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The Red Sea
coast :
The
Red Sea coast runs from the Gulf of Suez, and the many mountain ranges inspired
the mariners of antiquity to name it the “Sea Mare Rostrum”, or the Red Sea.
Main islands
along the coast include:
-
1 Qamar
-
AI-Fanadir
-
Abu Ramada
-
Om Gaweesh
-
Small Seoul
lands
-
A1 Zabarged
Main cities
Hurghada:
Hurghada lies 500 Km
from Cairo and is famous for its magnificent summer and winter climate. Click
here for
more information about this resort city
El-Gouna:
This is a tourist
resort centre, with many different facilities, located 25 Km north of Hurghada.
It consists of several tourist resorts, international hotels with different
diving centres and a golf course. El-Gouna has a small airport, suitable for
handling private planes.
Ras Garib:
Located 160 Km north
of Hurghada, it is one of the most important oil centres on the Red Sea
Safaga:
Safaga is to be
found 65 Km south of Hurghada. A marine port, connected by a cruise shuttle
service line with Jordan and Saudi Arabia, Safaga city is considered an
extremely important centre as special medical researches helps contribute to the
potential of attracting international tourism to Safaga.
The resort is
reputable for its unpolluted atmosphere, black sand dunes and mineral springs,
which have acquired specific characteristics for the remedy of rheumatoid
arthritis and psoriasis.
Al-Qusseir:
It is 80 Km south of
Safaga and is an excellent site for camping. Recently, several hotels of
different categories have been established. Tourists can practise water sports.
It is an important port for exporting phosphate, and is connected to Qena city
by a road that is 220 Km long.
Marsa Alam:
This popular resort
is 135 Km south of Al-Qusseir and 270 Km south of Jiving, and is connected to
Edfu by a 289 Km long desert road. Due to the proximity of Luxor and the shrine
of Abu AI-Hassan AI-Shazli, it has become a big tourist centre, which avails the
tourist of the many monumental sites and its exotic beaches.
Marsa Alam’s
International airport was inaugurated a few years ago and now receives many
flights each day. The port of Ras Ghareb, which is located about I Km to the
north of Marsa Alam, is capable of receiving all luxurious cruises and yachts
(both local and international) and can safely handle up to 1000 yachts of all
sizes up to a size of 60 metres long and 4 metres deep.
Bernice:
A small town, about
12 Km south of Marsa Alam, and is very rich in fish. The site is an excellent
therapeutic centre and today is a geological phenomenon as well. It is full of
semi-precious gems, and was used from around 1500 BC until the mid-20th
century. The city was an important port in Ptolemy’s times; it was built during
the time of Ptolemy II who named it to commemorate her name: Bernice.
The area is full of
ruins including an Ancient Ptolemaic temple. Excavation is still going on this
here, especially on the Greco-Roman monuments.
Archaeological
Sites:
The Red Sea region
has a lot of Pharonic and Roman antiquities. Pharonic inscriptions were found in
Wadi Elhaamat and Um El Fawageer, which are located 235 Km south of Hurghada.
Ruins of the
temple of Dokhan:
A Greco roman temple
which is located 65 Km north of Hurghada
Christian
sites:
The area has two of
the oldest and most famous monasteries in Coptic Egypt:
St. Paul:
It goes back to the end of to the 4th century AD,
check more here
St Anthony,
it is the oldest known monastery in Egypt, where St
Anthony created the first monastic style of life.
check more
Islamic sites:
The Shrine of Sheik
Hassan El-Ghasal is located 150 Km from Marsa Alam and is around 800 years old
The Tower of Sultan
Sleem in Al-Qusseir, it is located around 130 KM south of Hurghada
How to reach
the Red Sea coast:
By flight:
Egypt air and many
international airlines runs regular and charter flights to Hurghdada, and Marsa
Alam.
By bus:
You can take a bus
from the main bus station in called known as Eltorgam (any taxi
driver in Cairo knows where it is)
The
East Delta Bus Company and El-Gouna Bus Company
both run regular daily bus trips to Hurghada.
Red Sea air
temperatures through the year:
|
January |
February |
March |
April |
May |
June |
|
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
|
22 |
10 |
30 |
14 |
24 |
14 |
26 |
17 |
31 |
22 |
33 |
25 |
|
July |
August |
September |
October |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
|
34 |
27 |
34 |
27 |
33 |
24 |
28 |
20 |
28 |
15 |
23 |
14 |
Distances between the Red Sea
coast and Cairo:
|
|
Cairo |
Ras
Ghareib |
Hurghada |
Safaga |
Al-Qusseir
|
Marsa
Alam |
|
Cairo |
0 |
309 |
460 |
520 |
600 |
731 |
|
Ras Ghareib |
309 |
0 |
150 |
210 |
290 |
423 |
|
Hurghada |
460
|
150 |
0 |
60 |
140 |
273 |
|
Safaga |
520 |
210 |
60 |
0 |
80 |
213 |
|
Al-Qusseir |
600 |
290 |
140 |
80 |
0 |
133 |
|
Marsa
Alam |
731 |
423 |
273 |
213 |
133 |
0 |
|