Egypt Vacation Off-The-Beaten Track: Combine The Rich Archaeological Tour With Red Sea Riviera Splendor

Egypt is a truly amazing country. It is a breath-taking country all through, with thousands of years of rich tradition and history, plus some of the most outstanding landscapes in the world. Very few people - even those who have never traveled to Egypt but only hear or read about Egypt – believe this. Because it is true. This North African country has a long history full of events. Events that shaped the history of the world and charted the destiny of the world’s civilization. Egypt is also the home of Cairo, the largest City in Africa - with a population of about 11 million people.

Over the last many thousands of years, the annual ever-faithful and regular Nile River flooding, the survival instincts of the people, together with steadfast rulers in the form pharaohs, paved the way to excellence. This combination certainly conspired to nurture one of the world’s greatest civilizations of the ancient world. This, again, in spite of the apparent isolation from the eastern and western borders by the fierce desert.

Today, Egypt is where the past meets the present. It is a country of enormous contradictions where ancient traditions live harmoniously with modern technology. Egypt is where the western civilization meets the ever-living eastern traditions. The present Egypt is a welcoming and tolerant country where everybody can feel at home. From students of archeology to business travelers, to couples on honeymoon, to inter-generational families – all will feel very much at home while on vacation in Egypt.

To the discerning holiday-maker, Egypt can offer that all-in-one holiday package that is not so easy to get in a single destination. Most travelers considering a vacation to Egypt will probably be influenced by the rich tradition, deep history, amazing archeological sites and rich culture that are Egypt’s background. The images and narrations about the pyramids, the temples and the museums will certainly direct your thoughts. Yet these are just a few of what Egypt has to offer to you as a visitor. These are only but the better-known of Egypt’s attractions. There is a lot more in the form of the Red Sea Riviera.

Away from, or rather apart from, the very interesting artifacts:- the pyramids, the temples, the sphinx and tombs, there is much more. I invite you to look at Egypt beyond the pyramids, to the world renowned Red Sea Riviera. Consider extending your vacation and visit the Egyptian beach resorts. You will not regret spending your time on the beautiful beach resort cities of Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh and the other equally beautiful resorts on the Riviera. These resorts are known for their uniqueness. If the length of your entire vacation is anything between 9 days and 16 days, you can enjoy a vacation of a life time combining both the historical and the seashore sites. This will allow you to split your time between Cairo, Luxor, Aswan etc and then finally finished up at any one of the resorts on the Rea Sea, on the eastern shore of mainland Egypt and to the south of the Gulf of Suez – the area known as the Red Sea Riviera.

As you begin the process of gathering information for your Egypt tour vacation, close your eyes and imagine yourself in one of the most beautiful and famous deep-sea diving paradises in the world. Think of crystal clear water, magnificent corals, exotic underwater plants and rare tropical fish. Imagine whatever it is that represents your perfect deep-sea diving or beach holiday. Let your imagination loose and picture the splendor of the white sandy beaches and the crystal clear blue waters of the sea.

Hurghada

Hurgada was founded in the early 20th century. Over the years, the once small fishing village has developed into a formidable tourist destination. It is actually the largest, most developed seashore resort on the Red Sea Riviera. Hurghada offers the ultimate prize for the lovers of aquatic sports including kiting, sailing, deep-sea-fishing, snorkeling and scuba divers. Because it is centrally located in comparison with the other resorts along the Red Sea, Hurghada is more or less the entry point to accessing the other diving sites including off-shore islands.

El Gouna

Another water-sports haven is located roughly 20 kilometers north of Hurghada. El Gouna presents two main beach fronts: Mangroovy Beach and Zeytoona Beach. The resort was developed and is owned by Orascom Hotels. There are more than 10 hotels in thee range of 3 star to 5 star. Plus a golf course, of course!.

Sharm El Sheikh

Sharm El Sheikh has been heralded as the ‘City of Peace’. This is in recognition of the various peace conferences that have been held there. Here you also find sulphur springs that many believe to have medicinal value and can cure those suffering from rheumatic and skin ailments.

The outline of Sharm El Sheikh’s coastline is one of its kinds. It is the cosmopolitan capital of the Sinai Peninsula. It has the large hotel complexes owned and managed by international hotel chains as well as the smaller, intimate hotels with modern designs and taste. You will also find just about all the amenities you would expect of a tourist centre, including casinos, discos, nightclubs, golf courses and well as health facilities.

Hotel accommodation standards are very high, actually world-class. Respected brand names in hotel management like Hyatt Regency, Accor, Marriot, Le Meridien, Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, Hard Rock Café, Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonalds have their presence firm in Sharm El Sheikh.

Sharm el Maya

This is the name given to the bay area of the old town of Sharm el Sheikh. This picturesque bay is a natural harbor and home to many small boats. The beautiful sandy beach has a profusion of palm trees providing natural shade for the sun loungers. This beach area of Sharm El Maya has only recently been developed with 5 star hotels and the old town is only a short walk away.

Naama Bay

After Sharm El Maya, we introduce to you Naama Bay. This long sandy bay was where the first hotel was set up in the early eighties. The development of the shore-line on this bay is now complete and the seafront boasts a beautiful paved walk-way, lined with bougainvillea and oleander, following the full sweep of the bay. Naama Bay is the place to be in the evenings while you enjoy your vacation on the Red Sea Riviera. Here you will find shops, restaurants, bars and all.

Ras Um Sid Cliff

This cliff top area links Naama Bay and the bay of Sharm El Maya. Ras Um Sid is centrally situated at just about 5 minutes drive from Sharm in one direction and Naama in the other direction. Um El Sid is also famous for its coral reefs and has a very high cliff, where many of the hotels are situated. This is a prime diving area and you will find a wide selection of companies that offer diving courses. You can undertake your PADI qualification at a very good price.

There is very little chance that boredom will find place in your vacation on the Egyptian Red Sea Riviera. A wide variety of activities are available to choose from. Diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, horse and camel riding, desert safaris are just some of the options you will have make.

Access to the Red Sea Riviera is easily achieved from Cairo. You can get into Egypt through Cairo and connect a local flight into Hurghada International Airport. The Hurghada International Airport also receives direct flights from Europe cities.