lots of excursions, including Nile cruises, trips to the Sinai Desert, camel trekking, jeep excursions, horseback excursions, and visits to Luxor, Cairo, Nuweiba, Memphis, Alexandria, The Valley of the Kings and

The Valley of the Kings

the Temples of Abu Simbel. More local places to visit are St Catherines Monastery, Mount Moses, Wadi Ghazala and the Blue Desert.

With temperatures of 23-27C and 10 hours of sunshine a day during November and December, this is the ideal opportunity to grab one of the many winter late deals to Egypt that are on offer.

Enjoy some winter sunshine by booking one of the bargain holidays to this fascinating country which are on offer throughout the internet.

Nuweiba (bubbling springs) is a small, traditional town on the east coast of the Sinai Peninsula between Taba and Dahab. The town stretches for about 4 miles along the Gulf of Aqaba with a backdrop of the Sinai Mountains. The

Nuweiba Beach

 beaches here are regarded as some of the most beautiful and the safest in the Sinai. The town itself is lively with restaurants, cafes, shops and spice bazaars. As this is a new resort there are not any historical attractions but the town does have some interesting Israeli and Egyptian architecture. 

As Nuweiba is a fairly new resort there are only a few hotels here but there are plenty of beach camps which are popular with backpackers and those travelling on a tight budget.

Nuweiba Diving

For diving enthusiasts, those who wish to learn to dive (the waters are very calm here), snorkellers and underwater photograpers, Nuweiba is the ideal location. The coastline here has hard and soft coral reefs, with canyons, ravines, drop-offs and wrecks. All kinds of marine life can be seen here, including turtles, moray eels, seahorses, barracuda, snappers and razorfish. For those who prefer the dry option, this wide array of marine life can be viewed from a glass bottom boat.

Excursions from the town include trips to Mount Sinai and St Katherines Monastery, trips to Coloured Canyon and White Canyon, jeep and camel trips and not to be missed is an evening trip to the desert where you can

Ain um Ahmed

 enjoy a tradition Bedouin dinner. A camel ride will take you into the desert where you can see the magnificent watering holes of Ain um Ahmed and Ain Hudra. It is also possible to take the ferry from the port in Nuweiba to spend time in Jordan and Petra.

The climate here is hot and dry with very little rainfall. In the summer temperatures average between 32C and 38C with around 10 hours of sunshine a day. Winter temperatures average between 18C and 22C with around 6 hours of sunshine a day.

There are lots of last minute holidays around if you want to enjoy some winter sunshine and a spot of diving in waters that are still warm in the winter.

The internet has lots of travel deals available to Egypt throughout the year.

Dahab, which means gold in Arabic, was originally a Bedouin fishing village and is located on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula, about 50 miles from Sharm el Sheikh.

Dahab Bay

Originally a fishing village Dahab is now a thriving resort with hotels, campsites, restaurants, cafes, bars and of course its wonderful beaches.

Dahab consists of two distinct parts. In the north is the old Bedouin Village of Assalah which caters mainly for backpackers, with cheap accommodation. In the south is Laguna (also known as Dahab City/Medina) where you will find the more upmarket hotels.
 

Things to Do

The main attractions of Dahab are its white sandy beaches where you can relax in the sun and take a dip in the wonderful, crystal clear waters of the Red Sea.
When you want a change from soaking up the sun you can take a dessert safari, enjoy a quad bike ride in the desert, go mountain climbing, horse riding and camel riding or you can enjoy when of the many tours that are on offer. These tours include visits to The Old Port of Dahab, Ein Khudra (a Bedouin oasis), Wadi Gnay (a Bedouin oasis), Mount Sinai and St Catherines, Jerusalem (Israel), Petra (Jordan) and many more. 
There are excellent diving sites in the Dahab area, including Sinai’s best site, Blue Hole. There are more than 50 dive centres located in the Dahab area. Dahab is also great for windsurfing, kitesurfing, kayaking and snorkelling.
To the south of Dahab are Qnai el-Rayan and Qnai el-Atschan which are wadis (dry valleys) where there is some great rock climbing on offer. 

Dining

As Dahab is surrounded by water, there is lots of fresh fish and seafood served in its many restaurants. The restaurants located further inland tend to much less expensive than those nearer the beach.

With lots of cheap holidays on offer, Dahab is an excellent choice for your holidays, especially as the weather here is pleasant all year round and it has an abundance of cheap accommodation.

Watch out for the last minute holidays deals as Dahab is the place to visit anytime of the year, even in the winter when there is very little rain.