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Cairo, and the area around it are considered to be the heart of Egypt, and one may find almost every aspect of Egypt represented in the area, including some of the most famous Pharaonic, ancient Christian and Islamic monuments.
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Aswan, Egypt's sunniest southern city and ancient frontier town located about 81 miles south of Luxor, has a distinctively African atmosphere. Its ancient Egyptian name was Syene.
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Hurghada was founded in the early 20th century, and until a few years ago, remained a small fishing village. But today, it has gone on to become the foremost tourist resort of the Red Sea coast and an international center for aquatic sports. If it takes place in or on the water you can do it.
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Luxor has often been called the worlds greatest open air museum, as indeed it is and much more. The number and preservation of the monuments in the Luxor area are unparalleled anywhere else in the world.
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Sharm El-Sheikh The simplicity of sun, sea and sand. The luxury of five-star hotels, water sports, shopping and entertainment. This is Sharm el-Sheikh, one of the most accessible and developed tourist resort communities on the Sinai peninsula. All around are Bedouins, colorful tents, mountains and sea.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Marsa Alam Egypt
Marsa Alam
Marsa Alam is a fishing village which also depended on phosphate mining. It is currently developing as a new seaside resort.In ancient times, the mountains concealed gold and emerald mines. Under Ptolemy II, a road was built linking Marsa Alam and Edfu and is still in use today.
790 km south of Cairo.
Since the opening of the international airport in 2001, this small fishing village has become the new top Red Sea destination for diving enthusiasts. Lying between sea and desert, the hotel complexes offer a level of comfort and leisure facilities on a par with the majestic surroundings.The village
Marsa Alam stands at the crossroads of the road from Edfu to the west and the road running the length of the Red Sea coast. The village itself is a small fishing port with a bus terminus, a few grocery shops and some restaurants.Tourist complexes
For a long time tourists were accommodated in Bedouin-inspired encampments comprising environmentally friendly ecolodges but equipped with all modern facilities. Now luxury tourist complexes stretch along more than 80 km of coast from Port Ghalib in the north to the Wadi El Gemal National Park in the south.Port Ghalib Marina
Opened in December 2005, Port Ghalib Marina offers facilities for up to 1 000 boats. Port Ghalib aims to become the leisure boating gateway to and foremost yachting port in the Middle East. Its proximity to an airport has convinced a number of hotel chains to open up establishments here, each rivalling the next in Middle Eastern-style sumptuousness.Diving
Dive sites accessible from Marsa Alam number among the most attractive in the Red Sea for experienced divers. The preserved state of the coral reefs and presence of pelagic species are the principal draw factors. For less experienced divers, in-shore coral reefs offer the chance for hours of marine wildlife watching.El Gouna Egypt
El Gouna
El Gouna prides itself on being Egypt's only fully intergrated town on the Red Sea Coast.Nuweiba Egypt
Nuweiba
This is one of the largest oases in the south.Egypt Marsa Matruh
Marsa Matruh
The city is a convenient stop-over for travelers on their way to Siwa.Lies 295 km west of Alexandria and 510 km northwest of Cairo
Marsa Matruh is the last town before the Libyan border and shares its history with some famous figures. Alexander the Great is said to have stopped here on his way to the Siwa Oasis and Cleopatra is reputed to have come here to bathe. It was here that General Rommel set up his field headquarters and directed German troops in the decisive Battle of El-Alamein in 1942.The beaches
Marsa Matruh lies on the edge of a large lagoon protected by a Corniche along which tourists are ferried in local donkey-drawn carriages known as caretta. Whilst the most beautiful beaches are located outside the town, it is advisable to stay within the built-up areas. Among the most amazing of the beaches is that of Agiba (28 km west) with its natural caves. On the edge of the desert, the place known as “Cleopatra’s bath” is a wonderful bay, its clear waters surrounded by rocks giving the impression of a vast, square pool in which, according to legend, Cleopatra came to bathe. The ruins of one of her palaces were uncovered on the hillside opposite the pool.Libyan Souk (market)
Fortress and temple dating from Ramesses II
El Alamein Egypt
El Alamein
Winston Churchill knew El Alamein's charms well, describing it as having the best climate in the world.Porto Marina
Recent excavations beside the sea have uncovered a historic Roman villa and Hellenistic cemetery.
