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Off the Beaten Path:
Budget Beach Vacations Made Easy
By Samer Aly and Jimmy Dunn
Underwater Photography by Samer Aly
The Red Sea around Sinai is a paradise for
divers and underwater. Sharm el Sheikh at the southern tip of the
Sinai Peninsula with its Nature Protectorate of Ras Mohamed
attracts many divers all year  round, but has never been known as a
budget destination. Dahab, 110 km north of Sharm, became famous
for the exquisite dive site known as the Blue Hole, and these days
is much less expensive.
Nuweiba is located 70 km south of Taba, and just
70 km north of Dahab. From Taba Airport a spectacular one-hour
drive along the magnificent coastal road with mountains stretched
out into the turquoise sea takes you to the oasis of Nuweiba. The
laid back atmosphere of Nuweiba makes it an ideal place for a
relaxing, enjoyable diving holiday. Nuweiba offers a variety of
accommodation from 5 star hotels, to thatched bungalows on the
beach.
 Nuweiba is the ideal location for adventurous
excursions into the terrific Sinai desert either by jeep or by
camels. But Nuweiba also offers a unique diving experience. Those,
just beginning their diving adventures as well as the more
seasoned divers will be surprised by the rich coral reefs away
from the crowds. Indeed, dive sites in Nuweiba have managed to
remain in perfect condition.
The virgin dive sites such as Devils Head,
Maagana, House Reef, Abu Lou Lou and the MFO reef are easily
accessible from the shore. With gradually sloping entrances, it
makes them ideal for novice divers and diving courses.
The dive sites at Ras Mamlah, Abu Galloum and
Tarf El Rieh (tip of the wind) are situated in the Nature
Protectorate of nearby Ras Abu Galloum. Stronger currents offer
drift diving possibilities with beautiful reef tables and schools
of migrating fish for the more advanced diver.
Home to the elusive sea horse and frogfish as
well as a variety of soft corals, the dive sites in Nuweiba are an
underwater photographer’s  paradise, and an extraordinary
experience is a dive with Lady Oline, a dolphin who made
friendship with a deaf Bedouin of the Muzeina tribe.
While thriving a short time ago, Nuweiba, Taba
and Dahab are now all but deserted. The reason for this is simple.
These areas were major destinations for many Israelis vacationing
in Egypt who are no longer coming due to the conflicts in that
country. Yet they are far away from any such problems, and today
they are quiet, peaceful areas, unencumbered with large numbers of
tourists, with prices that can't be beat.
 Of these, perhaps Nuweiba is currently the most
aggressive, with many of the hotels offering rates in the $40 to
$50 USD range, and even luxury hotels like the La Playa
Steigenberger with special rates of $80 for a double room with
breakfast. Likewise, in Taba, you can also stay at the Hyatt
Regency for the same price. Normal rates for the Hyatt are $135.00
per night, which is similar to the regular rates for the Hyatt in
Sharm el-Sheikh.
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