The Red Sea Area

Major Cities and Towns

Ain Sukhna
Berenice
Bir Shalatein
El Gouna
Hurghada
Mersa Alam
Al-Quseir
Safaga
Suez
Zafarana

About the Area

See Also:

• Egyptian Beach Vacations Part III: Egypt's Mainland Gulf of Suez and Red Sea Coast

That exquisite corridor of tinted mountains and radiant water... here and nowhere else, is the vestibule between the Levant and the Tropics. -E.M. Forster describing the Gulf of Suez, 1923.

Egypt's Red Sea coast runs from the Gulf of Suez to the Sudanese border. Its mineral-rich red mountain ranges inspired the mariners of antiquity to name the sea Mare Rostrum, or the Red Sea.

Hermits seeking seclusion founded early Christian monasteries here, sharing the wilderness with camel-trading Bedouin tribes. Today, the crags and limestone wadis of the Eastern Desert remain relatively unexplored, home to ibex and gazelle. But the Red Sea itself, dotted with coral reefs, fringed by ancient ports, teeming with underwater life, has a rich maritime history which stretches back to Pharaonic times.

The thermal winds that once sped clippers to the East still bring thousands of migrating birds to the shores of the Red Sea, making it a paradise for bird-watchers. Today, the ancient ports are better known as some of the best diving and fishing resorts in the world. Here, you will find over 800 fish species, including the deadly stone-fish, the equally dangerous butterfly-fish, as well as surgeon fish, jellyfish such as the cassiopei, crabs that sometimes overrun the shore in the evening and some species of shark. Sunbathers relax on white sand beaches, or find shade in the mangrove lagoons that line the coast, while snorkellers explore the reefs. And the underwater wonder of the Red Sea remains a living tapestry of vibrant corals and exotic fish, waiting for you to discover its secrets.

Location:

The East Coast of Mainland Egypt bordering the Red Sea

How to get there:

From outside Egypt
Some international flights now go to Hurghada, otherwise fly direct to Cairo then either take an internal flight (see below) or go overland by bus or by car. Contact your travel agent for details. 

From Cairo

Overland
You may like to book a tour through a travel agent or hire your own transport. Bear in mind that desert driving has special requirements and be sure to get a suitable vehicle and guidance on possible hazards. 0therwise you can travel to each location by bus or service taxi and arrange trips from there.

Suez:
Service taxis or East Delta Bus Company buses from the Koulali terminal, near Ramses Station. By train from Ramses Station. 

Ain Sukhna:
Buses or service taxis from Suez or by private transport from Cairo 

Hurghada: 
Service taxis or buses (including Superjets) from Ahmed Helmi terminal, near Ramses Station or from abdel Mounim Riyad terminal, near the Ramses Hilton
Hotel. 

Safaga, al-Quseir, Mersa Alam, Berenice:
Buses, service taxis or tours from Hurghada. You may need a special permit to visit Berenice, check at the Frontiers Administration office in Cairo.

St. Anthony's and St. Paul's monasteries:
Special pilgrim tours are arranged from Cairo by the YMCA (Tel: 917360) and the Coptic Patriachate (Tel: 960025). Tours can also be arranged through Misr Travel and other tour operators. The Hurghada bus will drop you at the foot of the mountain, about 13 km. away from the monasteries, otherwise private transport is the best way to get there.

By air
The following airlines fly to Hurghada:

Egyptair.egyptair@idsc.gov.eg Tel: +20-2-5750600 (Cairo) 
Sinai Air Company. Tel: +20-2-776893/760948 (Nile Hilton Hotel) 
ZAS Tel: +20-2-2918030 (Novotel, Cairo)

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