Battle of 1942
Taba Egypt
Taba
Set against ancient mountain ranges, this magnificient destination lies nestled at the crossroads of three continents,where untamed desert and cinnamon mountains are quenched in one of the world's most vibrant coral seas.
Taba Heights
Taba Heights is a rapidly expanding seaside resort much prized by the large international hotel chains for its beaches and exceptional coral reefs. Taba Heights is a breathtaking year-round resort ideally situated in one of the most beautiful spots of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.
Leisure activities
Numerous diving clubs offer courses and daily outings. Instructors take divers to the most suitable sites to dive in complete safety. Outings last a maximum of an hour and a half, and often much less. The dive sites feature a sandy seabed dotted with coral outcrops and contain a rich selection of marine life from seahorses to dolphins. The absence of currents makes these sites perfect for beginners, as well as fulfilling the highest expectations of photographers and divers of all levels. Among the best-known sites are the Fjord with its well-like topography, the Aquarium and its variety of species, and Mersa el-Muqabila where there is the chance to spot an eagle ray. For those who find boats a nuisance, lovely dive sites teeming with marine life are accessible from shore, such as the House Reef and Marina Bay, just two minutes away in a 4x4.
The Bedouins
Saturday, May 7, 2011
The Holiday Inn, Safaga, Egypt
The Holiday Inn, Safaga, Egypt
By Jimmy Dunn
To me, the name Holiday Inn still invokes the classic 1942 film with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire which made this hotel chain famous. Don't worry, I'm not that old, but I am an old movie buff. And of course, I am also reminded of the moderately priced family hotels in which we often stayed while I was growing up.
There are not many Holiday Inns in Egypt, and it seems almost strange to find one in such an exotic location as Safaga. Entering Safaga, one thinks gets the image of an industrial community, and indeed, Safaga is a commercial sea port. But it is also a scuba diving resort, just far south enough from Hurghada to seem a little isolated, yet close enough to find a party if one really wishes to do so. But Safaga itself is a scuba diving and water sports center. Indeed, there is little else in the area save the drive to Hurghada.
The Holiday Inn in Safaga carries the tradition of Holiday Inns well. For the area, it is moderately priced, and caters more to families. All sorts of sports are available. Besides popular water sports such as scuba diving and windsurfing, there are tennis and basketball courts, valleyball, handball, a billiards room and table-tennis. Of course, there is also the beach, more beach, and the sparkling blue Red Sea. There is also a complete health club, with sauna, whirlpool and steambath, and a comprehensive kid's Fun Club.
Kid's Fun Club
Discotheque
Entertainment is daily, and throughout the day, with an animation team, a discotheque and an English style pub.
The hotel's 327 standard rooms, 2 presidential suites and 6 executive suites have all the amenities, with balconies, individual air conditioning, mini bars, direct dial telephones, satellite TV and private baths. They are all bright and modern and anyone who has stayed in Holiday Inns in the past will feel right at home.
Admittedly, places such as the Safaga Holiday Inn find a large share of German tourists, as it is a rather inexpensive choice for their beach vacations. But there are some great scuba diving sites in the area, and for those not wishing for the helter skelter of Hurghada, this is an ideal place to blow some bubbles, dance the night away and even bring along the whole family crew.
The Auberge du Lac Hotel, Fayoum Oasis
The Auberge du Lac Hotel, Fayoum Oasis
Arabella Iberotel in Hurghada
Arabella Iberotel in Hurghada
by Jimmy Dunn
Today, Egypt offers a huge variety of hotels, many of which are very luxurious. There are literally thousands of facilities to choose from, in many different locations, that cater to a vast array of tastes. We have reviewed a number of individual hotels, from one star to extremely fine five star accommodations, but in order to simplify matters a bit, we will take a look a number of facilities operated by some well known chains.
While some of our readers may have never heard of Iberotel hotels, we should first note that the company is a part of the world's largest tourism corporation, the TUI Group. The chain originally began doing business in 1970 and expanded their operation to Egypt in 1994. By the year 2000, they were operating twelve different facilities in Egypt and Turkey. Today, Iberotel operates four hotels in Sharm el-Sheikh, one in Marsa Alam, the Arabella in Hurghada, and five more hotels at Makadi Bay near Hurghada.
Providing superior holiday destinations in Egypt, Iberotel effectively blends traditional hospitality and local structural design with a very high level of luxury. Furthermore, In all its establishments, Iberotel strongly emphasizes environmental protection and quality
standards. Winning several prominent green awards, Iberotel's unceasingly eco-friendly efforts have, at numerous times, bore fruits.
The Arabella, Iberotel's first hotel in Egypt, is located directly on the beach of the Red Sea about three kilometers from Hurghada's city center and about ten kilometers from the local airport. A fair sized hotel, this four star facility includes 294 double rooms and a wide variety of entertainment and sports diversions.
While many vacationers may not see much of their rooms for all the available outside activities, nevertheless the accommodations feature most every convenience one might expect in even a five star hotel. All of the rooms at this hotel are well air-conditioned, and include a telephone along with a private bathroom with shower, and for that evening in, satellite color TV. Each room also features a balcony or terrace with either a sea pool or garden view, great for an morning breakfast or a late evening libation. But for many, little time will be spent sitting about in the room.
Doubtless, many people will spend some of their time at this hotel along their private beach amongst the thatched huts, soaking up sun with a drink in hand. But getting active is easy, with two tennis courts, four squash courts, a fitness room, a volleyball court, and any number of water sports, including surfing, sailing, snorkeling and of course, scuba diving. The scuba diving center is operated by Blue-Water-Dive, where one may also receive instructions leading to PADI, SSI and CMAS certification.
If somewhat less strenuous activities are called for, there is also table tennis, billiards, and of course, the two large swimming pools.
But don't head back to the room yet. As the evening casts a warm glow on the gentle Red Sea, the evening entertainment is just beginning. After a day full of activities, perhaps a relaxing dinner with a number of restaurants to choose from. Four different buffet restaurants, called the Obba, Caio, Grill and Cateanos await you, or you may also choose from the Little Venice pool restaurant, the Oasis beach restaurant or the Bierkeller, offering German cuisine.
Now its time to choose between live music, dancing and various shows including folkloric and an animation (stage) show. If a little less structured nightlife is in order, rather than the disco, one may also choose the pool bar, the beach bar, a reef bar or the main El Khan Bar.
Putting it all together, the Arabella Hotel is a reasonably priced complex where one may spend a few days or a few weeks with never a hint of boredom. Certainly one may venture into the nightlife of the main city, but for many, there will be little reason to do so, as this hotel provides just about every sort of entertainment.
The Abu Simbel Seti Hotel
The Abu Simbel Seti Hotel
Until recently, the selection of hotels in Abu Simbel where rather dismal. At best the Nefertari Hotel, owned by the government, has been the hotel of choice. But a relatively new hotel, the Abu Simbel Seti, now provides travelers to this remote region with fairly luxurious accommodations. I was really impressed with the well landscaped facilities.
This is a reasonably large hotel located in between the town of Abu Simbel and the Temple complex. It sits on the shores of Lake Nasser. It's "rocky" architecture blends in well and it is clear that considerable effort and care went into the hotels construction. The hotel grounds are large, and the garden landscaping is nicely done. Rooms have nice details, including engraved wood and are reasonable large with new fixtures and furnishings. Rooms have direct dial telephones, private baths, individually controlled air conditioning, minifrigs, terraces and satellite color television.
The hotel has several different restaurants and bars, basically set up to provide entertainment and facilities to guests in a location where there are few other sources. There is a nice roomy bar just off the main lobby, as well as a garden bar near the swimming pool. The hotel also has a an adult and children's swimming pools which are very nice, as well as a few shops and though I may not have exactly figured out its purpose, a nice meeting room.
Simply put, this is the best hotel in a region that is often visited as no more then a day trip. However, with the new light show at the temples, and their grandeur as several of Egypt's finest temples, perhaps more travelers will wish to come and spend a night or two, particularly now that the Abu Simbel road is again open for travel.